What can you say to your child when they
tell you “I don’t want to be dyslexic” or “I’m the worst kid in my class?”
Having your children asking this questions is heartbreaking, especially knowing
your child thinks less of themselves because of it.
Yet, there have been numerous studies and
cases proving that children with learning disabilities can not only adapt, but
thrive in their class with just a little help from their parents.
Dyslexia, ADHD and
other learning disabilities affect roughly 10% of all children in the United
States. Learning disabilities affect all children, regardless of their HQ,
material status or other factors.
However, studies have also shown that
parents can help their children succeed at school if they get involved in the
process.
Naturally, learning that your child has a
learning disorder can flood you with emotions, ranging from fear to guilt.
Feeling this way is not unusual, but the key is to overcome these feelings so
you can help your child thrive.
Here are a few ways you can help them:
Learn More About Their Condition
Learning disability is an umbrella term
that describes a number of disorders that affect how children process and
retain information. Therefore, the first step towards helping them is getting
familiar with their particular learning disability.
Fortunately, there are a number of reliable
resources to find online that can help you understand what your children are
dealing with and how that affects their performance at school.
Get in touch with local organizations
founded by parents whose children are affected as well. They can help you get
in touch with companies like the Pacific
Coast Advocates that can help your children in school if you feel they are
treated unfairly.
These organizations also work towards
helping both parents and children understand the scope of their learning
disability and host various workshops that can help you.
Work with their Teachers
Another important step towards helping your
child is getting in touch with their teacher before the start of the school
year and keeping in touch with them throughout the year.
You need to establish a good relationship
with the teacher by introducing yourself and telling them how and why you will
be more involved in your children’s education.
You can work with the teachers to create a
sound strategy that will help your child throughout the school year. Be as
involved in their education as possible by participating in school events and
joining the Facebook page or group of the school.
Find a Way to Help
Once you are familiar with the teachers,
ask them about their program at school so you can get as involved as possible
with your children at home. If there are some important skills your children need to learn, meet with the
teachers to coordinate your efforts both at home and at school. This will help
your child get ahead since learning at school often tends to be speedy. That is
why helping your child at home is essential.
Find Your Children’s Strength and Help Them Show It
Children with a learning disability tend to
think less of themselves due to the way
their condition affects their performance at school. The only way to help them
realize they are no different than the other children is to help them tap into
their natural strengths and learn how to show them.
All children have a skill they excel at,
whether it’s physical like swimming or running or creative, like painting or
playing an instrument. They should be allowed to showcase those skills so they
can feel better about themselves.
Try to help your children tap into those
strengths and find out what it is that makes them feel good. Then find the
opportunities for your children to show those talents in order to help them
build their confidence.
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