Let Every Child Enjoy What They Love

“Let children with dyslexia too enjoy what they love.
Let their interests, imagination and strengths have a place alongside their challenges.”

October 8 is World Dyslexia Awareness Day. We often talk about what children with dyslexia find difficult. Reading, Spelling, Writing and Keeping up with classroom work. But perhaps we should also ask a different question:

What do they love?

Do they love listening to stories? Drawing? Building things? Music? Dance? Animals? Sports? Puzzles? Cooking? Making things with their hands? Then let us give them the space to enjoy those things. A child should not be defined only by what he or she finds difficult.

Different ways of learning

Dyslexia is a learning difference that can affect reading, writing and spelling. But children with dyslexia are not all alike, and difficulty in one area does not mean a lack of curiosity, creativity or ability. Sometimes a child who struggles to read a page may happily listen to an entire story. A child who finds spelling difficult may have wonderful ideas to express. A child who does not enjoy conventional classroom exercises may be completely absorbed when drawing, creating, playing or exploring.

The way a child learns may be different. The joy of learning should not be taken away.

As a blogger, what can I do?

I may not be a teacher, therapist or specialist. But I am a blogger. And a blogger has something powerful — a space to speak, share and start conversations.

So, on World Dyslexia Awareness Day, perhaps my contribution can begin with these simple questions:

• Are we listening to children?
• Are we noticing what they are good at?
• Are we giving them enough opportunities to enjoy learning in their own way? A
• re we celebrating their interests instead of constantly reminding them about their difficulties?

I can use my blog to create awareness without making a child feel like a problem that needs to be fixed. I can share stories, books, activities, resources and experiences that encourage inclusive reading. I can recommend children's books that can be enjoyed through listening, looking, discussing and storytelling, not only through independent reading. And I can remind parents, teachers and other adults that encouragement matters.

Let books be a source of joy

As someone who writes about books, this is especially close to me. Reading should not become a source of fear simply because a child reads differently.

Let us read aloud. Let children listen to audiobooks. Let them look at illustrations. Let them talk about a story. Let them retell it in their own words. Let them draw their favourite character. Let them act out a scene. Let them choose a book because the subject interests them. And most importantly: Let us not make every reading experience a test.

Sometimes a book can simply be a book. A story can simply be a story. And reading can simply be joy.

Who should we address?

This message is not meant only for parents. It belongs to all of us.

To parents:
Notice your child's interests and strengths. Encourage them without comparing them with other children.

To teachers:
Create opportunities for children to participate in different ways. A child's contribution need not always come through writing a perfect answer.

To librarians and reading communities:
Make reading spaces welcoming and inclusive. Encourage children to explore stories in ways that work for them.

To authors and publishers:
Continue creating diverse, engaging and accessible reading experiences for children.

To bloggers and content creators:
Talk about dyslexia responsibly. Share awareness, useful resources and positive stories rather than stereotypes.

To all of us:
Be patient. Listen. Encourage. Never make a child feel less capable because their learning journey looks different.

And what can I do through my blog?

Perhaps my contribution need not be huge. It can begin with one blogpost. One book recommendation. One story shared with a parent. One activity suggested to a teacher. One child encouraged to pursue something they love. One conversation started. One misconception corrected. That is also awareness. And if my words reach even one parent or teacher and make them pause and think differently about a child, the post has served a purpose.

A small message for every child

Dear child,

You don't have to love everything that everyone else loves. You don't have to learn exactly the way everyone else learns. You don't have to be good at everything.

Find what makes you curious. Find what makes you happy. Find what makes you want to learn more. And please don't stop enjoying it. Because your difficulties are only one part of your story. They are not the whole story.

This World Dyslexia Awareness Day

Let us move beyond “What can't this child do?”

and ask: “What does this child love to do?” Then let us help them do more of it.

Let every child with dyslexia discover, enjoy and celebrate what they love.

That could be our message this World Dyslexia Awareness Day. 
 

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