June 3, 2025 • 24 mins
This podcast will support listeners to:
- Recognise key independent living skills for own age and stage, in particular managing time, eating out, and helping with household tasks.
- Reflect on own independent living goals.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
S1 (00:03):
Welcome to Vision Australia's podcast series, designed to help children
and young people develop the skills they'll need to open
their future.
Trish (00:14):
Hello. Thanks for joining me today. My name is Trish
and I'm an Occupational Therapist. In this podcast we're going
to talk about becoming more independent. Being independent means that
you're able to look after yourself, your family and your home.
At the moment, it's probably the adults in your life
(00:36):
who do most of the bigger household tasks like shopping, cooking, cleaning,
paying bills, organising appointments and other things that make life possible.
I'm sure you've heard them talk about all the things
they do. Well, pretty soon you'll be the adult responsible
(00:57):
for all these tasks. We're going to look at some
independent skills that you can learn right now for school,
for eating out and for helping around the house. We'll
also hear from some young people who will share their
tips and ideas based on their personal experiences. So let's
get started. Think back to when you started high school.
(01:22):
What were some things that were completely different from primary school?
We asked some young people the differences they noticed.
young person (01:33):
When I started high school, there were several differences that
I noticed. Firstly, the size of the school. At primary school,
there were only around 700 students. However, when I moved
to high school it really increased up to about 14 hundred
and now it's up to 17 hundred. A second difference
that I definitely noticed was the amount of moving around
(01:55):
you have to do. You know, one class you might
be at the bottom of school. The next class you
need to be at the top of the school. This
requires significant work on your organisation skills, and you need
to really make sure that you can pack up quickly
and get moving quickly.
When moving into high school from primary school. Probably the
biggest thing that I learned was navigation. And knowing that
(02:19):
not all your classes are going to be in the
same place. You know you're going to have different teachers,
so you're going to have different classrooms. And, you know,
they might be on the, you know, direct opposite side
of the school. And, you know, you might have to
go upstairs and you might have to go do a
few twists and turns. And so it's it's good to
know where your classrooms are. So that might mean practicing
(02:42):
before school starts.
Trish (02:45):
Yes, there's some big differences and a lot to adjust to.
All of a sudden you had to move classrooms for
different subjects, follow a timetable. Maybe you had to start
taking a bus or a train to school. There are
so many more assignments than primary school and they all
have a due date, sometimes a few in the same week,
(03:08):
and there are more staff, more students, and everything is bigger.
Even the canteen. You went from being the most senior
in the school back to the most junior, and you
probably had to learn a lot of new skills to
feel in control of your day. This is what others
realised they had to learn.
young person (03:30):
With the more students at the school. It can be
a lot harder to navigate through those larger crowds. So
my usual trick is just pick a line like say,
you know, you're walking up a path, pick the left
hand side and go. Don't try and move around them.
Let the tide move around you.
Oh, the other thing that is probably really handy to
(03:50):
learn is organisation, because you're having multiple different teachers. They're
all going to be giving you different tasks and assignments
and bits of homework. So whether that's using a diary
or a checklist, being able to really get used to
checking tasks off for the day and, you know, going
(04:10):
back at the end of the day and refreshing what
your teachers have asked you to do.
Trish (04:16):
Yes, that's so true. Now, during the first few years
in high school with assignments and homework and tests, you
may just be able to remember everything you need to
do and by when. So that might work in the
short term, but it's not a great solution for long term.
Once you get to year 11 and 12, it's going
(04:38):
to be much more difficult to rely on your memory,
as there will be so many more things to remember
and add on some tiredness and maybe a little stress,
and your memory might not be so reliable. So it's
a good idea to start thinking about ways to keep
track of what needs to be done and by when.
