The real fear that I have for dyslexic people is not that they have to struggle with jumbled input or that they can’t spell, but that they will quit on themselves before they get out of school. ~ Stephen J. Cannell
Children with dyslexia face many challenges, from difficulty reading and writing to frustration from being misunderstood. However, fostering a positive self-image and emotional regulation in these children is an important part of their overall development. Here are some tips for helping your child boost their self-confidence and manage their emotions:
- Encourage Positive Self-Talk: Help your child recognize the language they use when talking about themselves and replace negative words or phrases with encouraging ones.
- Develop Healthy Coping Mechanisms: Identify activities that can be used to express and manage emotions in a healthy way, such as drawing, listening to music, or playing a favorite game.
- Connect With Others: Encourage your child to build relationships with other children who have similar experiences—this will help them develop an understanding of how to cope with challenging situations.
- Give Rewards: Create incentives for tackling difficult tasks—even something small like praise can provide motivation and encourage your child to believe in themselves.
- Show Support: It’s important to remain a source of support for your child during difficult times. Let them know that you understand their frustrations and are willing to help however you can.
By following these tips, you can help your child foster a positive self-image, regulate their emotions more effectively, and give them the confidence they need to succeed!
I like all of them, especially anything that helps kids with dyslexia discover their special gifts and talents. Here is a quotation that I found online: “I recognized that I had dyslexia and then I realized I had this gift for imaging. I live in a world of patterns and images, and I see things that no one else sees. Because of dyslexia, I can see these patterns.”- Beryl Benacerraf, radiologist.
To me, that’s so awesome. Beryl found her gift and then she was able to follow a career that made use of that talent. I think that finding your gift might be the key to not quitting.
You know, Alice, helping dyslexic children find their strengths and building on that is key to putting them on the path to success. Not just in school, but also in life. When parents understand that, they set their children up for a confident and productive life.
Florence, awesome tips! Stephen J. Cannell was one of my favorite author/creators. Alas, as you probably know, he died of complications of melanoma at only 69. I got to meet him once about 10 years before he died. I never dreamed he had dealt with dyslexia, undiagnosed until his ’30’s. Maybe diagnosis is the first half of the battle? Your tip #3 really pops for me: get kids connected with others with similar dis/abilities. Isolation is a powerful negative factor for any child.
Yes, Kebba, diagnosis is the first half of the battle. Usually, when children know their struggle is not because there’s anything wrong with them, their self-image goes up a notch. When they understand that their brain works differently from others and there are lots of people like them, they are more open to trying the new strategies they need to develop their weak skills.