Two of my children have dyslexia.
Both have very significant difficulties.
As their mother I should be concerned,
and possibly even upset.
But I am not.
It does not define them.
In truth I often laugh loudly,
at their spectacular mistakes.
Whilst Dyslexia is no picnic,
they both have learned to accept it,
and believe life has no limits.
My son has gone on to do exams at the highest level,
despite having a very low reading ability.
I was checking up on my youngest recently.
Unlike my son, she was very cross when she found out she had Dyslexia.
For a short time she was embarrassed and even ashamed.
I was wondering if she was a bit more positive about it.
She loves to write but after diagnosis, she stopped.
To give you an insight into her difficulty,
here is an example of her writing.
“The twends(twins) starited cring because thay mist there Dad.
But then they stopid.
The mom felit a bit sick so the Dad came home and the twends were agstatig(ecstatic),
The othre kids cam home form school ellye (early)”.
I didn’t want to just come right out and ask her about her feelings,
so I went fishing.
“You know your friend who has missed a lot of school,
has she fallen behind in class?” I asked.
“Oh no, she is very clever, she is at the top of the class” was the reply.
“Is there a top of the class?” I asked.
“Well no not really, but there are lots who are very clever,
and they are in the top,
and then some who are not as clever, and they are not in the top.” my daughter said.
“Right, I said, I understand, and where are you?”.
“Oh well I am not in any of those places” she replied.
Now I was interested, concerned even!
She didn’t consider herself in any of the categories?
“So where are you?” I asked, half dreading the reply.
“Well you see mum, there is the you’re very clever group,
and the you’re good too group, and then there is me,
I’m in the you’re okay group”.
My heart gave a little skip and I stifled a smile.
She was in the “you’re okay” group.
And you know what, on behalf of my little lady, I am more than happy with that.
photo credit: Jamison Wieser via photopin cc
photo credit: Express Monorail via photopin cc
My thoughts on a page. 
It is a good place to be, when you know you are okay. 🙂
Yes I have to agree. And a happier girl you’d rarely meet!
The okay group is a great place to be! Great writing!
Thanks a million. Once I settled into parenting I only wished for my children to be happy but I was thrilled to hear her class herself as “you’re okay”.
Yup just wish them to be happy and “Okay” is a great classification to hear, especially when they are facing difficulty! 🙂
🙂
O.K. is Good ! 😆
Okay is great! It was music to my ears.
I never made it to the OK group when I was at school – I was in the’ lazy, good for nothing, thick as two short planks, wish he was in some other teacher’s class’ group !
😆
Oh well you’re in the “he’s okay” group in my class! An A student. 🙂
I have learned there are often hidden gifts. The way she explained that was wonderful. When I went to a certain healer one of the questions asked was if I had been diagnosed with dyslexia. After seeing here a few times I understood there are hidden gifts in such things.
I didn’t figure out my own type of dyslexia until reading your writing. . I contacted her and asked why she had asked that. She said it was a challenging genius to have. Genius. 🙂 challenging until you find the gifts in it, I think.
♡L
Great comment. I definitely think they are more intuitive than my other kids, I often wonder is it because they see things differently or is it because they have to work so hard.
I know I see things differently than my family.
I have always been mre intuitive too.
I think if we are honest, each of us truly aspire to be in the ‘I’m okay group,’ accepted and loved just the way we are . What a beautiful child )
Yes I totally agree. And yes she is a beauty. In Irish English I call her “a right wee darling” or perhaps as you might say a little gem! 🙂
Love it!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. She might be dyslexic but paradoxically she has a real way with words!
Hi, Tric, taking the leap and leaving a comment! And it is that I love this post – the You’re Okay Group is just a brilliant concept and I hope your girl remains so astute and so wise.
(There. I did it.) xx
Thank you. I’d like to be in her group every day as she seems to always be happy. I am delighted you commented. It is always nice to get feedback but even nicer to make contact with new people. Great to see you visiting and even better to read your comment.
Two comments – one it’s great to be in the “ok” crowd, I once had a professor tell me that it tends to be the ‘C’ and average students who go on to do great things and accomplish more than those who have everything come easily to them because they work harder (myself in this group) and two there are a great many famous and successful people in this world who are themselves dyslexic…they are proof that with hard work one can be great, even if they think themselves just “ok”
I couldn’t agree more. My older son has had to work so hard to learn in an environment meant for people who see reading and text so easily. I do think for him now he is heading to college, that life will become so much easier. Funny I would never worry about either of them as they are both so well able in every other way except reading! Thanks for the two great comments!
I love this too! And her spelling reminds me of my daughter Elizabeth’s for many years. She loved to write, but her spelling was much like your daughter’s. In her elementary school they were encouraged to spell however they liked to allow for a free flow of ideas, with the idea that they’d learn proper spelling later…She eventually did improve, but spellcheck on the computer really helped, and even in college she still spelled many words in ways I found amusing. And she had a wonderful way with words, as does your daughter! She sounds delightful!
Thank you. She is magic alright. And you are also right that with spell check and audio in no time at all life for dyslexic children will be transformed.
I think many people with dyslexia go onto be very creative, although my eldest boy is definitely not. He has a very business mind.
Your kids are very blessed to have you for their mother! You are wonderful, so supportive and loving. Beautiful to see!
Thank you so much, you’re very kind. I suspect I only actually express the thoughts of many mothers.
We are often too self-critical… These words can only be uttered by a child of a loving and understanding mother. So give yourself a pat on the back 🙂
Aw thank you. Pat pat pat! 🙂
The message here is far more important than any grammatical concerns. Glad she’s okay with being O.K.
Thank you. At least for now I don’t need to worry! 🙂
I don’t “do” groups; I thonik that the most imortant thing of all is to be yourself. We’re all unique, and your daughter most definitely, is, for all the right reasons. xxx
Yes. I was so glad to hear her response as I am all too aware that confidence is so important, and can so easily be dented at a young age. I should have known she would bounce back from her diagnosis once she got her head around it.:)
I’m Mathlexic. Sometimes I’ll switch numbers around. I would really like to work for the government accounting office but I believe they already have too many just like me. 🙂
🙂