http://dyslexicsurvivor.blogspot.com.au/
This blog has had me crying like a baby tonight.
This lad and his mum sound so amazing, but I don't want this for Aidan.
I know I can't change it, he will always struggle with words, BUT I DO NOT WANT THIS FOR HIM.
Some days I feel very accepting, and I try hard to love his dyslexia as a part of who he is, but after an hour of screaming and fighting because he doesn't want to do his reading. Followed by the blog reminding me about how he will struggle in the future, and how I will not be able to be there to protect him all I can repeat is that I DO NOT WANT THIS FOR HIM.
For tonight I do not accept his disability, I do not accept how society views him as less simply because he struggles to read, I do not accept this different life than I had hoped he would have, and I DO NOT WANT THIS FOR HIM.
Friday 23 November 2012
Saturday 10 November 2012
Just having a little wonder......
Have things changed much in the real world of dyslexia over the last 20 to 30 years?
Let me tell you a story, my baby brother ( he is over 30 now but is still a baby to me) was an amazing child, so bright, so social and so charming. I remember when he was about 7 and he brought some hens, and promptly looked after them and sold the eggs to his teachers. Now how clever is that!
Anyway he never really got the school thing, and ultimately started skiving off from about the age of 10, by the age of 12 he was pretty much working full time on the farm and would not head to school ( even at gun point he would still have been reluctant).
He was a bright lad ( and obviously still is), but he could not read to save his life, and don't even get me started on his spelling. However he never got a diagnosis, he just dropped out of the system and never had the opportunity to reach his full potential. I am no expert on spelling, but reading his texts or online messages can certainly be a challenge!
So how have things changed over the last 20 or so years, it can be a little easier to get a diagnosis, we know more about dyslexia, there is ( sometimes) more support in school, and perhaps more of these amazing kids get that chance to fly. However on the other end of the scale I still hear of children who are not getting a diagnosis or whose parents have to find the money to pay a fortune for one. I still hear about children who are left stumbling in the abyss ( and we have felt like this has certainly happened to Aidan at times). I still hear those comments and views that dyslexia is an excuse for poor parenting, thick children, lazy children, and not a real condition ( for crying out loud). And now we force children to stay in school for longer, even if they would be better and happier in the world of work.
I know those working in the area of dyslexia are passionate, knowledgable and generally often amazing. So what stops those giant leaps, surely we should be further on now in helping these children.
Let me tell you a story, my baby brother ( he is over 30 now but is still a baby to me) was an amazing child, so bright, so social and so charming. I remember when he was about 7 and he brought some hens, and promptly looked after them and sold the eggs to his teachers. Now how clever is that!
Anyway he never really got the school thing, and ultimately started skiving off from about the age of 10, by the age of 12 he was pretty much working full time on the farm and would not head to school ( even at gun point he would still have been reluctant).
He was a bright lad ( and obviously still is), but he could not read to save his life, and don't even get me started on his spelling. However he never got a diagnosis, he just dropped out of the system and never had the opportunity to reach his full potential. I am no expert on spelling, but reading his texts or online messages can certainly be a challenge!
So how have things changed over the last 20 or so years, it can be a little easier to get a diagnosis, we know more about dyslexia, there is ( sometimes) more support in school, and perhaps more of these amazing kids get that chance to fly. However on the other end of the scale I still hear of children who are not getting a diagnosis or whose parents have to find the money to pay a fortune for one. I still hear about children who are left stumbling in the abyss ( and we have felt like this has certainly happened to Aidan at times). I still hear those comments and views that dyslexia is an excuse for poor parenting, thick children, lazy children, and not a real condition ( for crying out loud). And now we force children to stay in school for longer, even if they would be better and happier in the world of work.
I know those working in the area of dyslexia are passionate, knowledgable and generally often amazing. So what stops those giant leaps, surely we should be further on now in helping these children.
Please please please let just one referral be smooth....
So we have a letter from the SALT confirming that they have the referral paperwork ( at last) and he is now on the waiting list.
However its been many many weeks since the Educational Psychologist paperwork headed off and we have heard nothing.
I am not unrealistic, and I certainly don't expect an appointment until Aidan is about 30 or so. However I did expect an acknowledgement that he is on a waiting list somewhere. So I will have to head back off to the school soon to find out what is going on, and who to chase to find out if the paperwork has been received.
