Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Our Plans For A Simple Christmas + 25 Non-Toy Gift Ideas

Our Plans For A Simple Christmas + 25

Non-Toy Gift Ideas

With the lights twinkling on the tree behind us, my husband and I sat and contemplated Christmas and what we want it to look like in our family. We each have beautiful childhood memories of Christmases past and now it’s our turn to share the magic. We thought a lot about possibly having a non-toy Christmas.
(In sharing this I want to be sure to tell you that this is what works for our family and I’m not under the assumption that it must work for everyone.)
One thing we both feel very strongly about is making sure that the Christmas we teach to Scarlette is not a completely consumerist one.
This is hard for me. Scarlette is (and will be) an only child, long awaited and much celebrated. I (and my love of a good deal) want to give her the world.
Plus, I am a gift giver. It’s my love language. I just like to give people stuff. And I love my Black Friday sales with the best of them, y’all.
I counted the gifts we purchased for Scarlette last year on one hand. “It looks so small” I lamented. First World Problems at their finest, right?
What do we want her to know? That Christmas is about giving. Namely, the gift of a Christ child to a world who was in desperate need of a Savior. And that we give in that spirit, of presents and of time and of love, to honor the greatest gift ever bestowed.
So we drastically changed how we do gifts around here. For her birthday, she got one toy and a special cupcake outing from Mommy and Daddy. (And if you’ve seen this video, you know that she was the happiest kid ever.)
Instead we’ve decided to focus on advent activities and gifting to our community. We still exchange gifts but on a much smaller scale with more intention.
Now that we’re on our third year of Christmas/birthdays in this vein and figuring this out a little more, here are 25+ suggestions for non-toy gift ideas! (some referral links included b/c coupons!)

Experience Gifts

Right now our three year old daughter, Scarlette, is in ballet class because she asked to be. (She did not get that from her rhythm-less mama.!) She knows that the classes are a gift from her grandparents and I find that really special. I’m thankful to them for being a part of giving her new experiences and creating special memories with her when they take her on outings. I typically visit GROUPON’s local things-to-do page to find some fantastic experience gifts for over half off. This year I bought some great packages for family members through them!
1.) Memberships to a children’s museum or the zoo. My dad took Scarlette to the zoo this year and she talks about it all the time. Seriously. ALL THE TIME.
2.) Paint Your Own Pottery trip. We love doing this. It is so fun and you don’t have to make something you bring home, you can have your child make something like a pretty vase to donate to the local nursing home.
3.) Tickets to the movies, theater production, or concert. I’m wishing that Super Why Live would come anywhere near us because my three year old would have the time of her life at a show like that. Fandango lets you personalized their gift cards with a photo, which is a cute way to give a movie ticket gift!
4.) Gift certificates to a favorite ice cream/cupcake shoppe. Because we all scream for ice cream. Except Scarlette. She screams for cupcakes. Or also just randomly, for no good reason.
5.) Gift certificates for a family outing, such as ice skating or mini golf. Or, if they are teenagers and are embarrassed to be seen with you because you feel the need to dance in public (MOM) then maybe for a friends outing. (I was scarred for life, y’all.)
6.) Crafting or baking dates. My mother made Scarlette this canopy for her bed as her Christmas gift last year. Scarlette was SO excited about it. And my favorite gift from my Aunt every year from the time I was a little girl has ALWAYS been her homemade butter mints. Of all the gifts I received at our family gathering, I always looked most forward to when I opened my tin of homemade butter mints from her.

Subscription Gifts

Don’t think kids can’t enjoy things like magazine subscriptions! Scarlette gets Ladybug magazine every month and she loves it. She enjoys getting the mail with me and having a “pwize” in it. We also love our subscription boxes. Most offer a one-time option in addition to a 3,6,9, and 12 month plan so there is something for every budget.
7.) Magazine subscription (we love Ladybug, Highlights and National Geographic Kids)
8.) A Book-Of-The-Month Club! Lollipop Book Club mails a lollipop and a book with a specially inscribed note each month. I love that idea! You could even probably do the same thing yourself for less, just remember to mail the book each month! I also love the look of GiftLit because you can choose from all ages, including read-aloud family books!
9.) Monthly Craft Kit. Kiwi Crate is a monthly craft club for kids. Each month you receive a box with supplies and instructions to make themed crafts that encourage creativity and learning. This is our favorite one, we got a subscription for Scarlette last year and she really looks forward to her box every month and my niece is getting a subscription this year. You can save 50% on your 1st month subscription to any Kiwi Crate Family Brands PLUS free shipping with code HOLIDAY50 – For kids under 4 their Koala Crate is fantastic and they also have Tinker Crate for older kids that is more STEM focused. Similar crafting kits are: Green Kids Crafts and Babbabox.
10.) Monthly Learning Kit. Little Passports is a monthly travel adventure kit. It’s for an older age range than Scarlette, maybe 7+ but it is so cute! You can do the world edition or the USA edition and “visit” different countries/states each month!
11.) Baby Essentials Subscription. If you have a baby, then a subscription or bundle from The Honest Company is a great choice for you. You can do the diaper subscription and get eco-friendly diapers + natural wipes delivered monthly (WHO DOESN’T LOVE THAT?!) or you can get natural bath & body products, kid’s toothpaste and more. And let’s be honest: your baby has no idea what is happening on Christmas. The diaper bundle is where it is at. This makes such a great gift for a new mom!

Digital Gifts

Some people dislike giving digital gifts because they like having something to unwrap. But you can still make a cute present out of something like a Netflix subscription by printing out the gift code and wrapping it up in a fun popcorn tin!
12.) Online Learning. We use www.abcmouse.com for early learning and we love it. Scarlette gets to do a lesson or two on it a few days a week and it is such a great learning tool. It is designed for toddlers up to Kindergarten age and is full of educational lessons that are presented as games, puzzles, books, songs, and more. She earns “tickets” for each lesson she completes and trades them in for prizes. She’s currently obsessed with buying things for her fish tank with her tickets. (This link will give you the first month free to try it out)
13.) Netflix. Netflix is our go-to in this cable-free house. It’s such a great gift because it has an entire kids-only section with tons of family favorites and educational shows. We watch a lot of the nature shows. And after the kids use it, mom and dad can totally have a movie date night in.
14.) Educational App. I love the Kindle Free Time Unlimited App that I have for my Kindle Fire. It’s only $2.99 a month and it is full of educational games and books that I can let Scarlette read without worrying about her accidentally deleting my stuff or buying billions of dollars of e-books.
15.) Gift cards. Gift cards to Amazon or iTunes for digital books, apps or music are good bet for the teen crowd. Or thirty year olds with a penchant for YA dystopian fiction series. Just sayin.’ Fandango gift cards are also a great idea because there are a ton of good YA movies coming out this year!

Learning Aids

And if you just really like wrapping stuff, I love getting hands on learning items for Scarlette. Musical instruments, craft supplies, etc. are all helpful to this homeschool-ish mom and things that my kid enjoys.
16.) Extracurricular activity items. If your child is signed up for ballet, a tutu makes a great gift. Just ask Scarlette. I can’t get her to take off the one she got for her birthday. It’s kind of a problem, actually.
17.) Musical Instruments. We love these rhythm sticks by Hohner Kids. And by “we” I mean “Scarlette.” No parents like these. Also, this harmonica is like, five dollars. And it’s a harmonica. Everyone likes the guy who can play a harmonica! We also have this wooden xylophone and this little drum that Scarlette loves. This year Scarlette got this kid’s cd player for her birthday – she LOVES listening to books on cd (this set is her favorite) and singing along to Frozen karaoke in the microphones. I liked it because it also has an mp3 and usb hookup so I can download music for her online.
18.) Arts & Craft Supplies. It’s so nice in the winter months to have a go-to craft bin in the house. Chenille sticks, googley eyes, glue, feathers, construction paper, scissors, popsicle sticks, watercolors, markers, etc. are all great things to bundle together in a little craft set. I normally pick these up at craft stores or you can grab an oversized arts and crafts bucket like this one. We store ours in these stackable ArtBins.
19.) Books. I love giving and receiving classic books. I think you can’t go wrong with classics like Shel Silverstein’s Where The Sidewalk Ends, Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, Where The Wild Things Are, etc. and I am all about fostering a love of reading in kids. Oh, and I love LOVE the Jesus Storybook Bible.
20.) Learning Activities. I’m against ant farms on account of how I read the Scary Stories books when I was a child and still have nightmares but I do love nature stuff. Scarlette has a magnifying glass we use to look at bugs that was her favorite gift ever. On her list of things that she is thankful for, number two is BUGS. I also love things like these wooden pattern blocks that my dad gave Scarlette for her birthday. We can do so many learning activities with them that even though they might be technically a toy, I give them a pass. I also love Lisa’s printable activity sets.
21.) Clothes. Okay, that might have nothing to do with learning but I had no category for it. Technically, we’re learning how to dress ourselves over here. Well, the three year old is. But kids need clothes, y’all. They grow real fast. I also think that some of the handmade locket necklaces would make a great, sentimental gift for a teenage girl. And I’m all about building a dress-up box out of clearance sales and thrift store finds because imaginative play is brain power. Or maybe not, I just made that up but I bet it’s good for kids or something.

The Gift Of Giving

I think it’s important to teach our kids about charitable giving from a young age. Here are a few ideas organizations that I personally like and support, but having your child research, learn about, and choose a charity that is personal to them is awesome. It’s a sweet opportunity to teach our kids about giving beyond ourselves.
22.) Giving to a local need. We do something for families in the local NICU each year at Christmas time and ask that our friends and family consider donating in Scarlette’s name, to share a little bit of the hope that we have now and that we so wanted back when it was us there during the holiday season. You can make blankets or crochet preemie hats or any number of things!
23.) Sole Hope. Sole Hope is an organization that does medical work in Uganda and helps local men makes shoes for the kids there. I got to meet them last month and was so impressed with them that on my next Girl’s Night, I made my girlfriends watch the video and cut out shoes out of old jeans with me. It’s not at all annoying to be friends with me y’all. I think it’s a good organization for older kids/teens to be a part of because they can host fun shoe-cutting parties and be actively participating in the mission.
24.) Freeset. Freeset is a fair trade business that employees women who are trying to escape the sex trade. (I know that seems heavy for a Christmas gift but well, the greatest Christmas Gift the world received was born into a pretty heavy burden and I think it’s especially important to remember these girls in this season.) The women make beautiful bags (and laptop sleeves!) so this is another gift that you can wrap up while giving back. Another organization that I was able to meet face to face last month who truly impressed me.
25.) Light Em’ Up Giving. Check out Courtney DeFeo’s Light Em’ Up guide, with tons ideas for random acts of kindness that you can do with your children during the holiday season. I love the way this is set up, with printables and helpful ideas. We’ll be doing some of these with Scarlette this year and I am really looking forward to it.
26.) Choose A Gift Catalog. Several reputable charitable organizations like World Vision have gift catalogs that you can browse with your child. Scarlette loves farm animals right now so we’re going to discuss giving a family the gift of livestock and then I’ll let her choose from there.
We’re not totally anti-toy. After all, I hit up the Target Secret Toy Sale to stock up on books and gifts. But we do try to keep the balance weighted towards more handmade gifts, experience gifts and secondhand gifts than lots of brand new piles under the tree and this has been what has helped us

Whenever this topic comes up among my girlfriends they always ask how we broach this with family members. We definitely don’t want to take away the joy of giving from others or infringe our own feelings on anyone else but we did share our hearts with them and ask them to consider experience or non-toy gifts. We’re thankful that her grandparents were incredibly understanding of our space (our house is small and I have a problem with clutter. Like, I make a lot of it.) and our hearts and purposed to honor our requests. Plus, I send them videos of Scarlette taking the ballet class they gave her and that is just the gift that keeps on giving, y’all.
(And if you are looking for gift ideas for the grown-up kids in your life, I’m partial to an Amazon Prime gift subscription. Two day shipping + free kindle books + free movies/tv shows is basically the gift that keeps on giving.)
I’d love to hear any suggestions you might have for non-toy gifts!

