Struggling for success can feel like staring at a report card and thinking, “How is my child so bright… and still drowning?” This post was written to take you inside a brutally honest, gut-wrenching conversation where dyslexic adults shared the moment they proved everyone wrong…and what parents can do to tip their child’s struggling for success story toward confidence and success.
Let’s start with the reality that many parents are dealing with. You’re watching your child struggle with reading, spelling, or keeping up in class. The report card comes home, and even though you know how smart they are (how creative, how kind, how…fill in the blank) the grades just don’t reflect it. You’re more likely to have a comment about more effort being needed! It’s heart-wrenching because you see the frustration in your child’s face.
Maybe, in the wee hours of the night, dark thoughts start to creep in? Let’s start by saying it’s okay to feel that fear. It’s normal and you’re not overreacting. You’re a loving parent protecting your child. Yes, the fear is real… but it’s not the whole story.
If you’re a parent of a dyslexic child, remember that dyslexia is not a lack of intelligence. The challenges are real. It’s exhausting just to decode text, slower reading, trouble with spelling rules. It’s also not due to laziness. Boy, do I know that one. I used to think that my daughter was a tad lazy until I discovered that she was really working 10x harder than the rest of us.
But, the same wiring that makes reading harder often brings incredible gifts: big-picture thinking, creativity, innovation, empathy, resilience. Think about the dyslexic entrepreneurs, scientists, artists, and leaders who’ve changed the world: Richard Branson, Steven Spielberg, Whoopi Goldberg, just to name a few. They didn’t succeed in spite of dyslexia; their dyslexic minds helped them see possibilities others missed. They persevered and leveraged those strengths! And that’s what your child needs to do.
I was recently reading a Reddit thread, that packed a gut punch. It made quite the impression on me. The thread could have been titled struggling for success. The feelings expressed were raw, so I decided to write about some of the things that were mentioned.
A young dyslexic man, posted about getting into his ideal college and being hurt when his dad made an offhand comment about previously thinking that his son wouldn’t amount to much. Before we condemn the father, remember the statement is what the 18 year old internalized. It’s what happened after that raw sharing that was so powerful. An avalanche of dyslexic individuals started sharing personal success stories. Comment after comment captured personal instances when a person was told they wouldn’t amount to much and how they proved them wrong. One person shared that they became an MD. Another shared that they were in a Ph. D program. Another shared how they managed to pass their math requirement despite having dyslcalculia. Comment after comment shared: “they told me I couldn’t and I showed them that I could.”
Granted that is something that is not unique to dyslexics but it was the rawness of the feeling that hit home. The tone was of perseverance; giving it everything you’ve got (and then some ) to achieve a goal.
Granted everyone loves an underdog, but this thread just felt different. It highlighted for me the importance of believing in your child. If YOU believe, THEY will believe. No sugar coating is necessary as they know how hard it is. You just have to believe in them so that if one door closes, they know to climb the tree and go through the window. Just like the little engine that could, have your child say over and over again: “I think I can…I think I can…until they do.”
This reddit thread wasn’t a one off about struggling for success. Facebook is full of these types of posts. One dad said, “My son is a senior in college now, majoring in computer science. He still uses text-to-speech, but he’s thriving.” Another mom shared, “My daughter just graduated with honors. Dyslexia made her resilient.
These are real families who felt exactly what you’re feeling right now… and kept going. They got the right instruction, advocated fiercely, and most of all they believed. And their kids didn’t just survive they built lives they are proud of.
If this post resonates with you, share it with another parent who needs a dose of hope. And if you have a story about struggling for success; of a win (big or small) I’d love to hear it. Post it on my Facebook page or drop me a message.
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