Tips for Parents of a Child with Dyslexia

Dyslexia Needs Prompt Identification

An inherited disability that causes children difficulty learning to spell, read, and plan effectively, Dyslexia should be diagnosed as soon as possible. If it is not, those who have it will fall behind in developing vocabulary skills and advanced language and reading skills. As a result, others may think of a person as mentally “slow.” Such an opinion can then cause a person to feel intellectually inferior. So, it is vital to pursue a diagnosis as soon as warning signs are spotted.

Here are some of the challenges:

Problems with Language

Those with Dyslexia have difficulty in processing language. As small children, they take longer to speak as they struggle with phonetics; when older, writing comes later than it does for their peers as they have trouble learning the alphabet, recognizing letters (i.e., confusing “d” and “t”), and remembering them. After they acquire writing skills, they can sometimes be confused with spellings, and they may write numbers and letters backward. There can be difficulty using appropriate words as dyslexic individuals get mixed meanings. They can also have difficulty with rhyming patterns they encounter in nursery rhymes. These children learn to read later than others as they have trouble sounding out letters and words. They often confuse some letters such as “b” and “d.” They can also write letters and numbers backward. Dyslexic children have trouble matching letters with their sounds and matching meanings to words.

Individual Education Plans

With an IEP (Individual Education Plan), teachers can focus on areas in which individual students need help. For instance, children can work with Reading Specialists who can assist them with speech sounds (“phonics”), reading more fluently, and comprehending what they read. Students may also need help with learning to write.

Other Ways to Help Dyslexic Children

Today, there are more options for helping children with Dyslexia. For instance, Orton-Gillingham has a step-by-step program for matching sounds with letters. Multisensory instruction is also available; for example, children can run their fingers over letters made of sandpaper as they learn to spell.

What Parents Can Do in the Home

Parents should encourage reading and writing at home. They can purchase books on CDs and have children listen as they read along with the recording, demonstrating their enjoyment. Have children re-read books they have enjoyed, for doing so will reinforce what they have learned. Also, let the children read aloud to them.

This article was originally published on BryanDunst.com

How to Parent Through a Divorce

Divorce is a difficult and life-changing event that can affect your entire family. Whether you are a parent or not, it can be hard to know how to deal with the aftermath of this situation. To make sure everyone in your family can heal from this as quickly as possible, here are 4 tips on how you can help them through their divorce.

Have an open and honest discussion.

When you hear the news of your parents’ divorce (or any other family member’s for that matter) it can be shocking to know what to say or do. There is a lot of information flying around and the potential for misinformation so take some time and have a serious conversation with them about what will happen moving forward. By opening up this line of communication, everyone who is affected by the divorce can become more comfortable and start feeling like themselves again.

Reassure them that they are not alone in their feelings.

While having this conversation might seem scary at first, one beneficial side-effect is that you get to learn just how many people truly feel exactly how your loved one does about the divorce. This can be incredibly reassuring for them, as it lets them know that they are not the only ones feeling this way and that they have a support system.

Give them some time and space.

After getting the news of a loved one’s divorce, it is understandable for someone to need some time and space to themselves to process everything. It might be tempting to bombard them with questions or advice but try to resist doing so until they are ready to talk about it. By respecting their boundaries, you are letting them know that you care about their feelings and want them to feel comfortable coming to you when they are ready.

Let them know that you love them no matter what.

The most important thing to remember while someone is going through a divorce is to let them know that you love and support them. This can also be one of the hardest things to do because it can be difficult for your loved ones to see beyond their pain to realize how many people truly care about them. Even though they feel like they are at rock bottom, they still deserve love and support from everyone around them even more than ever before.

This article was originally published on BryanDunst.com

Personal Finance Psychology to Practice

Finance psychology is the study of the mind towards saving, spending, and investing decisions. Financial decisions are tied down in mind and significantly impact an individual’s psychological health and wellness. Therefore, it is an area of concern affecting several individuals. Let us brush over some of the practices to adopt in personal finance psychology and the relationship between money and our mind.

Emotions play a huge role

The emotions tied to money include guilt, shame, and envy. So, it is worth taking care of these emotions to avoid rational thinking. Shame is the most common emotion associated with cash. It is considered a reason for people avoiding what they know they should do. Some of the conventional shameful versions related to money are avoiding thinking about finances and not doing what you are supposed to be doing, like saving for retirement. Others include spending too much money or buying items when feeling unhappy and do not need the things.

Shame works well with avoidance, and for this reason, an individual may find themselves procrastinating on financial issues, which ends up costing them so much. Other emotions tied to finances are envy and greed, among others.

Family and childhood influences

We are all aware every family has a different view of money. Psychology is diverse, ranging from which gender should handle money and finances. Furthermore, they are always stories in a family concerning finances that are part of the family’s identity. Sometimes when you become successful, you may want to ignore your own financial needs and give back to your family. Nevertheless, it is an issue to address.

Mental health and illness

Health studies show that one in every three Americans is likely to suffer from mental illness. The various diseases include bipolar disorder, depression, and alcohol use disorder. Any individual experiencing any mental illness cannot be able to manage any finances. Therefore, for these individuals, delegating financial management is the best course of action.

How to deal with money emotions

It is not wrong to have emotions. It only shows you are alive. The key to dealing with emotions is self-awareness once you know what should be tackled at a particular time. It is the only way of dealing with emotions. For example, once you identify how to handle family relations regarding finances, it can influence your relationship with money.

Final thoughts

The above mentioned are some factors that bring about psychological issues in regard to finance. It is best to address each case at its level to avoid having mental breakdowns and financial matters, as these are some of the contributors.

This article was originally published on BryanDunst.com