The document discusses the stages parents may go through in parenting a child with dyslexia. It outlines four potential stages: I. Initial worries/doubts and crisis leading to diagnosis. II. Learning to advocate for the child and find community/support. III. Advocating for all children with dyslexia and learning more about the topic. IV. Deeper learning about evidence-based practices and policy to improve the system for all students. The stages are not necessarily linear and parents may revisit stages depending on their child's needs and challenges with the school system. Understanding these stages can help parents view their journey and find others further along to support them.

1. Carolyn
D.
Cowen
August
3,
2015
HOT
TOPICS
In
Dyslexia
&
Literacy
Dyslexia
DiaBLOG
©
Cowen
slideshare.net/carolyndcowen
PARENTS’
ROADMAP
Stages
of
ParenNng
Your
Child
with
Dyslexia

2. Coping
with
dyslexia
can
be
a
challenging
journey
for
both
parent
and
child.

3. ©
Cowen
But
the
road
ahead
can
be
easier
to
navigate
when
you
anticipate
some
of
your
own
milestones
in
the
journey.

4. HOT TOPICS
In Dyslexia
& Literacy
©
Cowen
PARENTS’
ROADMAP
Stages
of
ParenNng
Your
Child
with
Dyslexia
No doubt
about it,
sometimes
it can look
like this.

5. HOT TOPICS
In Dyslexia
& Literacy
©
Cowen
PARENTS’
ROADMAP
Stages
of
ParenNng
Your
Child
with
Dyslexia
But it also
can look
like this!

6. ©
Cowen
Let’s
take
a
look
at
some
of
the
milestones
that
may
be
on
a
parent’s
journey..

7. It’s
been
said,
parents
of
children
with
dyslexia
can
travel
through
stages
similar
to
“grief
stages.”
©
Cowen
PARENTS’
ROADMAP
Stages
of
ParenNng
Your
Child
with
Dyslexia

8. ©
Cowen
Swiss
psychiatrist
Elisabeth
Kübler–Ross
proposed
the
“Stages
of
Grief
Model”
in
her
1969
book,
On
Death
and
Dying.

9. Kübler-Ross
Stages of Grief
Depression
Bargaining
Acceptance
©
Cowen

10. Kübler-Ross
Stages of Grief
Depression
Bargaining
Acceptance
STAGES OF
GRIEF HYPOTHESIS:
A series of five
emotional stages are
experienced upon
the loss of a
loved one
©
Cowen

11. Of course,
reality is
messier than
constructs.
©
Cowen

12. Kübler-Ross
Stages of Grief
Depression
Bargaining
Acceptance
REALITY IS MESSIER:
These aren’t ALL the
possible emotions
and they can occur
in any order, even
recycle
©
Cowen

13. Still, such
frameworks can
offer perspective
in situations where
people transition
through stages.
©
Cowen

14. Coming to terms with
dyslexia can be an
emotional journey for
a parent — one that
can include an initial
sense of loss.
©
Cowen

15. For
example,
when
our
children
are
born,
we
tend
to
imagine
scenes
more
like
this
…
Above
Average
©
Cowen
(It’s
called
the
“Lake
Wobegone
Effect.”)

16. ©
Cowen
school
NOT
scenes
like
this!
Embracing
a
different
scenario
can
be
challenging.

17. ©
Cowen
Stages
of
parenting
a
child
with
dyslexia
might
look
something
like
this
…

18. Search
for
answers
Diagnosis
Relief
@school
My Child
has Dyslexia!
Crisis
©
Cowen
STAGE I: Worries/doubts alternate with denial; crisis brings
things to a head and triggers search for answers; diagnosis
brings relief but often anger, especially at the school
Stages of parenting a child with dyslexia
might look something like this ...
Worries/
Doubts
I.

19. Diagnosis
Relief
@school
Fight
for mykid!
Learn rights/
responsibilities
Nurture
my kid’s
strengths
My Child
has Dyslexia!
Crisis
Learn to
advocate
©
Cowen
STAGE II: Learn to fight for child/refine advocacy
skills; learn rights/responsibilities and how to nurture
child’s strengths; find supportive community
Search
for
answers
Find
community
& support
Worries/
Doubts
Stages of parenting a child with dyslexia
might look something like this ...
I.
II.

20. Diagnosis
Relief
@school
Fight
for kidslike mine
My Child
has Dyslexia!
Crisis
Learn to
advocate
©
Cowen
STAGE III: Fight for ALL kids with dyslexia; learn more
about dyslexia and related issues (sometimes becoming
an advocate or OG teacher); forge strategic alliances
Learn more
about dyslexia
& related issues
Forge strategic
alliances/
partnerships
III. II.
Search
for
answers
Fight
for mykid!
Learn rights/
responsibilities
Nurture
my kid’s
strengths
Find
community
& support
Worries/
Doubts
Stages of parenting a child with dyslexia
might look something like this ...
I.

