When I started homeschooling more than 30 years ago, I had no idea that seven of my eight kids would be diagnosed with dyslexia. I also didn’t realize that teaching them would become one of the most humbling, refining, and freeing experiences of my life.

Over the decades, I’ve learned that homeschooling kids with dyslexia isn’t about perfectly following a curriculum — it’s about understanding your child, working with their brain instead of against it, and trusting the long process of growth.

Here are 30 things I’ve learned — the lessons, mindsets, and quiet truths that have shaped everything I do.

Myths and Truths About Dyslexia

1. Dyslexia is not laziness — it’s a neurological difference.
Your child’s brain is wired differently, not wrongly. What looks like carelessness or lack of effort is usually fatigue from working harder than most to decode language.

2. Reading delays are not permanent.
Many dyslexic kids learn to read fluently between ages 9–12 — much later than average, but they do get there with the right support.

3. Spelling struggles don’t define intelligence.
Even highly verbal, brilliant adults with dyslexia often struggle to spell. That’s why we have technology and editors — it’s not a moral flaw or a lack of intelligence.

4. Accommodations aren’t cheating.
Speech-to-text software, audio books, and calculators simply level the playing field so your child can show what they know.

5. Progress doesn’t always look linear.
Dyslexic learning moves in waves — spurts, plateaus, regressions, and breakthroughs. Trust the process.

6. The “behind” label means nothing in the long run.
Being behind in 4th grade is meaningless if your child learns perseverance, curiosity, and confidence that carry into adulthood.

The Mindset of a Homeschool Mom

7. Your understanding matters more than your curriculum.
The moment you understand why your child struggles, compassion replaces frustration — and your teaching changes forever.

8. Comparison is a waste of time.
Every dyslexic child’s timeline is different. Stop measuring by grade level and start measuring by growth. Think – progress over perfection.

9. You don’t need to replicate school at home.
Homeschooling isn’t about desks, bells, or schedules. It’s about freedom — freedom to go slow, go deep, or go outside.

10. You can take breaks.
Yes, even if your child is ‘behind’. Some of our biggest breakthroughs came after we stepped back for a few days (or weeks) to breathe, rest, and reconnect.

11. Your calm confidence is contagious.
If you believe your child will succeed — eventually — they will begin to believe it too.

12. Burnout is not a badge of honor.
The best homeschool moms protect their own margins. Your child doesn’t need a perfect teacher — they need a peaceful one.

How Dyslexic Kids Learn Best

13. Repetition isn’t failure — it’s science.
Our kids need 10–20 times more practice to master a concept. That’s not a flaw; it’s how their brains solidify connections.

14. Multisensory teaching works because it integrates the brain.
When learning uses sight, sound, movement, and touch together, the brain builds stronger neural pathways.

15. Interests are the gateway to motivation.
Follow the spark — whether it’s bugs, Legos, baking, or Minecraft. Passion fuels learning far more than pressure.

16. Teaching “how to learn” is as important as teaching facts.
Metacognition — helping kids understand how their brain works — builds lifelong learners who can self-advocate.

17. Assistive tech is freedom, not a crutch.
Speech-to-text, audiobooks, and mind-mapping tools allow students to work at their intellectual level, not their decoding level.

18. Integration beats isolation.
Combine reading, writing, and real-life projects instead of separating them into rigid subjects. Learning becomes meaningful when connected to purpose.

The Mindset of a Dyslexic Learner

19. Struggling to learn doesn’t mean you’re stupid.
Kids need to hear this again and again. Many of the most creative, resourceful, and successful people struggled in school.

20. Mistakes are feedback, not failure.
Help your child see errors as data — information that guides what to do next — not proof of inadequacy.

21. Confidence grows through small wins.
Celebrate progress often. Mastering ten sight words or finishing a short story can build momentum that fuels months of learning.

22. Self-advocacy begins early.
Model and teach your child to say, “This is how I learn best.” That skill will serve them for life.

23. Identity matters.
Protect your child’s sense of worth. A confident dyslexic who knows their strengths will out-learn a fearful one every time.

Teaching With Purpose

24. The purpose of education is not performance — it’s preparation.
You’re raising thinkers, problem-solvers, and good humans — not test-takers.

25. Individualization is your greatest homeschooling gift.
You can adapt not just the pace but also the path. Your child’s education can be as unique as their fingerprint.

26. Real learning happens through relationships.
Your connection with your child is the soil in which learning grows. Without it, everything withers.

27. Failure isn’t fatal — it’s formative.
Every meltdown, every missed concept, every tear is an invitation to grow patience, perseverance, and grit.

28. The long game matters most.
You’re not raising students; you’re raising adults. Keep your eyes on who they’re becoming, not just what they’re producing.

29. Home education gives unmatched freedom.
No system, schedule, or test can replace the gift of tailoring education to fit your child’s real needs.

30. Dyslexia is a challenge — and a blessing.
It forces you to slow down, see differently, and value creativity, compassion, and courage over conformity.

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After 30 years, I’ve come to believe that homeschooling kids with dyslexia is less about fixing anything and more about freeing our kids — and ourselves — from the myth that learning only happens one way.

Our kids’ differences are not obstacles to overcome; they’re invitations to educate with wisdom, creativity, and heart.

And that’s the greatest lesson of all.

Get help homeschooling your smart but struggling learners.

I offer several ways to get the guidance you need to give your kids the education they really need.

Group Mentoring: Super affordable. We meet twice a month.

1:1 Consulting: Work one-on-one with Marianne. Get your specific questions answered quickly and in a more in depth way.

Read One of my Books: 

Dyslexia 101: Truths, Myths, and What Really Works: For families who are new to dyslexia and homeschooling.

What is Dyslexia? A Parents Guide to Teaching Kids About Dyslexia: For parents wondering how to talk to your kids about dyslexia.

No More School: Meeting the Educational Needs of Kids With Dyslexia and Language-Based Learning Difficulties: For parents who know their kids need a different kind of education but struggle stepping outside the box of traditional education.