For more gift ideas and to enter to win some awesome holiday prizes from Pottery Barn Kids, The Land of Nod, Boden and more, visit my 2014 Family Holiday Gift Guide!

Five Lessons from Elisabeth Elliott

Used by permission

November 5, 2015 by Susie Hawkins 8 Comments

Few women have had an impact on the kingdom of God as has Elisabeth Elliot. Her remarkable insights and words of wisdom continue to shape us, even after her death and years of illness. Here are just five truths I have gleaned from her devotional book “A Lamp for My Feet.” Published in 1985, it remains on my list of books I regularly re-read.

“Thy List Be Done” – His List, Not Mine

Women always have multiple lists going – shopping needs, errands to be run, answering emails or correspondence, calls to be made, prayer lists, etc. Inevitably, we will have interruptions and won’t accomplish what we hoped. The lists get longer instead of shorter! Elisabeth experienced that frustration on more than one occasion and wrote, “Because God is my sovereign Lord, I was not worried. He manages perfectly day and night, year in and year out, the movements of the starts, the wheeling of the planets, the staggering coordination of events that goes on on the molecular level in order to hold things together. There’s no doubt that He can manage the timing of days and weeks. So I can pray in confidence, ‘Thy list, not mine, be done.'”

“Wastelands”- Don’t Look for Shortcuts

At some time we all experience “dry, fruitless, lonely places.” Using Exodus 13:17, Elisabeth points out that these times are not wasted for the Christian. “God did not guide them by the road towards the Philistines, although that was the shortest….God intentionally took them by way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. “If they had gone their own way, they would have missed the deliverance from Egypt’s chariots when the sea was rolled back. Lets not ask for shortcuts. Let’s keep alert for the wonders our Guide will show us in the wilderness.”

“Volunteer Slaves” – Serving with Joy

Our service to Christ is in the sense of a volunteer slave, or a servant who loves her master with all her heart. It is not “forced labor,” but the “purest joy when it is most unobserved, most unself-conscious, most simple, most freely offered.” Don’t minimize the service in small acts – cooking a meal, consoling a discouraged friend, forgiving a failure. “Let me not imagine that my love for You is very great if I am unwilling to do for human being something very small.” Ouch.

“Apportioned Limitation” – Accepting Your Field of Service

God sets limitations on “the scope of our work”, in that He has appointed us to a certain “sphere”. “We will keep to the limits God has apportioned us” (2 Cor. 10:13). Jesus did that – becoming a baby, a growing child, an adolescent, a man, each stage “bounded by its peculiar strictures, yet each offering adequate scope in which to glorify His Father.” God is glorified when we work in the place He has set us. “Let me not covet another’s place or work or glory”

“First Be Quiet” – Learning Silence

“Our hectic lives involve many changes, and changes require decisions, and decisions must often be made in the midst of a multitude of confusions.” Instead of constantly asking others’ advice, Elisabeth suggests practicing quietness. She points out how Jesus deliberately sought solitude during the non-stop days of His ministry. “The more hectic our lives become, the more necessary is this quietness.” When it is not possible to get away to a place of solitude to pray for a day, then “do not speak about the decision to anyone but God for forty eight hours at least. Just hold it before Him alone. Keep your mouth shut for two days. Pray. Listen. Seek his counsel.” Or this, “Sit before Him for fifteen consecutive minutes in silence, focusing … on Psalm 86:11, ‘Guide Me, O Lord…”

What have you learned from Elisabeth?

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Susie Hawkins

Susie lives in Dallas, TX with her husband OS Hawkins. She is the author of "From One Ministry Wife to Another: Honest Conversations on Connections in Ministry". She has 2 daughters and 6 grandchildren, keeping her life full of craziness and joy.