(04:59):
So by the time you get to say year ten,
you'll know you've got your system all figured out. Not
only will it make life easier for you now, you'll
be far more organised for when you really need something
in place later on. Okay, so how can you manage
your time and keep track of when things are happening
(05:21):
and when stuff is due? Well, you need tools and
you need a few different ones. You need ones that
help you create schedules, set priorities, and remind you when
you need to do something. Tools can be physical things
or they can be strategies. Let's check in with others
(05:44):
and see what tools they use and why.
young person (05:48):
I used to be a person who used to just
use their memory, and I found in high school it
was I was struggling to actually complete all the tasks
and get them done on time, so I had to
look at some different tools. Now, the first tool I
did look at was the calendar on outlook. However, I
(06:08):
decided I didn't really like this setup because I don't
really check that calendar. That was when I moved to
my phone calendar, which has worked a lot better. On
this calendar you can actually set alerts. You know, one
day before, two days before, as far back as one
week before. And this has allowed me to be able
to hand my tasks in on time and be a
(06:30):
little bit more organised.
How I would stay organised and do those things is,
as I said, either using a diary or or using
a calendar. You know, most, most computer calendars can be
linked to an iPad or a phone, so you can
know you can easily flick between the two.
Trish (06:48):
Those are some great suggestions. Perhaps you've heard 1 or
2 that you might like to try. Here are some
of my tips. Tip number one. It's important that the
tools you use are reliable. If you're using a digital
calendar on your phone or computer, for example, you need
to have a backup in case your battery is flat.
(07:10):
Can you access your chosen app or software on different devices?
Could a weekly braille or large print copy work for you?
Tip number two you need a system to know what
to focus on first. A system to prioritize. But priorities
(07:31):
can change. Say, if you receive your English assignment today
and are given two weeks before you need to hand
it in, the maths test this week has more priority.
But next week your English assignment will become the highest priority,
so make sure you keep checking due dates and schedule
time as needed. Tip three when you use a calendar
(07:57):
to manage your time, don't just use it for school.
Add in all the things you do outside of school
as well, like training, sport, music, practice, and any other
appointments you might have because it helps to know immediately
how much time you really have for that English assignment.
(08:17):
Tip four you need to know yourself really well to
be able to schedule your time in the best possible way.
Are you someone that works best concentrating on one task
for a long time? Or is it better to do
tasks in smaller chunks? Tip five it's a good idea
(08:39):
to set aside a small amount of time to review
a task sheet early on. This means you can be
sure you understand what needs to be done, and can
plan the right amount of time to finish it. For example,
will you need to check in with your teacher? Will
you need to visit the library or do a lot
(09:00):
of reading? Do you need to learn a new formula
or theory before completing the assignment? All these things take
time and can't be done in the final hours before
the task is due. Write a list of the steps involved.
Prioritize and check off each step as you finish them.
(09:21):
For me, I love lists and it feels really good
to tick off tasks when they're done. Feel free to
pause this podcast for a moment. If you would like
to make a list of strategies and tips to try out.
Don't forget to come back though, because next we're going
out to eat. Well, obviously we're not actually eating, but
(09:47):
let's talk about going out for a bite to eat
and what's involved. We asked some others what they like
best about eating out and where they like to go.
young person (10:01):
Okay. What do I like about eating out? Well, I
think I just really enjoy, you know, the, the, um,
being in a different place and enjoying time with your mates.
I usually like to go to places that have a
variety of meals.
S4 (10:16):
I like eating out with friends because it's a it's
a chance to socialise outside of school. Uh, you know,
when you're in the classroom or at lunch time, it's
sort of hard because you've always either got like a
time limit or you've got other things that you have
to focus on. But, you know, if you go out
with your mates in your free time, it's a good
chance to, uh, not only socialise, but you also get
(10:39):
some food as well. And you know, my favorite places
to eat are just like local. Local places that you know.
You know the menu. So you know. You know what to.
Get every time. And it's close by usually either in,
you know, walking distance or. You know, short short bus
ride or taxi ride away.
Trish (11:00):
Thanks guys. It sounds like you really enjoy hanging out together,
especially when it includes food, but there are some things
to be mindful of. I want you to imagine you're
planning to eat out with a group of friends. I'll
ask you a series of questions grouped into eight topics
that will help you prepare. After each topic, I'll give
(11:23):
you a few moments to consider your answers. You might
like to write them down somewhere. Feel free to pause
this podcast for a moment if you need to, and
then select play to continue. Firstly, what sort of restaurant
(11:44):
would you like to go to? Macca's, KFC and Hungry
Jack's are very similar in how they operate and the
type of food that they have, but other options could
be sushi, subway or maybe a cafe. Topic two how
will you access the menu? Perhaps you can access it online?
