The worksheet has been sitting on the kitchen table since four o'clock, and at 9pm it’s still blank. When a child refuses to do school work night after night it's usually a sign of something. You need to know what that refusal is actually telling you.

I've learned from sitting across the table from students of all ages, that when a child refuses to do school work, the refusal is a coded message. It’s usually one of four things. Most parents can only think of one message. The other three are quieter and are easier to miss. But they get louder right as the support at school gets pulled out from underneath your child.

Let’s sort out which message is happening in your house. Then I'll walk you through the 5 practical things I share with parents in my practice. One takes about thirty seconds to set up and usually ends the two hour homework night on its own. Another costs you nothing and tells you more about your child's issue than a report card has in three years.

Lastly, I’ll share a question to ask, and a place to ask it. You want an honest answer and most parents ask it at the wrong moment.

If tonight's battle is still fresh, let's talk. Book a free fifteen minute consultation at The Literacy Keys and bring your questions about your child. Fifteen minutes, and you'll leave knowing what to look at first.

If you know another parent sitting at the kitchen table wondering why this is so hard, please share this episode with them. Then hit follow, and leave a rating so more families can find us.

Discover:

Instagram: @theliteracykeys

YouTube: @theliteracykeys

Facebook: TheLiteracyKeys

Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com

Cheers,Tracy Young,

Orton Gillingham Tutor

Books about dyslexia either hand you the key to understand your child, or leave you more confused than when you started your journey.

By the end of this episode you'll know which three books about dyslexia are worth your time, and which one to open first if your child is an older student.

As part of my Orton Gillingham certification training, I had to read at least ten books on dyslexia. A few were clinical enough to put me to sleep. Three of them are perfect for parents. In fact, one of the three named the exact situation that a reading specialist once told me could not be happening with my daughter. (Spoiler alert: schools don’t know a lot about dyslexia.)

What you'll take with you:

• Language you can use the next time someone says your child just needs more reading practice

• A framework your teen can actually see themselves in

• A way to understand the kid who reads well out loud but cannot spell for beans

• Which of the three books about dyslexia to start first, depending on your child's age

• Permission to read none of them by Friday, because sleep is a good thing

Books about dyslexia can only take you so far. If you want a plan built around your child, grab a free fifteen minute call at https://theliteracykeys.com/contact/.

If another parent doesn’t know where to start, please send this episode to them, tap follow, and leave a quick rating so more families can find us:

Instagram: @theliteracykeys Facebook: theliteracykeys YouTube: @theliteracykeys Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com

Cheers, Tracy Young,

Orton Gillingham Tutor and Educational Therapist

Chapters

00:00 - Understanding Dyslexia

05:17 - The Foundational Guide: Shaywitz's Overcoming Dyslexia

10:39 - Unlocking Potential: The Dyslexic Advantage

16:26 - Action Guide: Empowerment Plan

24:26 - Your Role

transcript

Watching your child stare at a worksheet covered in red ink is exhausting, but this is Dyslexia Awareness Month and we are flipping the script on those correction marks for good. You’ll walk away from this episode with the exact, low-stress script you need to talk to your child about reading struggles without tears or panic.

For too long, the color red has meant one thing on your child's schoolwork: wrong, wrong, wrong. But staying silent about "the D-word" to protect them actually backfires. It leaves kids to fill in the blanks alone, where they usually assume the struggle means they aren't smart. They might even think they're stupid!

The truth is, dyslexia is simply a difference, not a measure of intelligence. In this episode, host Tracy Young (ALTA-certified Orton-Gillingham Tutor and mom to a dyslexic daughter) shows you how to trade red pen drama for bold confidence.

Here’s what you’ll walk away with:

• The exact reason why avoiding the word "dyslexia" backfires at home (and the simple 1-word shift that lowers your child’s anxiety).

• A low-pressure formula for having "the conversation" in settings where your child feels safe to open up.

• How to leverage October's global Go Red movement to turn past school struggles into a source of pride.

• Simple role-play scripts that teach your child how to advocate.

Resources:

Ready to give your struggling reader individualized, structured support that builds lasting confidence? Visit https://theliteracykeys.com/custom-shop/ to explore our personalized tutoring options today!

If this episode brought you some peace of mind, please hit follow, leave a 5-star rating, and share it with another parent who needs some encouragement this week!

Find Us:

• Instagram: @theliteracykeys

• Facebook: theliteracykeys

• YouTube: @theliteracykeys

  Website: TheLiteracyKeys.com

  
  

• Mentioned in the episode

  ⁠I'm Not Stupid video⁠

  ⁠Go Red for Dyslexia⁠

Chapters

00:00 Flipping the script

00:58 What red means

03:59 Why not saying dyslexia hurts kids

11:37 Dyslexia Go Red

15:39 Empowering your child

Transcript