Monday, November 9, 2015

Stock Your Kitchen with These

http://recipestonourish.blogspot.com

referred by Meagan DeLong

Organic Lemons – Great for colds, sore throats, cleansing.
Organic Garlic – Naturally antimicrobial, both antiviral and antibacterial, great for upper respiratory issues.
Raw Honey – Naturally antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal (not for babies).
Coconut Oil - Strengthens the immune system, is naturally antimicrobial and has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.
Organic Ginger – Great for upset tummy, chills, colds and fevers (use w/ caution if pregnant, consult w/ your health care practitioner).
Organic Cranberries – Preventative, bacteria cannot thrive w/ cranberry.
Dried Thyme – Naturally antimicrobial, make as a tea for colds/flu, great for coughs and respiratory issues, helps relieve diarrhea.
Organic Shiitake Mushrooms – Have immune boosting properties.
Elderberry & Rose Hip Syrup – Preventative, increase amount w/ illness, known for helping prevent the flu and/or lessen the duration of the illness.
Fermented Cod Liver Oil & High Vitamin Butter Oil – Natural dose of vitamin D, very important for staying healthy, helps the immune and digestive system.
Organic Sea Vegetables like Kombu, Kelp, Nori, Wakame – Full of vitamins and minerals, very nourishing, add to soups, beans, grains, vegetables (See Resources).
Seasonal Organic Vegetables & Fruits for Juicing – Very cleansing, full of nutrients that are readily available for your body.
Lacto-Fermented and Cultured Foods – Great for your gut, loaded with natural probiotics, helps with digestion, helps boost your immune system.
Bone Broth or Homemade Stocks – Loaded with nutrition, very nourishing, helps with healing process, stock up and store in freezer.
High Quality Probiotics – Important for your gut, keeps your gut healthy.
Organic Unfiltered Raw Apple Cider Vinegar – Old school remedy, natural antiseptic and antifungal, very healing.

The 23rd Psalm

Six Ways Parents of Rebellious Children Fight for Faith

Click here for the full audio transcript:
http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/six-ways-parents-of-rebellious-children-fight-for-faith

Excerpt from the Audio Transcript:

Keli, a mom, writes in to ask: “Pastor John, I’m wondering if you would speak on the subject of dealing with rebellious children. How do you keep trusting God when you see no evidence of his working in a child’s life?”

Well, this is exactly the right question to ask, Keli. How do we keep on trusting God? The crucial need for every parent is to trust God: to trust God that he has work for us in Jesus to save us from our sins, to trust God that he will fulfill all of his promises to his children, to trust God that he will uphold us. “Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. For I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you” (Isaiah 41:10). That he will keep that promise, to trust God that he will withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11), to trust God that he will give us only what is good for us and that all his ways are just and wise.

What our children need from us most is to see joyful, hopeful, peaceful, obedient, trusting God, resting in God. And the biblical answer to the question — How do we keep trusting God in this and every situation? — is surely given probably most clearly in Romans 10:17: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” And I think that means not just that you get converted and get faith the first time by hearing Christ, but that you also get faith, strengthened every day by hearing. Faith comes daily by hearing. Right now in this podcast faith doesn’t come from John Piper. Faith comes from John Piper’s reading the Bible and applying the Bible. Or it doesn’t come at all.

So let me give a few texts that would, I hope, strengthen our faith in respect to our children:

First, it helps parents, I think, to realize — strange as it may sound — that God’s own children rebel against him.

Find other recent and popular Ask Pastor John episodes.

John Piper (@JohnPiper) is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author of more than 50 books.

Sunday, November 8, 2015

You Say...God Says

Photo is compliments of Touching Lives.

Simplicity in Happiness

by Promise Cook ~ Used by permission

When my husband, Jeremy, was little he collected rocks...so do both of our girls, Annabelle (10) and Charlotte (4). I have jars full of rocks! A lot of the gravel from my driveway is also in jars in my house because it was a "really pretty rock!" The other day Jeremy brought home this rock from work and gave it to me. It made my day! Life isn't as complicated as we make it...it's really very simple to be happy where you are with what you have and to share your joy with others, even if it's as simple as a heart-shaped rock.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

How to Remove Permanent Marker from Everything

20 Things Only Parents Of Children With Dyslexia Would Understand

Compliments of:
http://healthcaresolutionsplus.org/20-things-only-parents-of-children-with-dyslexia-would-understand/

October 18, 2015

Dyslexia. It’s a word many parents dread when they hear it in reference to their own children. What their “lay” minds take in is that they have a child who will face struggles throughout his/her schooling and in life. Dyslexia never goes away. There is no medication to mitigate the symptoms; worse, it is an invisible disability which (if undiagnosed) subjects the sufferer to lots of misunderstanding and criticism for things over which s/he has not control.