(12:10):
Do you have a device you can use to access
the menu or menu board with, or would you like
someone else to read it out to you? Topic three
do you know how to order your food and drink?
Will you order at the counter or from the table?
(12:31):
Will you know your table number? Topic four how will
the food arrive? Will it be delivered to your table,
or do you need to pick it up from the counter?
(12:52):
Topic five how will the food be presented? Will it
come in a box? Will it be wrapped up in
paper or will it be on a plate or in
a bowl? Topic six where will you be eating? Will
(13:14):
you be ordering takeaway and finding somewhere to sit in
a food court on the grass? Or will you be
dining in? Topic seven Will you use utensils like cutlery
or chopsticks? And where do you get these from? And lastly,
(13:40):
topic eight will you need to put rubbish away when
you're finished? Or will there be a waiter to do
this for you? Knowing what will happen and what you
are expected to do, will help you to prepare and
feel much more confident. You'll be able to work out
(14:01):
what you can already do and what skills you might
need to learn. Were there some questions you didn't know
the answers to? I have a tip. Next time you
go out to eat, ask someone you're with to describe
to you what is going on and what they are doing.
Or if you still have questions, just ask. Let's hear
(14:24):
what tips others have for eating out.
young person (14:30):
Whilst I do love pasta, I don't usually get it
while I'm eating out, purely because it is a very
messy meal. Um, sauce can go everywhere and the pasta
can fly off your fork and it's just hard to maintain. Um,
I usually prefer meals like fish and chips, uh, burgers
and chicken parmigiana, purely just because, like, they're easier to
(14:53):
cut up and burgers you can hold in your hand. And, yeah,
it's just easier to control the amount of mess that's made.
For eating out with friends. I think, you know, it
can be really difficult and maybe a bit stressful for
visually impaired people. So there are a few things that
can sort of ease the stress. So first of all,
(15:15):
don't be afraid to ask for help. At the end
of the day, it's it's better to have someone help
you do something than not being able to do it
at all. You can sort of ease into eating out
with friends if you know you might be going out
to them with the whole family. And one thing that
the parents could do is, is, you know, practice the
(15:39):
child being more independent, whether when they're eating food. So
if they're totally blind, the parent could, you know, introduce
the child to, you know, tactfully figuring out where the
food is in a neat way or, or being able
to use utensils really neatly. And those things that the
parents can do either at home or, you know, in
(16:01):
private without the friends there, uh, can make the child
a lot more confident when they are with friends. Now,
the final tip I would give, and the final challenge, really,
for when you're eating out in public, is choosing food.
So first of all, you want to make sure that
any food you choose, you choose it before so you're
(16:22):
not having to go to the restaurant. And of course
you might not be able to see the menu. So
then you have to, you know, you might have to
ask someone to read the menu out to you. So
it's a lot of the times it's easier if you,
you know, a lot of menus are online now, so
you might just be able to research online and choose
your food before you even get to the restaurant. And
(16:43):
also when it comes to choosing food, you want to,
you know, make sure you're choosing food that is not messy.
For example, things like burgers and salads, eww salads. Um,
you know, those foods aren't so messy. So you, you know,
you're able to eat them a lot more neatly than,
than things like pastas, which are which, you know, can
(17:04):
spill everywhere. And, you know, of course, if you're visually impaired,
you might not be able to see if you've got
any stains on you or not.
Trish (17:13):
Thanks. Those are great tips. So far. In this podcast episode,
we've talked about independent skills for managing your time and
eating out. I have one more topic to talk to
you about. Earlier I said, you probably have a pretty
good idea of all the stuff your parents do around
the house. There are so many household tasks that need
(17:36):
to be done, many on a daily basis. Think about
cleaning tasks like washing the dishes, wiping down the dining
room table and kitchen benches, sweeping and mopping the floors,
and general tidying up. What about emptying the rubbish and
taking out the wheelie bins? Hmm. I wonder if you
(17:56):
know what night bin night is. Imagine what life would
be like if no one did any of these jobs.
Now hang in there with me, this is an important topic.
At some point in the future, you might just want
to move into your own place, and you'll need to
be able to look after yourself. And getting ready for
(18:17):
that means learning how to do some household tasks no.
I'm sure your parents won't mind sharing the responsibilities with you.
I wonder if other young people do any household tasks.
young person (18:33):
There are some jobs that I just do just to
help my parents out. I hang the clothes out, take
them off the line, I unstack and stack the dishwasher.
I also help my mum on ironing days when she
needs the coat hangers collected. And yeah, there are the
main tasks I do to help my parents out.
So at home I do a few things. Uh, whether that's,
(18:56):
you know, hanging the washing out, folding the washing, putting
the washing on. I've become quite an expert in that regard.
I also occasionally cook meals with help from other people.
uh vacuum. Vacuuming is easy because it's just, you know,
a straight pattern. I'm also pretty tech savvy, so I'll
(19:17):
usually help my family figure stuff out surrounding either the
TV or their phones or how the email works, huh? Yeah,
that's that's probably the main things I do.
Trish (19:32):
Think for a moment which jobs you can take on.
Could you start by emptying out the bin in the kitchen?
What would that involve? Let me give you some things
to think about. What type of bin do you have?
Does your bin have a plastic bag in it? How
do you know when it's full and the bag needs
(19:53):
to be replaced? Can you tie the bag up? Do
you know where the new plastic bags are kept? Now
here's a challenge for you. One that almost everybody struggles with.
Most clean bin bags come on rolls, why not get
one out after the podcast and try to get a
(20:14):
new bag off the roll? And how do you put
a clean bag in your bin? Maybe have a go
at that as well. Now, where do you put the
full tied up bag? Does it need to go outside?
Make sure you know when bin night is and where
to put it on the side of the curb. Most
(20:37):
households have two wheelie bins, one for recycle and the
other for general waste. That's what makes it tricky, as
one week you put out just the bin for general waste,
and the next you put both bins out. Perhaps you
even have a third bin for garden waste. If there
(20:58):
are any steps in the process for emptying the bin
that you don't know how to do. Ask someone to
teach you. Let's see what some others learned about doing
their household tasks.
young person (21:11):
I'm completing new tasks. Isn't that hard to learn? I
learn it through several ways. My mum explaining it to me,
you know, by saying, um, You put a peg on
the right side, and then you put a peg on
the left side. Um, another way to do it is
to actually. So you, um, by this, I mean, uh,
(21:31):
the person who's explaining to you will actually use your
hands so you can feel what they're doing.
My parents have put tactile markers on the washing machine
and the microwave, so I know where certain buttons are,
and I can just press them. And even though I
might not be able to see them, well, as long
as my siblings haven't moved those buttons around, I know
(21:52):
what those buttons mean, and I'm able to do things
quite independently.
Trish (21:57):
Thanks, guys. There are many household tasks that you can
start to take responsibility for. It's about everyone pulling their weight.
If you're not already, could you replace the toilet roll
when you've used the last bit of toilet paper? Do
the dishes after dinner or stack and unpack the dishwasher.
(22:18):
Put the shopping away. Fold the washing and don't forget
you now know all the steps for managing the rubbish.
If you've never done any of these before, it might
feel a bit daunting. You could start by sharing the
task with the person who's doing it at the moment.
(22:38):
And then as you become more confident and know what
to do, it can become your responsibility. You may not
have thought much about what life could look like for
you in the future, and which skills you need to
learn to be independent, but it's important to start now.
Just think about small things you can learn that can
(23:00):
make you more independent. Well, that's it from me today.
I hope I've given you some food for thought, and
that you've picked up some tips and ideas from those
young people that have shared with us. You've learnt about
time management. Going out for a meal with your friends
(23:21):
and how to help more around the house. Take some
time to think about what you've learned in this podcast.
You can write your thoughts down in your notebook, journal
or in your digital heart. E-portfolio. Thanks everyone for sharing
your tips and ideas with us and thanks so much
(23:42):
for listening. See you next time.
S5 (23:52):
Vision Australia. Blindness. Low vision. Opportunity.
Trish (23:57):
This podcast was written using the research and ideas of Julie.
A barden on independent living in ECC essentials. Teaching the
Expanded Core Curriculum to students with visual impairments. Check out
our other expanded core curriculum Independent living Skills resources.
Welcome to Vision Australia's podcast series, designed to help children
and young people develop the skills they'll need to open
their future.
Trish (00:14):
Hello. Thanks for joining me today. My name is Trish
and I'm an Occupational Therapist. In this podcast we're going
to talk about becoming more independent. Being independent means that
you're able to look after yourself, your family and your home.
At the moment, it's probably the adults in your life
(00:36):
who do most of the bigger household tasks like shopping, cooking, cleaning,
paying bills, organising appointments and other things that make life possible.
I'm sure you've heard them talk about all the things
they do. Well, pretty soon you'll be the adult responsible
(00:57):
for all these tasks. We're going to look at some
independent skills that you can learn right now for school,
for eating out and for helping around the house. We'll
also hear from some young people who will share their
tips and ideas based on their personal experiences. So let's
get started. Think back to when you started high school.
(01:22):
What were some things that were completely different from primary school?
We asked some young people the differences they noticed.
young person (01:33):
When I started high school, there were several differences that
I noticed. Firstly, the size of the school. At primary school,
there were only around 700 students. However, when I moved
to high school it really increased up to about 14 hundred
and now it's up to 17 hundred. A second difference
that I definitely noticed was the amount of moving around
(01:55):
you have to do. You know, one class you might
be at the bottom of school. The next class you
need to be at the top of the school. This
requires significant work on your organisation skills, and you need
to really make sure that you can pack up quickly
and get moving quickly.
When moving into high school from primary school. Probably the
biggest thing that I learned was navigation. And knowing that
(02:19):
not all your classes are going to be in the
same place. You know you're going to have different teachers,
so you're going to have different classrooms. And, you know,
they might be on the, you know, direct opposite side
of the school. And, you know, you might have to
go upstairs and you might have to go do a
few twists and turns. And so it's it's good to
know where your classrooms are. So that might mean practicing
(02:42):
before school starts.
Trish (02:45):
Yes, there's some big differences and a lot to adjust to.
All of a sudden you had to move classrooms for
different subjects, follow a timetable. Maybe you had to start
taking a bus or a train to school. There are
so many more assignments than primary school and they all
have a due date, sometimes a few in the same week,
(03:08):
and there are more staff, more students, and everything is bigger.
Even the canteen. You went from being the most senior
in the school back to the most junior, and you
probably had to learn a lot of new skills to
feel in control of your day. This is what others
realised they had to learn.
young person (03:30):
With the more students at the school. It can be
a lot harder to navigate through those larger crowds. So
my usual trick is just pick a line like say,
you know, you're walking up a path, pick the left
hand side and go. Don't try and move around them.
Let the tide move around you.
Oh, the other thing that is probably really handy to
(03:50):
learn is organisation, because you're having multiple different teachers. They're
all going to be giving you different tasks and assignments
and bits of homework. So whether that's using a diary
or a checklist, being able to really get used to
checking tasks off for the day and, you know, going
(04:10):
back at the end of the day and refreshing what
your teachers have asked you to do.
Trish (04:16):
Yes, that's so true. Now, during the first few years
in high school with assignments and homework and tests, you
may just be able to remember everything you need to
do and by when. So that might work in the
short term, but it's not a great solution for long term.
Once you get to year 11 and 12, it's going
(04:38):
to be much more difficult to rely on your memory,
as there will be so many more things to remember
and add on some tiredness and maybe a little stress,
and your memory might not be so reliable. So it's
a good idea to start thinking about ways to keep
track of what needs to be done and by when.
(04:59):
So by the time you get to say year ten,
you'll know you've got your system all figured out. Not
only will it make life easier for you now, you'll
be far more organised for when you really need something
in place later on. Okay, so how can you manage
your time and keep track of when things are happening
(05:21):
and when stuff is due? Well, you need tools and
you need a few different ones. You need ones that
help you create schedules, set priorities, and remind you when
you need to do something. Tools can be physical things
or they can be strategies. Let's check in with others
(05:44):
and see what tools they use and why.
young person (05:48):
I used to be a person who used to just
use their memory, and I found in high school it
was I was struggling to actually complete all the tasks
and get them done on time, so I had to
look at some different tools. Now, the first tool I
did look at was the calendar on outlook. However, I
(06:08):
decided I didn't really like this setup because I don't
really check that calendar. That was when I moved to
my phone calendar, which has worked a lot better. On
this calendar you can actually set alerts. You know, one
day before, two days before, as far back as one
week before. And this has allowed me to be able
to hand my tasks in on time and be a
(06:30):
little bit more organised.
