When your kid has a learning difference
When my daughter was in the second grade, I was told she could not read or spell and would probably never surpass the eighth grade reading level.
Having NLP training (Neuro Linguistic Programming) helped me tremendously because I realized that she was not broken, she needed different strategies, more time, and patience.
We did not have to accept the prognosis of the "experts."
These are the steps I recommend to parents:
1. Stay calm. Controlling your own emotions provides a role model for your child and preserves everyone's self-esteem. Keep saying "It's all going to be OK."
2. Look for your child's giftedness and always lead with those strengths. There are plenty of people who have been successful in spite of their learning 'disorders.'
3. Encourage your child that they can learn anything they want to learn, they will just have to go about it differently than others. Teach them to play with learning.
4. Do not believe that the school knows everything or has your child's best interests in mind. You will have to advocate for your child. If you are in a school that cherishes diverse learning styles, you are extremely fortunate. Many do not have this advantage. If you do not like the way your child is being treated, be ready to advocate for their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
5. Get the book, Teaching Excellence: The definitive guide to NLP for teaching and learning by Richard Bandler and Kate Benson. This book has easy-to-follow, alternative learning strategies for many learning differences.
The rest of the story: My daughter now has a degree in Finance with a high GPA. After graduation, she accepted a great job offer. As she was reading her complicated employment contract to me, tears rolled down my cheeks. She did it!
Please like my articles on learningsuccesssystem.com:
https://www.learningsuccesssystem.com/tips/steps-recommend-parents-children-who-need-iep
To learn more about controlling your emotions, please send me an email at: info@nancycramer.com