As parents research their child’s dyslexia and receive information from the experts, they come to understand many things that they want others to understand as well. Here’s 20 of them.

1. They read differently.

The brain anatomy of a dyslexic child is different. The area that understands language operates differently than the average individual’s. The brain has to translate symbols on the page of a book (for example) into sounds. The sounds then have to be combined to make meaningful words. The parts of the brain that do this are not as well developed with dyslexia, so affected children will have to engage different parts of their brains to compensate. Part of this compensation is enhanced by specialized reading programs which are research based and multi-sensory, as well as by audio books that allow kids to keep up with their classmates in school.

2. They cannot overcome dyslexia by reading more.

Those who do not understand dyslexia (including some teachers) think if parents just read to their children more, and if elementary aged children are just forced to read more, somehow the dyslexia will be “cured.” Nothing could be further from the truth. While reading to a dyslexic child has great benefits (I.E. information, exposure, stimulation of imagination), it will not help him/her become a better reader. Likewise, forcing a dyslexic child to just read more, in a traditional manner, only leads to frustration, anger, and behavioral issues. It is the equivalent of forcing an adult to go to a job every day at which s/he cannot perform the tasks and is not ever given the training to acquire the skills to perform them. How long would that adult remain on that job?

3. They are not lazy or unmotivated.

The undiagnosed dyslexic kid is often labeled as these things both in the classroom and at home. However, remember to consider the following issues:
– They may not hear multi-step instructions. While the 2^nd and 3^rd instructions are being given, their brains are still processing the first
– In school, during reading class, they are still de-coding the first sentence while classmates have moved on to the 5^th or 6^th.

– It takes them far longer to complete worksheets and tests. When they do not get things finished, the teacher may be inclined to keep them in from recess to make them finish. What they don’t understand is that this child is exhausted from the effort just to complete what he has, and needs a break just as much as his peers.

4. They often need tutoring outside of school.

If the tutoring is designed for kids with dyslexia, some studies have shown, the brain actually changes (this is called neuroplasticity) and “rewires” itself, resulting in enhanced reading skills. For the older student, facing essays and papers for which research must be completed, as well as the normal rounds of standardized testing that come at specific milestone points in schooling, tutoring for reading, writing, and test taking must continue. Private tutoring services that have specialists for kids with learning disabilities are numerous in both the United States and in the UK. With their help and their special approach, children with dyslexia can pass any type of exam, including 11 plus mock exams easily.

5. They don’t “see” the world backwards.

Yes, they occasionally reverse letters and words, but that is because those words and letters appear differently to them on the printed page. What they view in the world, they often see holistically (rather than in detail). They have a grand ability to see what is “out of place.” Carol Grieder, a molecular biologist with dyslexia, won the Nobel Prize in medicine in 2009 because as she looked at DNA molecules through a microscope, she saw something that should not be there. She discovered a new and extremely important enzyme that is today the subject of cancer and aging research. In this case, her dyslexia was a wonderful “gift” to the world.

6. They need “ear reading”.

This is the term advocates and parents use for audio books. While the obvious benefit is that are able to stay up to date with their classmates in all content areas (textbook publishers all offer their publications in audio format), they are also able to conduct research and to complete book reports/reviews. Another benefit is an increased vocabulary and the ability to “hear” good grammar.

7. They need accommodations in school, at all levels.

While they may not always qualify for an IEP, there are other individual plans that can be put into place that allow for longer assignment and test-taking time, modified assignments (e.g. half of the spelling word list), and orally provided exams.

8. They can be disorganized.

Their failure to have attention to detail causes disorganization, impacting both school and home life. Their rooms may be messier than most, and cleaning them up is truly challenging. At a young age, parents would do well to “walk” dyslexic children through each step of the process for cleaning their rooms and putting things in proper places. In school, older children specifically may have difficulty organizing and managing their time, and may need lots of tools, such as cell phone alarms, a picture schedule, and so forth.