How I would stay organised and do those things is,
as I said, either using a diary or or using
a calendar. You know, most, most computer calendars can be
linked to an iPad or a phone, so you can
know you can easily flick between the two.
Trish (06:48):
Those are some great suggestions. Perhaps you've heard 1 or
2 that you might like to try. Here are some
of my tips. Tip number one. It's important that the
tools you use are reliable. If you're using a digital
calendar on your phone or computer, for example, you need
to have a backup in case your battery is flat.
(07:10):
Can you access your chosen app or software on different devices?
Could a weekly braille or large print copy work for you?
Tip number two you need a system to know what
to focus on first. A system to prioritize. But priorities
(07:31):
can change. Say, if you receive your English assignment today
and are given two weeks before you need to hand
it in, the maths test this week has more priority.
But next week your English assignment will become the highest priority,
so make sure you keep checking due dates and schedule
time as needed. Tip three when you use a calendar
(07:57):
to manage your time, don't just use it for school.
Add in all the things you do outside of school
as well, like training, sport, music, practice, and any other
appointments you might have because it helps to know immediately
how much time you really have for that English assignment.
(08:17):
Tip four you need to know yourself really well to
be able to schedule your time in the best possible way.
Are you someone that works best concentrating on one task
for a long time? Or is it better to do
tasks in smaller chunks? Tip five it's a good idea
(08:39):
to set aside a small amount of time to review
a task sheet early on. This means you can be
sure you understand what needs to be done, and can
plan the right amount of time to finish it. For example,
will you need to check in with your teacher? Will
you need to visit the library or do a lot
(09:00):
of reading? Do you need to learn a new formula
or theory before completing the assignment? All these things take
time and can't be done in the final hours before
the task is due. Write a list of the steps involved.
Prioritize and check off each step as you finish them.
(09:21):
For me, I love lists and it feels really good
to tick off tasks when they're done. Feel free to
pause this podcast for a moment. If you would like
to make a list of strategies and tips to try out.
Don't forget to come back though, because next we're going
out to eat. Well, obviously we're not actually eating, but
(09:47):
let's talk about going out for a bite to eat
and what's involved. We asked some others what they like
best about eating out and where they like to go.
young person (10:01):
Okay. What do I like about eating out? Well, I
think I just really enjoy, you know, the, the, um,
being in a different place and enjoying time with your mates.
I usually like to go to places that have a
variety of meals.
S4 (10:16):
I like eating out with friends because it's a it's
a chance to socialise outside of school. Uh, you know,
when you're in the classroom or at lunch time, it's
sort of hard because you've always either got like a
time limit or you've got other things that you have
to focus on. But, you know, if you go out
with your mates in your free time, it's a good
chance to, uh, not only socialise, but you also get
(10:39):
some food as well. And you know, my favorite places
to eat are just like local. Local places that you know.
You know the menu. So you know. You know what to.
Get every time. And it's close by usually either in,
you know, walking distance or. You know, short short bus
ride or taxi ride away.
Trish (11:00):
Thanks guys. It sounds like you really enjoy hanging out together,
especially when it includes food, but there are some things
to be mindful of. I want you to imagine you're
planning to eat out with a group of friends. I'll
ask you a series of questions grouped into eight topics
that will help you prepare. After each topic, I'll give
(11:23):
you a few moments to consider your answers. You might
like to write them down somewhere. Feel free to pause
this podcast for a moment if you need to, and
then select play to continue. Firstly, what sort of restaurant
(11:44):
would you like to go to? Macca's, KFC and Hungry
Jack's are very similar in how they operate and the
type of food that they have, but other options could
be sushi, subway or maybe a cafe. Topic two how
will you access the menu? Perhaps you can access it online?
