Andre and Kenya
An audio story produced by Thomas Reid
Illustration by Micah Bazant
In this conversation, Dr. Andre Watson, a clinical psychologist who practices outside Philadelphia, talks about how parenting has changed for him during the pandemic. Andre has a 9-year-old daughter, Kenya, who speaks with him about online schooling, virtual therapy sessions, and what it’s like for her to have a father who is blind.
Andre: Before the pandemic. We had a real well-oiled machine leaving the house.
Kenya: My name is Kenya Watson. I turned nine about two days ago.
Andre: Kenya and I were on a schedule. A typical day for me involves getting up probably five or six o’clock in the morning. I have a workout in my home gym. I shower.
Kenya: I brush my teeth, get dressed. Daddy will make me breakfast.
Andre: I touch her hair. Give it the okay, because mom was already at work. Then I have to make sure that beautiful brown skin of hers is looking healthy. She’s moisturized. When the weather’s cold, I got to make sure she’s bundled up
Kenya: And then we head off to school.
Andre in conversation with Kenya: And who did we take with us?
Kenya: We took our dog, Tula.
Andre: She is my guide dog. My co-pilot. We set out down our driveway.
Kenya: We go down a hill. We have to stop and look around for any cars.
Andre: When I’m with Kenya, our walk to school is to facilitate our relationship. With safety in mind, of course. Kenya will talk about her day, her friends, her school teacher, her math. And other times she actually talks about things that bother her.
Or even we’ve talked about dad. About me being blind. She notices that people stare. She notices that I’m different.
Andre in conversation with Kenya: What do you have to say to anybody who has a daddy that’s Blind? Should they be sad about it or…?
Kenya: No?
Andre in conversation with Kenya: What should they do if somebody says (whispering) You’re Dad is Blind?
Kenya: If someone told me that, I’ll be like, “Oh, he can just see with his heart.” That’s all. And he has a bodyguard. We have a dog named Tula as I said, who’s laying right next to me. She’s seven years old and she’s big. She looks like eight years old. Sometimes she guards Daddy.
Andre: We continue to walk.
Kenya: I see sometimes a police officer and sometimes that lady who helps us crosses the street.
Andre: The crossing guard, who’s a really nice lady, speaks to us and is very friendly, but she said a few times, “It’s so wonderful Kenya, how you take care of your dad. You’re such a good girl.” I’ll smile, say thank you, and say, “Yeah, but there’s only one captain of this ship.”
— Calm ambient music begins —
Andre: She walks probably a half a block on her own with maybe some other kids. I say goodbye to her. Give her a hug and a kiss at the trolley stop. That’s been a good time for us. I’m able to get closer to her. And hopefully, I’m able to understand her a little bit more and she’s able to understand me.
— Calm ambient music fades out —
Andre in conversation with Kenya: We don’t get to walk to school now after Coronavirus. How do you like school on the computer?
Kenya: It’s good because we’re safe.
Andre: Before the pandemic, I think my involvement in her schooling was actually less. Mom was the one to do homework with her in the evenings because I was at work. I did some independent things like I was starting to teach her her timetables. Post pandemic helping my daughter get ready for school, It’s usually me getting her ready to sit in front of the computer.
Kenya: I open it up, and I press this key, and then it lights up. I put in my password. It says, “Welcome. Camera ready, getting started, cameras on, join now!”
Andre: There were some accessibility issues when my daughter started virtual learning. Students were given Chromebooks. I’ve never used a Chromebook before and I didn’t know if Chromebooks even had an accessibility feature. So we did decide to use a computer. I also have a separate keyboard connected to that laptop so that I’m able to intervene off camera.
I also use the line out for a set of headphones where I can hear JAWS, my screen reader.
— Audio Sample of JAWS in background —
I have a USB speaker where her teacher and friends can be heard. If she needs some technical help her friends and teacher aren’t going to be hearing a voice in the class.
Kenya: Sometimes you forget to turn off the voice.
Andre: And she’s concerned about that. I sometimes have to be ready on the fly to jump in, figure out what the teacher is trying to get the students to do, and teach my daughter.
Kenya: . . . Like if Miss Boyer tells us where to go, and then I just unmute myself raise my hand, I’ll say, “Miss Boyer, my computer isn’t working. And I can’t really go to the spot that you asked me to go to. And the computer’s like, ‘Ah! (yells!).’ Like that.”
Andre: For example, Google Sheets doesn’t seem to work so I can’t help her with that. So early on I was constantly communicating with the teacher with Classroom Dojo — a communication system between the teacher and the parent. Sometimes there are images that are left there for announcements. Other times links don’t work. I had to tell the teacher, “I am Blind please be patient with her.”
— Melancholy ambient music begins —
After Covid 19…
From eight ’til two every day we’re focused on school work. And then from two until eight or nine every day I’m in my home office. I really do have to put some structured time for us just to have some casual talking. That’s really important.
— Melancholy ambient music fades out —
Before the pandemic, I really look forward to going into my office. After COVID-19 I only get to my office maybe once or twice a month. I feel much more comfortable doing phone sessions from my basement office.
— Sweet, bright piano music begins —
Kenya: I have a question for you, Daddy.
Andre in conversation with Kenya: You have a question for me?
Kenya: Yeah. How is it like to be on a phone call with all these people all day?
Andre in conversation with Kenya: Oh (laughs). Well, I like to do it. But I also hope you’re doing okay, too. So it’s good. But then it’s tough because I want to make sure you’re doing all right.
Kenya: Yeah.
Andre in conversation with Kenya: Thank you for that question.
Kenya: You’re welcome!
Andre: My name is Andre Watson, I work as a Clinical Psychologist. I own my own business.
— Sweet, bright piano music fades out —
Your Vision for Life Psychological Services, located right outside of Philadelphia.