I am worried that the Ed Psych may not help as much as I hope, one of the specialists did comment that this is just likely to bring us another piece of paper and no practical help, but I am ever hopeful and optimistic.
I love the NHS and our educational system, and would defend how lucky we are to the hills and back. However I am so fed up of waiting and more times than not being forgotten. I can't think of a single health or educational support issue within the whole family that at some stage has not lost a referral or an appointment. Arggghhhh I am turning into a real cynical grumpy old cow.
To end on a positive note thank you NHS, DRT and education for all those good things you have given us.
However its been many many weeks since the Educational Psychologist paperwork headed off and we have heard nothing.
I am not unrealistic, and I certainly don't expect an appointment until Aidan is about 30 or so. However I did expect an acknowledgement that he is on a waiting list somewhere. So I will have to head back off to the school soon to find out what is going on, and who to chase to find out if the paperwork has been received.
I am worried that the Ed Psych may not help as much as I hope, one of the specialists did comment that this is just likely to bring us another piece of paper and no practical help, but I am ever hopeful and optimistic.
I love the NHS and our educational system, and would defend how lucky we are to the hills and back. However I am so fed up of waiting and more times than not being forgotten. I can't think of a single health or educational support issue within the whole family that at some stage has not lost a referral or an appointment. Arggghhhh I am turning into a real cynical grumpy old cow.
To end on a positive note thank you NHS, DRT and education for all those good things you have given us.
I hope I am not the only one that is pants sometimes
Its been a hectic month, you know the type of month when the little darlings bring home every bug they can find. When you add to that the fact that they kindly share these with me, its no wonder that I have stumbled a little.
I was so looking forward to October, it was September that had terrified me, with Cat starting in year R, Alex heading into Year 1, Aidan heading into Year 5, Elliot starting properly at the child minders, restarting my toddler group after Summer break, and my return to work after maternity leave.
However September went relatively smoothly with just a few hiccups. While I was focusing on getting through September and really really looking forward to having a rest the following month, it never occurred to me that October might turn out to be the month from hell.
So sadly for a while now I have been too busy, ill or just plain tired to give Aidan's extra help the attention it deserves. Does anyone else go through these phases when such an important thing has to take a back burner for a little while?
Anyway I have reduced my hours back down to just over 20, and am determined that when Aidan gets back from his sleep over tomorrow, that we will crack on with renewed vigor, so watch out toe by toe, touch typing, school work, OT excercies and all the rest of them here we come!
I was so looking forward to October, it was September that had terrified me, with Cat starting in year R, Alex heading into Year 1, Aidan heading into Year 5, Elliot starting properly at the child minders, restarting my toddler group after Summer break, and my return to work after maternity leave.
However September went relatively smoothly with just a few hiccups. While I was focusing on getting through September and really really looking forward to having a rest the following month, it never occurred to me that October might turn out to be the month from hell.
So sadly for a while now I have been too busy, ill or just plain tired to give Aidan's extra help the attention it deserves. Does anyone else go through these phases when such an important thing has to take a back burner for a little while?
Anyway I have reduced my hours back down to just over 20, and am determined that when Aidan gets back from his sleep over tomorrow, that we will crack on with renewed vigor, so watch out toe by toe, touch typing, school work, OT excercies and all the rest of them here we come!
Tuesday 6 November 2012
And again my heart breaks......
As he gets older Aidan is becoming more and more aware of how different he is from his peers.
Over the holidays their task was to create a piece of art work showing the river they had visited for their last school trip.
Aidan wanted to give a good feel of the river so he painted a large picture with loo roll added to the blue paint to give the river texture, and gravel added to the brown paint for the rivers edges.
Its a great picture, but obviously because of his coordination issues it does not match that of his mates.
He was reluctant to take the homework in, and after a few days he admitted that he felt his work was rubbish, and silly in comparison.
All that work and effort, and he is left feeling like that!
We had a chat and a big moan about how rubbish it is being normal, and we talked about if he wanted to just draw a picture to take in, but he declined the offer. He has a deadline for the work to be in tomorrow, so lets see if he willingly takes it in
Over the holidays their task was to create a piece of art work showing the river they had visited for their last school trip.
Aidan wanted to give a good feel of the river so he painted a large picture with loo roll added to the blue paint to give the river texture, and gravel added to the brown paint for the rivers edges.
Its a great picture, but obviously because of his coordination issues it does not match that of his mates.