(12:10):
Do you have a device you can use to access
the menu or menu board with, or would you like
someone else to read it out to you? Topic three
do you know how to order your food and drink?
Will you order at the counter or from the table?
(12:31):
Will you know your table number? Topic four how will
the food arrive? Will it be delivered to your table,
or do you need to pick it up from the counter?
(12:52):
Topic five how will the food be presented? Will it
come in a box? Will it be wrapped up in
paper or will it be on a plate or in
a bowl? Topic six where will you be eating? Will
(13:14):
you be ordering takeaway and finding somewhere to sit in
a food court on the grass? Or will you be
dining in? Topic seven Will you use utensils like cutlery
or chopsticks? And where do you get these from? And lastly,
(13:40):
topic eight will you need to put rubbish away when
you're finished? Or will there be a waiter to do
this for you? Knowing what will happen and what you
are expected to do, will help you to prepare and
feel much more confident. You'll be able to work out
(14:01):
what you can already do and what skills you might
need to learn. Were there some questions you didn't know
the answers to? I have a tip. Next time you
go out to eat, ask someone you're with to describe
to you what is going on and what they are doing.
Or if you still have questions, just ask. Let's hear
(14:24):
what tips others have for eating out.
young person (14:30):
Whilst I do love pasta, I don't usually get it
while I'm eating out, purely because it is a very
messy meal. Um, sauce can go everywhere and the pasta
can fly off your fork and it's just hard to maintain. Um,
I usually prefer meals like fish and chips, uh, burgers
and chicken parmigiana, purely just because, like, they're easier to
(14:53):
cut up and burgers you can hold in your hand. And, yeah,
it's just easier to control the amount of mess that's made.
For eating out with friends. I think, you know, it
can be really difficult and maybe a bit stressful for
visually impaired people. So there are a few things that
can sort of ease the stress. So first of all,
(15:15):
don't be afraid to ask for help. At the end
of the day, it's it's better to have someone help
you do something than not being able to do it
at all. You can sort of ease into eating out
with friends if you know you might be going out
to them with the whole family. And one thing that
the parents could do is, is, you know, practice the
(15:39):
child being more independent, whether when they're eating food. So
if they're totally blind, the parent could, you know, introduce
the child to, you know, tactfully figuring out where the
food is in a neat way or, or being able
to use utensils really neatly. And those things that the
parents can do either at home or, you know, in
(16:01):
private without the friends there, uh, can make the child
a lot more confident when they are with friends. Now,
the final tip I would give, and the final challenge, really,
for when you're eating out in public, is choosing food.
So first of all, you want to make sure that
any food you choose, you choose it before so you're
(16:22):
not having to go to the restaurant. And of course
you might not be able to see the menu. So
then you have to, you know, you might have to
ask someone to read the menu out to you. So
it's a lot of the times it's easier if you,
you know, a lot of menus are online now, so
you might just be able to research online and choose
your food before you even get to the restaurant. And
(16:43):
also when it comes to choosing food, you want to,
you know, make sure you're choosing food that is not messy.
For example, things like burgers and salads, eww salads. Um,
you know, those foods aren't so messy. So you, you know,
you're able to eat them a lot more neatly than,
than things like pastas, which are which, you know, can
(17:04):
spill everywhere. And, you know, of course, if you're visually impaired,
you might not be able to see if you've got
any stains on you or not.
Trish (17:13):
Thanks. Those are great tips. So far. In this podcast episode,
we've talked about independent skills for managing your time and
eating out. I have one more topic to talk to
you about. Earlier I said, you probably have a pretty
good idea of all the stuff your parents do around
the house. There are so many household tasks that need
(17:36):
to be done, many on a daily basis. Think about
cleaning tasks like washing the dishes, wiping down the dining
room table and kitchen benches, sweeping and mopping the floors,
and general tidying up. What about emptying the rubbish and
taking out the wheelie bins? Hmm. I wonder if you
(17:56):
know what night bin night is. Imagine what life would
be like if no one did any of these jobs.
Now hang in there with me, this is an important topic.
At some point in the future, you might just want
to move into your own place, and you'll need to
be able to look after yourself. And getting ready for
(18:17):
that means learning how to do some household tasks no.
