One of the most important things we can give a child with dyslexia is confidence.
Many children with learning disabilities grow up with very little confidence. We spend so much of our childhood trying to keep up, trying not to make mistakes, and trying not to feel different. Sometimes we begin to believe that we are less than others. We stop seeing ourselves as valuable people and instead become people who are simply trying to survive day by day and task by task.
As we enter our teenage years, those feelings can become even heavier. A lack of confidence can sometimes lead us into uncomfortable situations or even trouble because we are desperately searching for acceptance, approval, and a place where we feel we belong. That is why building confidence at an early age matters so much.
When guiding a child with a learning disability, it is important to become their confidence when they have little confidence of their own. Help them think positively. Be firm when needed. Be strong in your tone, but always lead with love. Children with dyslexia often thrive with structure and routine. They need adults who will remind them that life will not always be easy, but that there is light waiting on the other side of every struggle.
Whatever task they are trying to accomplish, remind them that their hard work will be worth it. Encourage them to keep going, even when they are frustrated or tired. Be their strongest rock because you never know—you just might be the only rock they have. You may be the only person they can run to for advice, support, or encouragement. You may be the only authority figure they trust. And that trust could forever change their life.
Never underestimate the impact you can have on a child.
Even if you only have that child for one school year, that year may feel like a lifetime to them. The words you speak, the kindness you show, and the belief you place in them can stay with them forever.
I can honestly say I have lived both sides of this journey.
I know what it feels like to be a little girl in kindergarten and have a teacher knock every bit of confidence out of me. I know what it feels like to doubt yourself, to be afraid, and to wonder if you are enough. I also know what it feels like to slowly learn to trust teachers again and to have caring teachers help rebuild the confidence that had once been taken away.
If it had not been for those teachers who poured love, encouragement, patience, and belief into my life, I would not be here today writing and sharing my story with all of you.
Those teachers changed the direction of my life.
They reminded me that I was more than my struggles. They showed me that having dyslexia did not mean I was broken or less than anyone else. They helped me discover strengths I could not yet see in myself.
That is why I believe so strongly in building confidence early.
Because one teacher can tear a child down, but one loving teacher can also help put the pieces back together again.
And sometimes, the words spoken into a child's heart become the very words they hold on to as adults.
I know this because I still carry those words with me today.
Whenever I lose confidence as an adult, I find myself looking back to my childhood and remembering the words my teachers spoke into my life. Their encouragement was planted so deeply in my heart, mind, and soul that even now, decades later, those words help me stand back up when I feel like giving up.
I was blessed with teachers who loved what they did. They taught with kindness. They believed in me when I struggled to believe in myself. They showed me patience, understanding, and compassion. Even today, I can still see their faces in my mind and remember how much they cared. I still love each one of them, and I know they loved me.
So believe me when I say this from the other side—as someone who was once that child with dyslexia.
I needed others.
I needed teachers who helped build my confidence.
I needed support.
I needed adults who were not afraid to show love, offer a smile, wear their hearts on their sleeves, and remind me that I mattered.
Treat children with kindness.
Show them love.
Encourage them.
Believe in them.
Because you will become the people they never forget.
You will be the voices they hear years later when life becomes difficult.
You will be the reason they get back up.
And long after the lessons are forgotten, your kindness will remain.
As a former student who depended on teachers to help me believe in myself, I can tell you this:
The teachers who show love, support, patience, understanding, and compassion are the ones who are forever remembered and never forgotten.
So never be afraid to wear your heart on your sleeve. Never be afraid to show a child that you care. Never underestimate the power of a smile, a kind word, or simply believing in someone who has not yet learned how to believe in themselves.
Because sometimes one encouraging voice can change an entire life.
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up." — 1 Thessalonians 5:11
When The Letters Danced
By Brandy Lawhon
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