He was reluctant to take the homework in, and after a few days he admitted that he felt his work was rubbish, and silly in comparison.
All that work and effort, and he is left feeling like that!
We had a chat and a big moan about how rubbish it is being normal, and we talked about if he wanted to just draw a picture to take in, but he declined the offer. He has a deadline for the work to be in tomorrow, so lets see if he willingly takes it in
Sunday 4 November 2012
Whats great about your child.......
Us mums who have a child that has dyslexia are so often flooded with all the information about what they can't do and how they struggle. I know sometimes I think I will sink under the worry and all the negativity.
However here is Aidan's top 10:
1 - He is very social
2 - Witty and a little bit cheeky
3 - generally exceptionally well behaved
4 - very tolerant ( especially of his siblings)
5 - very grown up
6 - extremely helpful
7 - great fun to be around
8 - talkative
9 - increasing in his independence every day
10 - passionate about so many things, especially anything that involves either listening to stories or tree climbing and ropes.
So please post a comment, share your child's top 10, something that makes them special, or even just a time that they have made you smile...........
However here is Aidan's top 10:
1 - He is very social
2 - Witty and a little bit cheeky
3 - generally exceptionally well behaved
4 - very tolerant ( especially of his siblings)
5 - very grown up
6 - extremely helpful
7 - great fun to be around
8 - talkative
9 - increasing in his independence every day
10 - passionate about so many things, especially anything that involves either listening to stories or tree climbing and ropes.
So please post a comment, share your child's top 10, something that makes them special, or even just a time that they have made you smile...........
Mummy and Aidan heading on a special night out to see Farm Boy at the theatre. We both really enjoyed the two man show. I has a little panic when I realised it was just two actors and only a stationary tractor in the middle of the stage, and no intermission.
However Aidan loved it and was transported away to the world that Michael Morpurgo had created for him.
Its so cruel how much he loves stories and yet this is a world where a huge part of the joy of stories will always be denied to him.
Anyway great play, great lad, great fun, what more can I say!
Friday 2 November 2012
and the results are in......
Its apparently been a little over a year since the DRT started working with Aidan. So their report this time compared his ability levels with those when he did the activities a year ago.
Well as always it seems to be a mixture of good and bad news, why can it never just be all really good news, that would be so nice.
His reading has come on well, with an increase of 18 months during the year, so that's good, but that only brings us up to a reading age of 7.10, which is still about 18 months behind his actual age. However its progress so yippppppeeeeee!
The real issues are his spelling and also the difference between his abilities in non academic areas and his reading and writing. His spelling has hardly changed in the year and is stuck at about 2 years behind. The lovely Dr Sue has suggested trying to encourage him to use the letter names rather than phonic sounds for the irregular words.
This makes a lot of sense, for example when he spells come, he always spells it cum, which makes sense if phonics were logical, so she has asked him to try and learn these by saying the names eg cee oh em ee. Lets see if that helps.
On his general ability he is about 2 to 3 years ahead of his age, so this worries me. How frustrating must it be to think as a 12 to 13 year old, but to be able to express yourself on paper as a 7 year old. That 5 year difference has got to kick in at some point, surely he can't go on forever being such a star at school, that frustration comes out at home, but I am just awaiting and dreading the day that it moves to the school.
Well as always it seems to be a mixture of good and bad news, why can it never just be all really good news, that would be so nice.
His reading has come on well, with an increase of 18 months during the year, so that's good, but that only brings us up to a reading age of 7.10, which is still about 18 months behind his actual age. However its progress so yippppppeeeeee!
The real issues are his spelling and also the difference between his abilities in non academic areas and his reading and writing. His spelling has hardly changed in the year and is stuck at about 2 years behind. The lovely Dr Sue has suggested trying to encourage him to use the letter names rather than phonic sounds for the irregular words.
This makes a lot of sense, for example when he spells come, he always spells it cum, which makes sense if phonics were logical, so she has asked him to try and learn these by saying the names eg cee oh em ee. Lets see if that helps.
On his general ability he is about 2 to 3 years ahead of his age, so this worries me. How frustrating must it be to think as a 12 to 13 year old, but to be able to express yourself on paper as a 7 year old. That 5 year difference has got to kick in at some point, surely he can't go on forever being such a star at school, that frustration comes out at home, but I am just awaiting and dreading the day that it moves to the school.
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