I'm sure your parents won't mind sharing the responsibilities with you.
I wonder if other young people do any household tasks.
young person (18:33):
There are some jobs that I just do just to
help my parents out. I hang the clothes out, take
them off the line, I unstack and stack the dishwasher.
I also help my mum on ironing days when she
needs the coat hangers collected. And yeah, there are the
main tasks I do to help my parents out.
So at home I do a few things. Uh, whether that's,
(18:56):
you know, hanging the washing out, folding the washing, putting
the washing on. I've become quite an expert in that regard.
I also occasionally cook meals with help from other people.
uh vacuum. Vacuuming is easy because it's just, you know,
a straight pattern. I'm also pretty tech savvy, so I'll
(19:17):
usually help my family figure stuff out surrounding either the
TV or their phones or how the email works, huh? Yeah,
that's that's probably the main things I do.
Trish (19:32):
Think for a moment which jobs you can take on.
Could you start by emptying out the bin in the kitchen?
What would that involve? Let me give you some things
to think about. What type of bin do you have?
Does your bin have a plastic bag in it? How
do you know when it's full and the bag needs
(19:53):
to be replaced? Can you tie the bag up? Do
you know where the new plastic bags are kept? Now
here's a challenge for you. One that almost everybody struggles with.
Most clean bin bags come on rolls, why not get
one out after the podcast and try to get a
(20:14):
new bag off the roll? And how do you put
a clean bag in your bin? Maybe have a go
at that as well. Now, where do you put the
full tied up bag? Does it need to go outside?
Make sure you know when bin night is and where
to put it on the side of the curb. Most
(20:37):
households have two wheelie bins, one for recycle and the
other for general waste. That's what makes it tricky, as
one week you put out just the bin for general waste,
and the next you put both bins out. Perhaps you
even have a third bin for garden waste. If there
(20:58):
are any steps in the process for emptying the bin
that you don't know how to do. Ask someone to
teach you. Let's see what some others learned about doing
their household tasks.
young person (21:11):
I'm completing new tasks. Isn't that hard to learn? I
learn it through several ways. My mum explaining it to me,
you know, by saying, um, You put a peg on
the right side, and then you put a peg on
the left side. Um, another way to do it is
to actually. So you, um, by this, I mean, uh,
(21:31):
the person who's explaining to you will actually use your
hands so you can feel what they're doing.
My parents have put tactile markers on the washing machine
and the microwave, so I know where certain buttons are,
and I can just press them. And even though I
might not be able to see them, well, as long
as my siblings haven't moved those buttons around, I know
(21:52):
what those buttons mean, and I'm able to do things
quite independently.
Trish (21:57):
Thanks, guys. There are many household tasks that you can
start to take responsibility for. It's about everyone pulling their weight.
If you're not already, could you replace the toilet roll
when you've used the last bit of toilet paper? Do
the dishes after dinner or stack and unpack the dishwasher.
(22:18):
Put the shopping away. Fold the washing and don't forget
you now know all the steps for managing the rubbish.
If you've never done any of these before, it might
feel a bit daunting. You could start by sharing the
task with the person who's doing it at the moment.
(22:38):
And then as you become more confident and know what
to do, it can become your responsibility. You may not
have thought much about what life could look like for
you in the future, and which skills you need to
learn to be independent, but it's important to start now.
Just think about small things you can learn that can
(23:00):
make you more independent. Well, that's it from me today.
I hope I've given you some food for thought, and
that you've picked up some tips and ideas from those
young people that have shared with us. You've learnt about
time management. Going out for a meal with your friends
(23:21):
and how to help more around the house. Take some
time to think about what you've learned in this podcast.
You can write your thoughts down in your notebook, journal
or in your digital heart. E-portfolio. Thanks everyone for sharing
your tips and ideas with us and thanks so much
(23:42):
for listening. See you next time.
S5 (23:52):
Vision Australia. Blindness. Low vision. Opportunity.
Trish (23:57):
This podcast was written using the research and ideas of Julie.
A barden on independent living in ECC essentials. Teaching the
Expanded Core Curriculum to students with visual impairments. Check out
our other expanded core curriculum Independent living Skills resources.
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