| Virtually every week we speak with parents who: | | | | We now recognize that: |
| - Have a bright child who is struggling in school -- | | | | - Dyslexia, ADHD and/or Child Behavior Problems |
| despite coming from a great family, going to an | | | | often co-exist -- either together in a child or in Special |
| excellent school, and the parents having spent | | | | Education Classes. |
| hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars -- with | | | | - Many bright kids from great families are in these |
| marginal results. | | | | classes -- because they are not being taught the way |
| - Are dealing with child behavior problems and | | | | they learn best and they may become a behavior |
| academic issues -- and they are not sure if they are | | | | problem or their motivation may suffer. |
| related. | | | | Many of these smart struggling kids are visual |
| - Are incredibly frustrated, want their child to succeed, | | | | experiential learners who learner best when they see |
| and are trying to understand their child's learning and | | | | and experience information |
| behavior challenges. | | | | - Visual processing, auditory processing and attention |
| What frustrates parents are two, three, four or even | | | | issues are often present. |
| five of the following: | | | | - Your child and others can be "Outrageously |
| - Dyslexia is labeled as a disability in some circles and | | | | Successful" if you: |
| as "The Gift of Dyslexia" by others, but the parents | | | | - Understand how they learn best and they are taught |
| are less interested in labels, they want to know why | | | | the way they learn best. |
| their bright child is struggling. | | | | - Use positive and constructive motivation. |
| - Child behavior problems are real, but they are almost | | | | - Partner with the right professionals who help kids like |
| treated separately from the learning challenges - even | | | | yours and parents like you. |
| though the reading and related challenges are | | | | - Understand and address the underlying vision, |
| contributors to the child behavior problems. | | | | auditory and/or attention issues. |
| - ADHD Medication and counseling are often the | | | | - You set very specific goals on what you want to |
| recommended solution -- but their child often does not | | | | accomplish and are open on the how. |
| respond to either the ADHD medication or the | | | | - Your child and you get the training you need. |
| counseling. | | | | - You then follow through. |
| - Schools do a reasonable job at giving | | | | Let me give you can example. Matthew had struggled |
| accommodations for learning challenges, but all too | | | | in first grade, was a poster boy for ADHD and Child |
| often the child falls further and further behind, child | | | | Behavior Problems, and his mom had to homeschool |
| behavior problems worsen as their child is put in | | | | him. |
| classes where children behavior problems are the | | | | Mom answered these three questions: |
| norm, and their child often loses motivation. | | | | - Does your child remember places visited? |
| - Learning centers, phonics based programs and taking | | | | - Does your child remember movies he has seen? |
| things away from their child do not work. | | | | - Does your child learn best when seeing and |
| Once you have children who are labeled with Dyslexia | | | | experiencing information? |
| and a Learning Disability, parents take a very different | | | | She went "That's my son". |
| perspective. Their motivation and their behavior | | | | Matthew learned differently and had an attention issue. |
| become issues when they are in classes with children | | | | With help -- he improved his attention, self-control and |
| with behavior problems. Learning and behavior | | | | reading comprehension by 2.5 grade levels in 2 months |
| challenges go hand in hand, and if one address the | | | | -- and he was a totally different kid. |
| learning challenges and add a more structured and | | | | The key was mom learned how her child learned best, |
| positive communication style, the reading and the | | | | used positive communication, set bold goals, partnered |
| behavior improve. | | | | with the right professionals and followed through. |