S4E14: Navigating School Anxiety After the Holidays

In this episode, Juliet Hahn and Brent Sopel discuss the challenges children face when returning to school after the holiday break, particularly those with learning disorders like dyslexia. They emphasize the importance of understanding children's anxiety, the need for routine, and the role of self-esteem in their lives. The conversation highlights the disconnect between parents, teachers, and the education system regarding children's struggles, urging parents to check in with their kids and provide support as they transition back to school.

 

Chapters

 

00:00 Holiday Reflections and School Anxiety

09:15 The Importance of Routine and Self-Esteem

18:46 Understanding Kids' Struggles and Parental Awareness

 

Transcript:

 

00:00:07:06 - 00:00:17:19

Speaker 1

Welcome back to word blindness. Dyslexia exposed. This is Juliet Hon here with Brant Sopel still in the holiday cheer. Why are you making the face?

 

00:00:17:21 - 00:00:20:12

Speaker 2

The British school.

 

00:00:20:13 - 00:00:28:05

Speaker 1

I was like, wait, did I say it wrong? I didn't say wrong. So, pal. Yeah, he's got.

 

00:00:28:07 - 00:00:38:06

Speaker 1

He's got he's still in the holiday season. Where did you go?

 

00:00:38:08 - 00:00:39:21

Speaker 1

Okay. So I was going to be.

 

00:00:39:23 - 00:00:42:04

Speaker 2

But, you know, things.

 

00:00:42:06 - 00:00:45:08

Speaker 1

Oh, I thought you were going to get a hat, but you can't find that, can you? Yeah, I.

 

00:00:45:08 - 00:00:48:05

Speaker 2

Don't know why I lost my the health, my hat.

 

00:00:48:07 - 00:00:49:17

Speaker 1

I remember this last year.

 

00:00:49:19 - 00:00:51:19

Speaker 2

Where that little white one. It was that little.

 

00:00:51:21 - 00:00:58:12

Speaker 1

No. You never. We were going to do that when we I think the first season. Yeah. He talks about this costume. And you didn't have the hat.

 

00:00:58:14 - 00:01:04:19

Speaker 2

No I didn't I threw it away because it was about that high and had a little, the little string under your neck.

 

00:01:04:19 - 00:01:08:09

Speaker 1

So, and so it like kind of chokes you.

 

00:01:08:11 - 00:01:12:21

Speaker 2

So I didn't want that.

 

00:01:12:23 - 00:01:35:14

Speaker 1

So we hope everyone had an amazing holiday season. But what we do want to talk about is the poor kids that really don't like school, that now have to go back, after being home and having a little bit of rest and are not in the mood for it. Like just giving them a little grace, which is hard because you just had a lot of parents.

 

00:01:35:16 - 00:01:47:00

Speaker 1

You know, when you have the kids all at home, sometimes not everyone loves that. It's a lot of chaos. It's a lot of holiday stuff. It's a lot of sugar. It's a lot of not sleeping. It's not a lot of schedules.

 

00:01:47:02 - 00:01:50:23

Speaker 2

No sugar in your house because all you eat is fucking the real sugar or the normal.

 

00:01:51:02 - 00:01:55:06

Speaker 1

No, we do have sugar. I have those, but then we also have.

 

00:01:55:07 - 00:01:58:15

Speaker 2

Is it is that is it the gay? Not real sugar?

 

00:01:58:17 - 00:02:02:13

Speaker 1

No. We have those. But we are. Those are really unreal. Unreal.

 

00:02:02:13 - 00:02:02:22

Speaker 2

Unreal.

 

00:02:02:23 - 00:02:23:02

Speaker 1

Yes, yes, yes, we have those. But then we also have, these chocolates that are delicious. They have caramel and pretzels in it. And I ate so many, so many pies. No, no, no, it was like I actually one day I had to go to bed at 830, because I haven't had that much sugar in a long time, which I used to be like gummy bears and funded.