21. Diagnosis
Relief
@school
Fight
for kidslike mine
Find
community
& support
Learn more
about dyslexia
& related issues
Learn about EBP,
Implementation
Science, ed-policy,
legislation, etc.
(sustainable change)
Improvesystemfor ALL
kids
My Child
has Dyslexia!
Crisis
Learn to
advocate
Forge strategic
alliances/
partnerships
©
Cowen
STAGE IV: Go deeper—learn about things like evidence-
based practices (EBP) and Implementation Science; work to
improve the education system for ALL vulnerable children
IV.
Search
for
answers
Fight
for mykid!
Learn rights/
responsibilities
Nurture
my kid’s
strengths
I.
Worries/
Doubts
Stages of parenting a child with dyslexia
might look something like this ...
II.III.

22. REMEMBER
©
Cowen
Other
than
Stage
I,
we
might
find
a
healthy
way
of
being
at
any
stage.
Depending
on
what’s
going
on
with
our
kids,
we
might
revisit
some
stages.
This
isn’t
necessarily
sequential
or
hierarchical.
Parenting
Kids With
Dyslexia

23. SOMETIMES, AS WE EVOLVE
THROUGH STAGES, WE HIT A
BRICK WALL WITH A SCHOOL.

24. Sometimes, despite skilled
advocacy and great effort
to partner with a school,
it fails to progress and to
develop the knowledge,
practices, and services
needed to meet the needs
of students with dyslexia.
.
!

25. AS
ONE
PARENT
SAYS
©
Cowen
Hitting
the
school
brick
wall—one
of
the
most
difficult
phases
of
parenting
a
child
with
dyslexia—can
happen
at
any
point
in
our
own
evolution.
“This
can
spiral
us
into
a
whole
new
circuit
that’s
more
external
than
grieving
the
loss
of
preconceived
ideas
about
our
children.”

26. Support, insights, strategies
from parents who have been
through this stage can help.
!

27. ©
Cowen
THE
POINT
IS
As
you
work
to
help
your
child,
sometimes
it’s
helpful
to:
•
Get
out
of
the
weeds
•
View
the
big
picture
•
Understand
some
of
your
own
milestones
in
the
journey
ahead
•
Find
others
on
the
same
path
a
few
steps
ahead

28. I.
II.III.
IV.
What
stage(s)
are
you
in
now?
What
stage
do
you
want
to
be
in?
©
Cowen

29. I.
II.III.
IV.
Have
you
found
yourself
here?
If
so,
at
what
stage(s)?
©
Cowen

30. ©
Cowen
PARENTS’
ROADMAP
Stages
of
ParenNng
Your
Child
with
Dyslexia
What do you
need to do
to get to the
stage you
want to be in?

31. ©
Cowen
PARENTS’
ROADMAP
Stages
of
ParenNng
Your
Child
with
Dyslexia
Of course,
getting the
right kind
of help for
your child…

32. HOT TOPICS
In Dyslexia
& Literacy
©
Cowen
Stages
of
ParenNng
Your
Child
with
Dyslexia
PARENTS’
ROADMAP
…can
change the
picture
dramatically!
Visit
eida.org to
learn more
about what
teachers need
to know.

33. ©
Cowen
BUT
REMEMBER
Appreciate
and
cultivate
those
abilities
and
interests.
You
never
know
what
doors
they
will
open
for
your
child
later
in
life.
Keep
things
in
balance.
Help
your
child
discover
what
he
or
she
is
good
at
and
enjoys
doing!!

34.
FINALLY
You
don’t
need
to
do
all
this
alone.
Many
fine
organizations
can
help
you
find
information
and
resources
for
you
and
your
child.

35. ©
Cowen
PARENTING
KIDS W/
DYSLEXIA
The
International
Dyslexia
Association
(IDA),
with
in-­‐depth,
evidence-­‐based
information,
is
one
of
the
best!
Check
out
eida.org
eida.org

36. ©
Cowen
The
End!
Other
very
helpful
organizations
include:
Decoding
Dyslexia
Find
these
and
more
online!

37. ©
Cowen
Getting theright helpcan changethe picture!
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38. ©
Cowen
Images
licensed
from
iStockphoto.com
(unless
otherwise
stated).
Content
is
used
for
illustrative
purposes
only;
any
person
depicted
in
this
content
is
a
model.
CREDIT/DISCLAIMER
ONLINE
PRESENTATIONS/
HOT
TOPICS
IN
DYSLEXIA
&
LITERACY
www.slideshare.net/carolyndcowen
Getting theright helpcan changethe picture!
Finish ppt
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39. ©
Cowen
Advancing
dialogue
and
forward
thinking
where
dyslexia
and
new
media
intersect.
COMMUNICATION
BY
DESIGN
Power
Mission
with
the
Message
cdcowen@aol.com
Twitter:
@cdcowen
Getting theright helpcan changethe picture!
Finish ppt
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