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How do we deal with our child’s learning challenges?

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He was 2 years old when his speech began to decline. Fear enveloped my cousin as she realized that one of her twin boys was not developing as planned. A parent places their hopes and dreams into their children and when their child struggles, it hurts. One doesn’t want their child to struggle but to be happy, successful and content in life. Being able to accept the fact that one’s child is struggling academically or socially is very difficult and will often take a long time. It is okay to feel discouraged, or to cry, but there is hope.

Every child deserves hope for the future - overcome dyslexia and learning disorders at Therapeutic Literacy CenterAccepting and acknowledging that one’s child is struggling is the first step towards understanding and seeking help. The goal is not to diagnose one’s child, but to see the multifaceted issues that may be affecting your child’s self-esteem and confidence. Behaviors are often seen as an issue with a child’s motivation or how hard they try when these behaviors are more likely attributed to a learning challenge. People like to succeed. Have you ever met anyone that loved to fail? It is the same with our kids. No kid truly wants to fail at something, but when they do fail and can’t seem to get it no matter how hard they try, they may give up. The challenges they face are more than just motivation or bad behavior, they stem from actual learning deficits.

We have to accept that our children are not perfect, that sometimes they have real learning difficulties, and that there are resources and interventions that can help. From here we can tackle whatever challenges may come. A child knows when they are falling behind in class. They often wonder why it is taking them so much longer to complete assignments in class. “Why does everyone else get it and I don’t?” “It is too difficult. I am trying hard but it just isn’t working. I know that I am in the group that is not ‘smart.’” Confronting this head on and getting to the root of these feelings and learning challenges is so important. It is not about providing a label but rather figuring out the root of the problems. Labels can help to provide a child with an understanding of the challenges that they face. With that, it is very important that the negative stigmas attached to labels are eliminated.

Breaking through the stigmas that are attached to labels can be very beneficial for parents and children. Letting a child know that the reasons that they are struggling in class is due to a specific learning challenge that they have allows the child to move forward. It is more the way in which we deal and view the labels that matters. Diagnosing a child with dyslexia does not mean that they are incapable or unable to do everything that everyone else does. While giving your child a diagnosis of dyslexia seems scary, it can be helpful and beneficial. They can begin to understand their challenges more and learn about others who have overcome their difficulties. In fact, children and adults with dyslexia are very creative and have amazing talents. When a child is able to own the term and understand that they are amazing and so talented because they are dyslexic, and not the other way around, change happens.

When we acknowledge and identify the child’s challenge and we create a plan we create hope. A hope that your child will no longer view himself/herself negatively, they will embrace their differences and they will pursue their dreams!Your child deserves hope for the future - overcome dyslexia and learning disorders at Therapeutic Literacy Center

Embracing Dyslexia: Cornell Amerson’s Inspiring Story

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Is your child struggling in school? Are you concerned about their success? A recent interview with Cornell Amerson by Educating Dyslexia has shed some light on the struggles that kids go through when they have a learning disability. He addresses his own personal struggles and sheds light on the issue. Being able to identify a child’s struggles early on can help to prevent a child from losing confidence and self-esteem. Most children with a learning difficulty will begin to perceive themselves as incapable and different from the other kids in the class. This can lead to low levels of self-esteem and behaviors that appear to be uninterested or uncooperative in the classroom.

Cornell Amerson is the author of “The Janitor’s Secret“, a fictional novel that provides insight into the struggles of having a learning disability. Many people do not understand the difficulties a child has in a classroom when they have dyslexia. Being able to understand how it affects a child’s confidence and beliefs is so important. Cornell is a great example of a man who has dyslexia and who reveals these challenges.

Amerson’s interview has two parts. The first part focuses on his difficulties in school and as an adult with dyslexia. It is a fascinating story that truly demonstrates the emotional, social and intellectual issues that arise when a child does not understand his/her challenges. He fell through the cracks and spent many years not understanding why he was unsuccessful. Identifying the challenges early on and seeking support and help is so beneficial for a child’s success.

The second part demonstrates his artistic talents. He shows work that he did when he was younger and his amazing abilities. While he failed the traditional school system, his abilities and talents reveal his true intellectual ability. His story is inspiring in that it reveals his resilience to continue to seek education even when the system failed him. The work that we do here focuses on building confidence and training kids so that they can be successful in a classroom environment.

Understanding the struggles behind dyslexia will help you to deal with the challenges that you or your child face. At TLC we strive to help you and your child overcome any challenges that you may face. It is common, and you have support!