dys·lex·i·a
dəsˈleksēə/
noun
- a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols, but that do not affect general intelligence - (Source from Google).
To understand a bit more about dyslexia, please click here for a simple and precise explanation.
So what's up with dyslexia?
Al-kisah, ada lah seorang emak tu, tak tahu lah apa masalah dia, tiba-tiba dia datang dengan satu teori konspirasi yang menyalahkan genetik sebagai punca anak dia tak reti membaca lagi pada usia 6 tahun. Iya, 6 tahun, bukan 16 tahun ye.
Come on Ummi, he's just 6. What is your expectation?
Well, well, of course I have expectations. At his age now, I want my son to be excellent in reading, spelling, and maybe he can even be an orator like his dad. I want my son to be able to write neatly, even in cursive handwriting. I want him to understand the Quran, memorize it and be able to speak fluent Arabic. Is that so hard to ask for?
DELUSIONAL! You might as well want your son to be the youngest mufti or a prime minister!
No lahhhh...
Honestly I am fine with Aaron not being able to read yet. Really. Well, not that he doesn't know how to read at all. He can read and spell simple short words. He's not that 'bad', you know. I give him time and chance to make it slow and steady. But of course it would be easier if he's known how to read and spell so that we don't have to struggle so much during homework time. We don't have to take a lot of time and annoy each other to get things done (seriously, it can be soooo stressful!) And I am sure once he knows how to read, he would not hate homework this much! (me too!)
What makes me concern (being a freak if you want to judge me. Fineeee) is that his inclination to get confused between letters, and often picks up letter reversal. He even writes backwards! Like how? Like this;
uoy knahT.noraA si eman ym iH
Yes, seriously. Plus, with all the miss-spells (Hi, mi nam is Aaron, tac u) and don't forget the letter reversal. b with d, 2, 3, all terbalik, despite he has known alphabet by heart since he was like 19 -20 months old!
Yes he has that special power, I should be proud!
What, you can read what he wrote too?
Congratulations, you also have that special power. You should be proud too! (^,^)
And as much as we do the reading revision, he's still struggling to memorize common words like 'the, this, my, from'
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| Last week's homework. Yes I helped, in case you're wondering xD |
So you are saying that your son is dyslexic?
No. I am just... you know, worried. I am worried if I just ignore, being denial without in a second have the thought that he might be one, and I just don't do anything about it. Or at least look at this in a different perspective.
I am worried if all this while, deep inside my dark side, silently accusing him of being lazy, don't want to try harder and urrmmm, being lazy, especially when I was angry at him during homework time, is me, being way wide of the mark!
I am concerned, because I want the best for my kids. Dyslexic is NOT a disease. It isn't a situation where your kids will not know how to read for the rest of their life. Dyslexic people can be as successful as non-dyslexic. Most of them behave and act normally, just like anybody else (unless maybe they have other issues).
The only thing about dyslexic is that, they are special, unique and they need some strategies or approach to help them go through the challenges that they face. And that is WHY it is important to be alert, so you come up with help, with strategies, so that you don't accuse your child of being lazy, and so that you can stay calm because you knew the fact that your child digests and processes things differently. THAT. that's my point. (Here I am, justifying my worrywart syndrome, as what my husband said. Grrrr)
But Alhamdulillah, after some thorough readings and consultations from my fellow doctors, as well as looking at other signs (like he's able to read simple Arabic since he was 6), I learned that this confuse thingy is normal at his age. I don't need to worry so much, but still have to monitor, because if he is still like this even long after his 7th birthday, than maybe he needs to be taken seriously.
Man I am just an ordinary human being who has experienced motherhood for 6 years, but still sometimes being so naive about what motherhood is all about.
If you ask me, honestly, I have a dream that my kids are fast learners, that they can read as early as 5 or 6, just like I did. And that they can spell and write and read Quran slowly, if not properly yet. Eh, macam expectation kat atas tu je. Sah, perempuan ni delusional!
But I don't compare my kids with others (except for just to ask whether it is normal at his age to have such issues). I know some kids his age have already self-read, memorize Juz 'Amma and maybe even good at simple arithmetic, congratulations to their parents!
Each of our kids is unique and we all have our own methods of parenting, and most importantly we have our own hurdles in raising our own kids. By saying this, I am reminding my self to not trying to compare my kids even among themselves, so much so to not compare them with others (we know the fact that in reality, yes sometimes we incline to compare, or anticipate our kids to be like some kids who seem more successful or more outstanding)
As for Aaron,
I love you for who you are my dearly son. You have your own strengths especially in speaking and inventing/building stuffs. You are indeed an adorable son and brother, mashaAllah! (though sometimes garang amat, macam siapa? errrr. haha)
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| Aaron Houdd, 2015 |
I realize one of the hikmah (that I can think of) for facing this phase is that, Alhamdulillah, it's like I am being reminded constantly that "You can try your best, but remember, you don't have control over certain things in life, because everything, including our abilities and disabilities, is in Allah's hand.
I am being tested with my act towards kindness, compassion, and most importantly my patience.
And indeed, compassion eliminates prejudice.
So in conclusion, if you are in the same boat with me, or if you have a dyslexic child, let us pat ourselves on the back for our endurance on facing the challenges, and let us make du'a so that Allah facilitates our children's journey in seeking knowledge.
{An awareness towards Dyslexia}
http://www.driveryouthtrust.com/promoting-dyslexia-awareness/