9. They feel dumb and stupid.

They are aware that others in their classrooms are reading better, are completing assignments on time, and do not take as long to learn things. This can really impact self-esteem over time, causing them to withdraw. Teachers must capitalize on strengths and interests, and publicly recognize them in the classroom. Parents need to promote their kids’ strengths and talents with outside activities. Art, music, sports, designing, building, and science are typical areas of strength. Having successes and recognition for those successes is extremely important for adult productivity and happiness.

10. They need to socialize.

When their bad feelings about themselves cause them to withdraw, they may cease to involve themselves in social activities or in making new friends. It is important that parents of young children take a proactive approach to socialization. This may include joining a support group, in which there will be plenty of opportunity for their children to be involved in activities, or enrolling them in clubs, Scouts, or sporting activities. Older children must be encouraged to get involved in activities that will support and reinforce their strengths or talents. For teens, getting a part-time job can be huge!

11. They have average to above-average intelligence.

There is nothing wrong with educators and parents sharing good news with these kids about their IQs. They should continue to re-enforce the facts that a huge number of highly successful people had/have dyslexia. Here’s a few: Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford, Jay Leno, Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Cruise, Muhammed Ali, Steve Jobs, Tommy Hilfiger, Picasso, and Richard Branson. There is virtually no field in which dyslexic people have not excelled.

12. They need technology.

There are a number of apps which have been recommended by medical and psycho/educational professionals that serve dyslexic students well, from those that convert any text to audio, to voice-command word processing programs, to phonetic skill building in gaming formats. Schools should be cognizant of needs and ensure that these tools are available.

13. They are exhausted by detail.

This pertains particularly to reading and to worksheets in math that are “cluttered.” Spreading content out in larger print and recommended fonts will help a great deal. They will also need frequent breaks. While other students can focus on an activity that involves reading and writing, and accomplish a great deal in a 20-30 minute period, the dyslexic child will complete far less and need breaks after 10 minutes of focus. Beyond that, they will complain of headaches and dizziness.

14. They see what others do not.

Dyslexic children will state the words on a page are moving, that they are alternating between light and dark, or that they are flip-flopping. It is easy to think that they are making this up; however, they are not. It is important to validate what they are seeing as “real” for them.

15. They are visual thinkers.

They learn by pictures and hands-on experiences. This is one reason that many do well in lab sciences. They also remember in pictures. If they can be given visual representations of concepts, they will cement that in their memories. What they read will not be cemented unless there are other senses involved as they read.

16. They should not be “lumped” together as one.

Dyslexic kids are individuals. Their disabilities come in all ranges. Some may exhibit symptoms of ADD, while others will not. Some have real difficulty putting thoughts into words, while others are much more verbal. Some are of average intellectual ability, while others are truly gifted. Some have “acting out behavior;” while others are too quiet. It is unfair to treat all dyslexic children as if they are one homogeneous group.

17. They are frustrated with their disability.

While others who live and work with these kids can certainly become frustrated, it is important to be empathetic. Try putting yourself in the kid’s place and see dyslexia through the eyes of the person actually living it. These kid needs support and encouragement, not disapproving remarks, like “try harder.” S/he is trying!

18. They will be dyslexic for a lifetime.

But with strong interventions and flexibility on the part of teachers, they can develop methods to compensate, earn college degrees, and take their places in many career niches.

19. They can add great value to an organization.

Because they tend to be creative and are visual thinkers, they are often able to “see” solutions that others cannot. In these cases, being dyslexic is a strength in itself.

20. Their sense of hearing is exceptional.

Perhaps because their ability to use their eyes well to learn, the sense of hearing has strengthened, just as it is for those who are blind. However, they are often unable to filter out all of the sounds around them, greatly impacting their ability to focus. The use of headphones when they are engaged in audio learning will help them greatly.

Each of us has strengths and areas of challenge. Our children with dyslexia are no different. Unfortunately, learning has been so intimately tied to reading that they have been at a clear disadvantage. Things are rapidly changing; however, in this wonderful age of technology. We are reaching a point at which we will be able to honor all learning styles, not just those that have traditionally met with success.