 

00:02:23:02 - 00:02:25:00

Speaker 1

But the I mean, I was a sugar addict.

 

00:02:25:00 - 00:02:33:20

Speaker 2

I had found we found the fun dip, in the grocery store yesterday. All the powder in this long.

 

00:02:33:22 - 00:02:35:10

Speaker 1

Oh, like a pixie sticks.

 

00:02:35:12 - 00:02:36:22

Speaker 2

Yeah, like two feet long.

 

00:02:37:03 - 00:02:38:02

Speaker 1

The plastic ones.

 

00:02:38:04 - 00:02:39:17

Speaker 2

Yeah. I'm like, wow.

 

00:02:39:18 - 00:02:40:15

Speaker 1

I know those.

 

00:02:40:17 - 00:02:43:00

Speaker 2

I'd love to dive into that right now.

 

00:02:43:02 - 00:02:54:00

Speaker 1

You would see then. Right then it like, gives me canker sores, which I can't do it anymore. My body. Now that my menopause. You can't you can't handle things the same way because you don't cast it. It's very annoying.

 

00:02:54:02 - 00:02:57:04

Speaker 2

Anyways, spinning, so.

 

00:02:57:06 - 00:02:58:13

Speaker 1

I can say, speaking of menopause.

 

00:02:58:16 - 00:03:12:13

Speaker 2

It's been a menopause, Yeah, I learned about. There's four cycles in a woman's menstruation. I think I had 17 podcast yesterday about, women's reproductive system.

 

00:03:12:15 - 00:03:15:05

Speaker 1

Those are, for some on pause. Yes. I sense that's.

 

00:03:15:05 - 00:03:21:06

Speaker 2

Good and I can I can I tell you I would rather.

 

00:03:21:08 - 00:03:22:23

Speaker 1

Are you going to be nice?

 

00:03:23:00 - 00:03:27:05

Speaker 2

Rather listen to nails on a chalkboard than her voice.

 

00:03:27:07 - 00:03:28:02

Speaker 1

Oh, really?

 

00:03:28:04 - 00:03:29:04

Speaker 2

Oh, yeah.

 

00:03:29:06 - 00:03:30:03

Speaker 1

Which one?

 

00:03:30:05 - 00:03:35:00

Speaker 2

I don't know the host.

 

00:03:35:02 - 00:03:37:15

Speaker 1

I'm not going to say it, but her voice doesn't irritate me. That's fine.

 

00:03:37:15 - 00:03:41:05

Speaker 2

No, it was so boring.

 

00:03:41:07 - 00:03:44:08

Speaker 1

She's a gynecologist. She's not supposed to have a lot of.

 

00:03:44:10 - 00:03:52:12

Speaker 2

You know, but it didn't keep my attention. Well, because you know, we had, like, seven others going on the rest of the day. Yeah.

 

00:03:52:14 - 00:03:54:00

Speaker 1

So are you sure it's the one I said?

 

00:03:54:01 - 00:03:57:09

Speaker 2

Oh, and also because we had a long conversation about.

 

00:03:57:11 - 00:03:59:13

Speaker 1

Interesting. I haven't finished it. I'm only halfway through.

 

00:03:59:15 - 00:04:02:14

Speaker 2

I learned a lot. It's very intriguing.

 

00:04:02:16 - 00:04:10:09

Speaker 1

I sent it to a bunch of people after listening to ten minutes, one, I was like, oh, this is a great one. And I was like, I, I hope it really is a great one.

 

00:04:10:13 - 00:04:22:07

Speaker 2

Well, there's never silence in our house. There's always a podcast. It may be a Megan Kelly, it may be an Alex Clark, it may be, who the heck knows? I never know. Yeah.

 

00:04:22:09 - 00:04:23:10

Speaker 1

Recording a podcast.

 

00:04:23:14 - 00:04:34:12

Speaker 2

So there was there was a lot of, women Reproductive System podcast going on on a Sunday.

