One of the greatest joys in life is being a parent and raising your children.
But learning that your child has a learning disability must be really frustrating to know because, as a parent, you only wish that your children are healthy as much as possible.
Sometimes, it becomes even harder to admit the reality, but we have to accept it as it is to move forward. Learning disability might be something new for some old generation people, but it exists.
Unfortunately, so many people believe that, in some cases, a learning disability is just an excuse and lie to justify kids not wanting to study, but that is not true.
A learning disability is a neurological disease that affects your learning performance. It can affect adults as well as children.
It’s not a sign of a low IQ level, and as a matter of fact, children with learning disabilities are as intelligent or more than their classmates at school.
I believe that this is a subject that all parents should know about, and we should tackle it the right way.
So in this article, we will help you with some tips and recommendations on how to deal with children that have a learning disability. These guidelines will teach you how to support them so that they stay healthy, succeed in school, as well as in life.
Be more understandable
As a parent, your children always expect you to give them the right support. If done successfully, not only will they do their best to improve, but it will also strengthen your child-parent relationship.
The first step to approach a learning disability with your children is to be understandable. To understand, it means that you have to accept it.
This might be difficult, but it is crucial to continue with the next steps.
Every person in life faces different obstacles, and you are not alone.
By accepting and understanding this, you will be able to support your children with learning disabilities with an open heart and mind.
You will be more and ready to take the necessary actions.
This, of course, doesn’t go unnoticed from your child because it is this attitude that will give avoid your children from being devastated and overwhelmed.
School and Tests
I have to be real with you, but in the first stages of your child’s learning disability, his or her scores at school tests might not impress you.
In fact, constant bad scores at school can be a clear sign of a learning disability.
However, do not use this to discourage and overwhelm your child as it will only make the situation worse.
As much as performance at school is important to your child’s success, don’t focus too much on that.
There are far more important things to teach your kids, which will be more valuable to their success, whether at school or at life.
Be a Teacher at Home
In order to support your children and rest assured that they get the knowledge they need to succeed at school, we recommend that you become their teacher at home.
Relying merely on the school to provide the necessary education so that they can pass their tests and get good grades is not enough.
School will never be the perfect and enough space to provide education for your children.
Homeschooling is a way to provide the extra support that children need for school. Set a time and place with your child to help them focus better on learning.
You can start with as little as 20 min per day then gradually increase home study time.
You can either work on school assignments together. Your children will notice the effort you are making, which will motivate them to put more effort into their studies.
Teach Discipline
Discipline is one of the greatest life virtues. Without it, no one will ever succeed in life.
Some people think that teaching children at an early age discipline is a mistake or a bit harsh, especially in the case with children with learning disabilities.
Although the challenge might be hard, it is necessary to teach this life principle.
Children with this neurological disease live too much in their heads as they get distracted by messages coming from the nervous system.
Be clear with your children about what you are expecting from them to accomplish. Make sure to do this with a positive and encouraging attitude.
This will help your child shift his or her focus on what you want them to accomplish. Set clear and direct objectives for your child to reach their goals.
We also recommend that you use positive reinforcement in your favor by rewarding your children only when they get one of their tasks done.
Install Healthy Lifestyle Habits
Another way to support your child with a learning disability is by teaching them positive lifestyle habits.
We are all creatures of habit and setting routines with your children will help them focus and concentrate better.
These lifestyle habits are basic, but we should take care of them properly, and they are sleep, diet, and exercise. Getting enough sleep is very important to help your child focus more on their learning.
Try to set a bedtime and avoid them using any electronics at least 1 hour before they go into bed because they activate the brain. Diet is also crucial.
Include healthy nutrient elements in your children’s meals. Make sure to provide a healthy breakfast as well, because this will increase their focus throughout the day. Also, talk to them about what they like eating the most, and you can set a cheat meal for them during the week.
As much as their education is important, exercise is crucial for not only their bodies but their brains.
Children with learning disabilities tend to get stressed quickly and easily, so exercise can be a great way to have some mental clarity. Exercise will also boost their concentration and mood levels
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