Being Dyslexic - Seeing Things Differently and Making Them Make Sense

"Mrs. T, I have to tell you, as a Special Education teacher, I've worked with many TRULY dyslexic kids. They come in with their shoes on the wrong feet, everything is written backwards and they're just a mess. YOUR son does not show those symptoms. I have to tell you, I don't believe that your son is dyslexic. I believe his issues stem from attention issues."

This was the statement that was made to me in my third Parent/Teacher conference of my son's Second Grade year. It struck fear in my heart because instantly I understood what my son was up against. Despite the evaluations that had been done that revealed symptoms galore pointing to dyslexia, I had this teacher sitting in front of me telling me that she didn't believe it... because he doesn't confuse his shoes! Of course he doesn't confuse his shoes anymore, he's 8 years old! We've been working on that for years!

When my son was in Kindergarten, he began showing signs of dyslexia. He had difficulty memorizing lists, viewed things pictorially, got seasick when looking at a book, took things very literally, was very sensitive and seemed to be more intuitive than others his age. These are some relatively unknown symptoms of dyslexia. They are symptoms that are usually only caught by others who also have dyslexia. Which is why I saw it in my son. I too, am dyslexic.

When I was growing up, there was much less emphasis put on the term "Learning Disability". I was told in school, that I had dyslexia and that with extra tutoring and help, I would learn to overcome it. I was not put into "Special Education", I was not given the label of "disability", I simply learned differently. I was empowered by the knowledge that I could overcome my difficulties. For the most part, I did. I am a good reader and I enjoy writing immensely.

However, I am dyslexic. I am a multi-sensory learner. I have difficulty with organization and time management. I am extremely intuitive and very sensitive. And so is my son.

Kids with dyslexia are often accused of being lazy, or of being daydreamers. They are disciplined in school for not paying attention. It's not that they aren't paying attention, but schools are not set up to teach kids who do not learn by listening. Schools are not set up to teach kids who do not learn by reading. Consequently, it would seem that kids who DO learn differently, kids who DO have dyslexia are labeled with ADD or ADHD.

I'm thankful for my dyslexia. I'm thankful for my innate ability to "see" what my son is seeing and to understand his point of view. Being dyslexic can make you feel like you're crazy, because it becomes very clear, very early that you are different. My son, unlike many kids with dyslexia knows that someone very close to him understands him.

Because of my dyslexia, I have been able to teach my son to cherish his creativity, to enjoy his ability to feel different things and see things in a unique way. Because of my dyslexia, I have been able to teach my son coping mechanisms to learn new things. Because of my dyslexia, I was able to teach him not only how to put his shoes on the right feet, but also how to tie them and then write a "how-to" manual for others with dyslexia. I am not only his mom, but I am now his teacher as well!