Learning Difficulties in Children – How to Help as a Parent
How To Help Your Child with Learning Difficulties
Learning difficulties are not just a challenge for kids – they can be challenging for parents, too. When my oldest daughter was in 4th and 5th grade, we both struggled with her learning disability. I didn’t know what she needed. She felt stupid and we yelled a lot. I still feel guilty sometimes for how badly I handled it, but we did get help and understanding was the biggest part of that help. Is there anything you can do to help your child succeed in school? Here are some strategies for concerned parents for helping their children with learning difficulties do well in school.
Here are some strategies for concerned parents for helping their children with learning difficulties do well in school.
There is no Cure
As a parent, it may be tempting to try and make the learning difficulty “go away.” While there are things you can do to minimize your child’s struggles, the fact that he or she has a learning difficulty is not going to go away. This is all the more reason to learn coping strategies. Your child needs to be taught how to work with his or her disability, not ignore it.coping strategies. Your child (and you) needs to be taught how to work with his or her disability, not ignore it.
Learning Disability Happens Everywhere
When you help your child with homework, read books with him or her, and generally engage your child to help his or her learning, you are setting your child up for success beyond school. Children who understand their difficulty and have learned how to confront and deal with it may be more likely to succeed than those children who see themselves as helpless victims of an unfair challenge.
Shame or Acceptance?
Well-intentioned parents may try to keep a child’s learning difficulties secret. After all, they don’t want their child to be “labeled,” or they may want to avoid the possibility that their child will use the difficulty as a crutch or excuse. However, some experts believe that keeping the learning difficulty secret may send a message of shame and inadequacy. It’s said that the best approach is to honestly accept the difficulty, face it, and help your child understand and accept it also.
Live Better
You can help your child overcome his or her learning difficulties by providing the healthiest lifestyle possible. In fact, experts have pointed out the direct impact that diet and exercise can have on a child’s developing brain. So look into giving your family whole, organic foods, providing playtime and exercise, and practicing the principles of fitness and health.
Limit Screen Time
There have been multiple studies showing the negative effect on the brain that excessive exposure to screen-based media (television, computer screens, etc.) can have. Limiting the time your child spends watching television, DVDs, YouTube, or playing computer games helps get his or her brain in the mode to learn.
How We Got Through It
In 5th grade, she was diagnosed with ADHD and we started learning what that really meant. Now, as a junior in high school, she does online classes with partial local interaction with teachers. Understanding how her brain works best has been the rout to her getting better grades and improving her self-esteem in general. Rather than believing that she was unintelligent and unworthy, we both worked with the school system to find an alternative. See how we made the decision to do online school here: Your Teen Wants to Drop Out of School?
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crystal touchton
10/01/2014 @ 8:07 AM
My oldest son has ADHD and he’s hard of hearing. His hearing issue went undiagnosed until he was six. I’ll just say we both cried a lot early on. But now he’s in middle school, in advanced science, and plays football. He still struggles, but every year seems to get better because we’re both more understanding. I never would have thought, early on, that my son would love reading at some point, but reading seems to be his escape these days even though he has to ask a lot of questions about vocabulary. He struggles with writing. He’s a math and science wiz. I think every child has their own strengths and I think as parents of children with learning difficulties, we owe it to our kids to help them find those things they excel in. My son’s teachers early on suggested he may have had brain damage from oxygen received at birth, but they couldn’t see what I always have. Huggs mama, sounds like you’re doing an amazing job. These are some very helpful tips.
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amanda mcmahon
10/01/2014 @ 7:04 AM
As a parent, I know that we all need to be able to be honest AND willing to get help.
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Victoria Virgo
09/30/2014 @ 1:23 PM
I suppose the first thing is that a parent has to accept is that life will change. Hiding something is not the way to deal with a situation. Hopefully the stigma is getting less and less as society gets more educated.
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Kungphoo
09/30/2014 @ 8:40 AM
I have dyslexia and when i was younger i learned how to compensate.. at first i was embarrassed but now its much more common.
Sophie Bowns
09/30/2014 @ 5:27 AM
Some excellent tips here.
I’m not sure how I would cope in this situation!
Alexandria Gunn
09/30/2014 @ 1:25 AM
Great tips, Jenn. Many of these tips help with the learning process anyway, such as limiting screen time. But this is a great resource for parents with children with learning disabilities.
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sojourner
09/30/2014 @ 12:23 AM
As a former elementary and middle school teacher, I was often the one who had to call parents to suggest that their child be tested for various learning disabilities. These calls were always devastating. You provide wonderful insight. All parents of children with learning difficulties should read this post.
Clara
09/30/2014 @ 12:22 AM
Thanks for these tips. Sometimes you can be too close to the situation to know what to do.
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celeste
09/30/2014 @ 12:09 AM
I am glad that you discovered the learning difficulties early and understand how her brain works best learning.
Jenn
09/29/2014 @ 9:47 PM
Yes, it can be really tough for some parents to admint and accept that there’s anything “wrong” with their kids.
Jenn
09/29/2014 @ 9:47 PM
Jaime, that’s some powerful insight to have as a mom. For me, I didn’t fully know what was going on with my daughter and I was so frustrated with myself for not knowing how to help.
Jaime Nicole
09/29/2014 @ 9:39 PM
My daughter has a traumatic brain injury and it’s really been eye opening and humbling learning to cope with her learning disabilities. She’s a smart girl and I become very impatient. I had to stop and put myself in her shoes and remind myself her brain misfires. She needs to learn things her way and once she does- she’s okay.
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kira t
09/29/2014 @ 6:01 PM
This is a great post. I work with small children and learning issues are hard on everyone in the family.
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Kungphoo
09/29/2014 @ 5:20 PM
I think it is hard for many parents to realize that their child may have a learning disability. These tips are a great way to try and understand how to handle this situation. It is important to know your child 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing this