After more than 30 years of homeschooling children with dyslexia and ADHD, here are five important lessons I've learned about creating an individualized education that meets our kids' real learning needs. Listen to this post here: I talk to parents every week in my...
homeschool
Resistance to Learning: What It May Be Telling You About Your Child
It's October as I write this article. By this point in the homeschool year, the novelty has usually worn off. The new books aren't quite so exciting. The routines are familiar. And for many families, some familiar problems are starting to surface too. Complaining....
Homeschooling With Dyslexia: What a Successful Homeschool Really Looks Like
Today I'm sharing from my own journey of homeschooling my kids with dyslexia so you can see what a successful homeschool really looks like. Spoiler alert: it's messy but good! If you prefer to listen to this post, click below: When I first started homeschooling more...
Spelling and Dyslexia: Why Can My Child Read a Word but Not Spell It?
One of the most confusing things for parents of kids with dyslexia is watching reading improve while spelling seems to lag far behind. Your child may read a word correctly and then spell that very same word incorrectly a few minutes later. Or maybe you've spent...
Teaching Kids With Dyslexia to Read: What Progress Really Looks Like
If you are teaching a child with dyslexia to read, there is a good chance you've wondered at some point: Is this actually working? You're using an Orton-Gillingham-based reading program. You're doing your best to be consistent. Maybe you're teaching reading three to...
The Homeschool Comparison Trap: When Your Child Learns Differently
Comparison can creep into homeschooling when we least expect it. You can know that your child with dyslexia or ADHD needs a different approach to learning. You can see that your individualized homeschool is working. You can even have years of evidence that your child...
Back to Homeschool Expectations: For Families with Dyslexia and ADHD
Read or listen to this post where I share practical encouragement for homeschooling children with dyslexia and ADHD, including how to set realistic back-to-school expectations and avoid the frustration that comes from comparing your homeschool to everyone else's. "I'm...
Homeschooling a Child With Dyslexia: Stop Trying to Recreate Public School
Have you ever caught yourself trying to make your homeschool look like the classroom you grew up in? You're not alone. When most of us begin homeschooling, we naturally picture desks, workbooks, rigid schedules, and school from 8:00 to 3:00. After all, that's the only...
Should Kids With Dyslexia Do Summer School?
Summer is almost here, and if you're a homeschool parent of a child with dyslexia or other learning differences, there's a good chance a familiar question is already circling in your head: Should we keep doing school this summer? Maybe you're feeling relieved that the...
What Is Dyslexia? A Clear Guide for Parents and Homeschoolers
If you’re here, there is a good chance you’re carrying a quiet question: “Is this what’s going on with my child?” Maybe reading is harder than it should be.Maybe spelling never sticks.Maybe your bright, capable child is starting to doubt themselves. First, take a deep...
Stop This if Homeschool Feels Overwhelming
In my 30+ years of homeschooling, I’ve had my fair share of seasons where I felt overwhelmed by the responsibility of teaching my kids with dyslexia and ADHD at home. When I felt this way, I was frozen with fear and unable to see where to make meaningful changes. Then...
The 3 Most Common Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling Kids with Dyslexia
Homeschooling a child with dyslexia can feel confusing, overwhelming, and emotionally exhausting — even when you’re doing everything “right.” Many parents worry their child is falling behind, question their teaching choices, or wonder if homeschooling is supposed to...
Your Dyslexic Child’s Real Learning Needs
One of the greatest benefits of homeschooling—especially when you’re homeschooling a child with dyslexia—is freedom. Freedom from rigid timelines.Freedom from comparison.Freedom from teaching the same way schools teach. And yet… many homeschool families never fully...
Dyslexia-Friendly Holiday Learning
Early in my homeschool days, one of the leaders of our homeschool group encouraged the families with young children to take time off from academic types of learning in the month of December. If you’re anything like I was, that seems like bad advice considering that...
The Advantages of Homeschooling a Child with Dyslexia
Teaching a child with dyslexia can feel like navigating a stormy sea: you know your child is bright, creative, curious … but the standard classroom method isn’t a perfect fit. For many families, homeschooling becomes not just a fallback, but a strategic choice that...
Why kids with ADHD are sensitive to criticism
If your child or teen with ADHD seems overly sensitive to criticism, you’re not alone. Many parents tell me the same story: “I try to give my child constructive criticism, but no matter how gently I speak, they take it as proof that they’ve failed.” This isn’t...
10 Things Most Parents Don’t Know About Dyslexia (But Should)
Every October, we celebrate Dyslexia Awareness Month — a time to shine a light on the 1 in 5 kids who learn differently. But after nearly three decades of homeschooling eight kids (seven with dyslexia!) and mentoring thousands of parents, I’ve learned that awareness...
30 Things I’ve Learned About Homeschooling With Dyslexia in 30 Years
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...
Your Homeschool Morning Routine: Connection First
Mornings set the tone for the entire day. As parents homeschooling struggling learners, it’s easy to feel the pressure of academics, chores, and schedules as soon as everyone’s eyes are open. But when we begin the day with correction—reminders, instructions, and...
My Favorite Homeschool Hack – Morning Time
I've tried many homeschool methods and schedules over my 30 years of homeschooling. Our preferred homeschool methods and schedules have changed with each year depending on the age and number of kids, mom's health and a myriad of other factors. However, Morning Time...
12 Ways to Motivate Your Homeschooled Child With ADHD
As a homeschool parent, motivating a child with ADHD can feel like pushing a boulder uphill—only for it to roll right back down the moment you look away. You know your child is bright, creative, and full of potential. But getting them to focus, stay on task, and...
How to Choose the Best Homeschool Reading Curriculum for a Child With Dyslexia
Are you a homeschool parent wondering about the best way to teach your child with dyslexia to read? You're not alone! When I first started homeschooling nearly 30 years ago, I tried pretty much every reading curriculum out there. The thing is, traditional reading...
Dyslexia in Elementary School: Priorities & Curriculum
Homeschooling a child with dyslexia in the elementary years can feel overwhelming, I know. I've homeschooled 8 of them! We can see that our kids are smart, but using traditional curriculum and teaching methods often leads to frustration. After 30 years of...
Top 10 Mistakes Homeschool Parents Make with Dyslexia
Homeschooling children with dyslexia and ADHD presents unique challenges and opportunities. I've learned a lot about this over my 30+ years of teaching my own 7 smart but struggling kids at home as well as working with 1000s of families through this website since...