A PERSONAL JOURNEY

Like many parents, we began our journey with dyslexia long before a diagnosis. Our daughter was enthusiastic about school, especially learning letters and sounds. She excelled until bouts of tonsillitis and glue ear made blending sounds difficult. Teachers, thinking she hadn’t learned her sounds, reviewed them repeatedly, and she passed every time. But when blending, she’d continue to sound out “c-a-t” and say “dog.” My instincts told me something wasn’t right. Teachers reassured me she’d catch up. She was bright and eager. She filled pages with stories and recipes in make-believe writing, her creativity shining, despite the challenges of reading and writing.

PRIDE, WORRY, AND THE PARENT’S HEART

Pride and worry can coexist for parents. Our daughter could easily answer questions verbally or copy letters beautifully, but independent writing and reading remained a struggle. After more rounds of phonics, her homework continued to lag behind her peers’. She lost her enthusiasm for school and came home each day, exhausted and upset. I was lost for how to help her. Being a teacher myself, I began to question both my abilities as a mother and a teacher.

We needed to do something.  We needed to get her assessed for dyslexia.

FAITH, FAMILY AND DIFFICULT DECISION

My husband and I had many difficult conversations, and I must admit that neither of us is proud of every moment. As a Christian family, we felt we “ought” to have had more faith and relied on God’s promises instead of arguing over the time we spent with her, being too strict or too lenient, imagining problems, or setting wrong expectations. One of us wanted an assessment; the other worried about labelling our child.

FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE

Every parent wants the best for their child, even if they disagree on what that means. In hindsight, we can now see value in both views. Understanding your child’s challenges and supporting them is key. Empathy isn’t about pity or removing obstacles; it’s about supporting, equipping, and encouraging your child to persevere through difficulties. Each child is different, and their needs may change daily. Our role isn't to shield them from every difficulty but to help them persevere.

GOD’S PRESENCE IN THE JOURNEY

Looking back, I see how God met us at every step, from assessment to exams and beyond. Our journey was marked by prayers, tears, and God’s faithful presence.

If you asked me today whether I would do things differently, knowing what I know now, I would say no.  As a Christian, I hold to Romans 5:3-4:

SCIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE

We’ve seen this in our lives, but science also supports it. Research shows that facing challenges builds resilience and strengthens the brain. Even small acts of perseverance help us grow. (Warren, 2025)

Building resilience and demonstrating empathy are both important. Understand your child’s needs, equip them, and support their perseverance. Our job isn’t to remove every barrier, but to help them get through it.

THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS

For Christian parents, Jesus models both empathy and perseverance. He came alongside people in pain, showing love, but also encouraged them to take brave steps of faith.

LESSONS LEARNED

Struggles teach perseverance, problem-solving, and empathy; qualities that build character and hope.

Neurosurgeon Dr Lee Warren says that it is the small struggles in life that prepare us to endure the real ones.  The often life-changing ones.  The ones that all of us meet at least once in our lives.

A PRAYER FOR YOUR FAMILY

To every parent on this journey: there will be struggles and moments of joy. Trust God with today and your child’s future. When our hopes align with His, we find hope in the plans He has prepared for our families; the hope we read about in Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NIV). 

This is my prayer for you today.

References:

Warren, W.L. MD. 2026. The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery: Connecting Neuroscience and Faith to Radically Transform Your Life. Illinois. Tyndale House Publishers.