#DearDyslexicMe

If I had the chance to invent a time machine, and revisit the ghosts of school days past, there are many things that I would tell myself as a child that I believe would have helped me have a somewhat happier childhood. 

1. You were not made to fit in a box- You think differently, you are quick witted, you have strengths in creative areas, and yes you are a little wacky and thats OK. You have strengths BECAUSE you are dyslexic and you should begin to embrace yourself and your differences, although it is tempting to fit in with the crowd, try not to be like everyone else, it will never bring you true happiness and it will never allow you to reach your fullest potential. 

2. You will be successful- Receiving my GCSE results was the first time I experienced real disappointment in myself, I cried for the majority of the day because I didn’t get the grades that I believed I should have had (Although they were above average) Looking back I would tell myself that Success is not measured by the amount of A*s and As you get in school, but by finding an occupation that you are passionate about. So stop crying about these results because the path you are about to take in life will be far more rewarding than any educational path could ever take you on. Education will open the door, but ultimately it will not get you the life you want. 

3. Enjoy it more- Take yourself less seriously. Do more of the things you are good at and pay less attention to the people who are negative towards you. Although you don’t know that you are dyslexic yet, the world will continue to seem increasingly enigmatic, however the lessons you are about to learn are invaluable. Learn the lessons with grace but have fun whilst you learn!

4. Value your creative talents more-As a dyslexic young person I was naturally talented in art, however, I was fully aware that most people I encountered didn’t value this as a skill or talent but rather, valued mathematics, and sciences both of which naturally came harder to me. A lot of the time I felt that I was overlooked and favoured less than other more academic students. Being aware of my talents at a younger age and realising that these were the areas that I was more likely to excel in would have been a real self-esteem booster. Rather than struggling with maths and science and actually thinking they were the be all and end all. 

5. The school system doesn’t really work for you- Lets face it, yes school has its benefits for some kids, but for you…you are better off finding yourself in an entrepreneurial setting, somewhere you can use your natural leadership skills instead of being overlooked. Do some research on famous dyslexics, identify their struggles and use it as inspiration for the great life only you can create. 

Sometimes I wish I knew these things earlier than I do now, but life is also about the learning process, and I am greatful for the lessons I have learned. What would you tell your yourself as younger person? Leave a comment or tweet @_IMdyslexia using the hashtag #DearDyslexicMe. 

MIND MAP YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS | 2016 GOALS

Happy 2016! Now is the time of year that we reflect on the old year behind us and look forward to what is in front of us. Goal setting is so important in focusing on the things that you really want to achieve for the year ahead. One of my goals for 2016 is to release a new blog post every Wednesday, so to keep me focused I have utilised a few well known methods to keep me on track. 

Check out some ways I have displayed some of my goals for 2016. Because I am dyslexic I use weekly planners, vision boards and mind maps. To me they are the best tools to use because you can easily access the information on them in just one glance, without any fuss. Using vision boards and mind maps with children, is also a great way to get them involved and its amazing to see how they take ownership over their own goals and dreams. 

                                                                     IDEA 1-Mind map

                              

                                                                    


                                                                      IDEA 2-Weekly Planner

                                                

                                                                     

                                                                IDEA 3- Vision Boards

    

                                   Happy Goal Setting! Let’s make 2016 the best one yet. 

An Elephant Never Forgets...But What About a Tiger?

“Right now I’m having amnesia and déjà vu at the same time. I think I’ve forgotten this before.”-Steven Wright 

The truth is that we all have moments of forgetfulness; that can be potentially embarrassing or just plain inconvenient, thats just a part of life and most of us have learned to deal with it. But for a child who has dyslexia it can be the bane of their life as they struggle to recall their times tables under pressure, or repeatedly forget when their homework is due in. Many dyslexic children suffer with poor working memory, which could lead to struggles in and outside of the classroom. Whether your child is dyslexic or not, all children could benefit with some memory improvement. Recently I’ve been on the hunt for some of the best memory activities to do with your child! One of my favourite ways for children to learn is to play multi sensory games, i.e. games that excite and engage all 5 of their senses. These types of games will ensure that your child retains the most information. Just a few focused minutes per day every day, and you could see an improvement in your child’s memory, and subsequently their school work will also improve.

There are several types of memory games available and it is up to you which one you choose to play with your child. The games need not be expensive, in fact if you have the time you can make a DIY version from scratch yourself. Sometimes these are the best ones! Over the years in my work with children, I have made and played many memory and attention games. These are especially fun when the games are tailor made. If little Jonny’s main interest is rainbow coloured parrots, then a game designed with parrots will be of most interest to little Johnny. He will take pride in his game and be excited to play it more often.  

If you don’t have time to make your own memory games why not think about buying one? One of my absolute favourite shops is Tiger. It is a fantastic place to pick up anything that you think you need, from quirky cooking utensils to stationery and games for the kids, all at a reasonable price. Recently I purchased two memory games from there, and I think they are two of the best off-the-shelf games on a budget available at the moment,One of the games consists of colourful card faces, with amusing expressions. This is a great game to play with the kids as it is colourful and fun to look at. The second game is basically the same format, but your child can draw on the cards to create their own personalised cards. I drew mine with a black sharpie to make it stand out, but you could use any kind of material, try paint or glitter for a more christmassy effect!