I Need an Outlet

I need an outlet.  My beautiful almost 9 year old daughter is dyslexic.  I knew this as soon as she started to talk.  Call it mothers' intuition.  After years of hearing from our school district that her issues were developmental, my husband and I chose to take her to an outside testing facility.  The summer after first grade, I finally learned it wasn't in my head after all.  Rebecca is severely Dyslexic and moderately Dysgraphic.  However, the district continues not to recognize her learning difference.  The testing results have been added to her file several times, but our school doesn't recognize Dyslexia as a specific learning disorder.  So, the fight continues.  After not seeing much improvement in Rebecca over the period of 5 Student Study Team meetings (SST) in a year and a half, the district agreed do their own tests with her.  The results were that she qualified for special education because of "reading problems".  Really?  Isn't that Dyslexia?  Funny thing is that reading isn't her weakest subject - spelling and writing are far more difficult for her.  This is no surprise for me since I already know Dyslexia encompasses far more than just reading.  But I will take what I can get.  Rebecca started going to resource during the last couple months of her third grade year.  I am not convinced it is the correct placement, but I will stick with it into the fourth grade and see where it takes us.  Fortunately for Rebecca, we have a wonderful friend who offered to tutor her twice a week.  They are working on the Barton Method.  Fourth grade will be tough.  It is a whole new world academically and there is no doubt Rebecca will struggle.  I often wonder how we will both get through.

I have set goals for myself this year.  I want to bring more awareness to Rebecca's special learning difference.  She is not alone in this and neither am I.  So why am I writing a blog?  I need an outlet. I have to believe that writing what Rebecca and I are going through will help me somehow get through our everyday struggles.  So many people don't understand.  I can't keep it bottled up...