Asplexic Adventures

My son is autistic and dyslexic. Lightly autistic, profoundly dyslexic. His brain works more like a Rube Goldberg machine than a Macbook Pro, and navigating the educational system with him makes training for a marathon look enjoyable. But I do it. I'd do anything for this kid.

Anything.

Even "the thing" I said I'd never do: homeschool. Why not, you ask? First of all, homeschoolers eat only organic food purchased from farmer's markets, and I believed my love of Junior Mints precluded me from candidacy. Secondly, homeschoolers wake at 5:30am to begin their lessons. This means they finish by 10:00am, leaving plenty of time to gather half a dozen eggs for breakfast (from their backyard chicken coop). Since I prefer to meet the day closer to 8:00am or later-- and don't own edible birds-- I felt woefully inadequate to instruct my son.

Photo Credit

And yet, I quit my part-time job and dove into the business of teaching Dj.

Here's a fun fact: dyslexia affects 1 in 5 students in the U.S.. You read that right. Dyslexia runs along a spectrum (sorta like autism) of mild to severe, and most kids with the disorder remain undiagnosed. But you'll find it follows family lines. Two of my husband's siblings are acutely dyslexic, and I suspect they're merely the diagnosed relatives.

Yet with lots of support (namely from Gallatin Valley Learning Solutions) we've made progress, he and I.

Still, the road contains bumps and potholes that often trip us (hello, spelling, I'm looking at you), but with each step our destination becomes more visible on the horizon. Yikes, that sounds cheesy. Reality sounds a little more like this: As we claw our way up the treacherous mountainside, I am thankful my CamelBak is filled with vodka. (Okay, more likely it's filled with a chai tea latte, but that doesn't quite communicate desperation like hard liquor.)

Anyway....

The point is, the journey is tough, but we ain't givin' up. Not ever.

If you suspect a loved one has dyslexia, explore the growing mounds of research and resources. If you don't know where to begin, fret not! Let me point you in the right direction:

Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity
Learning Ally
The 1in5 Initiative
Bright Solutions for Dyslexia
And for tidbits from all of these sites plus some, follow GVLS on Facebook.