 

00:04:34:14 - 00:04:37:14

Speaker 1

And, that's good that you learn. You're very you're very thoughtful.

 

00:04:37:16 - 00:04:48:08

Speaker 2

So, yeah, it's, now I know you there's four cycles. So I just, I feel privileged to know that there's four stages of menstrual cycle.

 

00:04:48:10 - 00:05:03:04

Speaker 1

The frozen shoulder, you know, all my shoulder issues. I was like, you know what? The doctors don't tell you that. No. Oh, it's because you're working out too hard. Is this Matt? Go fuck off. There's actually a reason. It's not because I'm working out too hard.

 

00:05:03:06 - 00:05:16:02

Speaker 2

I mean, she's always on your podcast plan. So yesterday, you know, after the 65ft of snow that we did get, got sent, I got to learn a ball about women yesterday. Thanks, fat.

 

00:05:16:04 - 00:05:20:12

Speaker 1

It's nice. That's nice. I don't know that Daniel would sit there and listen to that.

 

00:05:20:18 - 00:05:36:10

Speaker 2

I don't know, let's let's just be 100% clear. There was no sitting involved. There's very rarely sitting in this. How? It's long. It's pacing. It's walking it out. It's dealing with the dog not wanting to go outside in the cold.

 

00:05:36:12 - 00:05:38:23

Speaker 1

Did you shovel nice path.

 

00:05:39:01 - 00:05:43:18

Speaker 2

No, no, I haven't shovel the path for the dog because.

 

00:05:43:20 - 00:05:44:16

Speaker 1

That's the that's that's.

 

00:05:44:18 - 00:05:47:14

Speaker 2

That's what I need to do. Yeah. Yes, yes, that's.

 

00:05:47:14 - 00:05:53:11

Speaker 1

What I mean. She can go out and go to the bathroom and the like a little spot. And then you don't have to.

 

00:05:53:13 - 00:06:10:04

Speaker 2

This little princess here. No no, no, she wants to go on a leash. She wants to go down the road. She wants a marker spot. She wants to find her spot. No. There's nothing easy. Got woke up in the middle of night or. Yeah, two nights ago. She chewed like a half a log of wood. She ate half a lot.

 

00:06:10:04 - 00:06:11:16

Speaker 2

I have a log with the goddamn beaver.

 

00:06:11:16 - 00:06:15:11

Speaker 1

I might just throw up afterwards.

 

00:06:15:12 - 00:06:27:12

Speaker 2

Oh, she didn't, and then I'm sure she had to. Splinters, you know, coming around her body when she went. But a half log, that's what she did. Well, we slept interesting. So I'm stuck.

 

00:06:27:14 - 00:06:52:10

Speaker 1

So even the dog gets doesn't want to go back to school. But in all seriousness, there's a lot of anxiety that goes into it. There's a lot of different things that you might not be aware of, especially if you're not aware that your child is struggling. It's just these kind of things of having these conversations, being aware, being a parent that maybe says, well, okay, wait, why don't you want to go back to school if you're kids?

 

00:06:52:10 - 00:07:03:00

Speaker 1

Like, I don't want to go back, there could be underlining stuff. No one really wants to go back after break, right? You're like, you just had fun. It's now like, we got to get back on schedule. I mean, some kids, I guess, want to go back.

 

00:07:03:05 - 00:07:33:13

Speaker 2

Well, yeah. And and from for me, and I heard, I heard this summer, I don't know where where I heard this, you know, on a on a clip, a where where was it? It was, I've, I've been told where to be, when to be my whole life. When that ended. I was lost right after hockey, you know, same with the, you know, kids, but especially.

 

00:07:33:15 - 00:07:59:04

Speaker 2

Kids struggling with learning disorders. You know what? You know, walking in that school there became becomes, well, let's just like a I'll think of, taking a picture, right? Obviously, you want a cloudy day. You kind of want that haze, right? To make it make the lighting brighter, what better? You know, instead of this perfectly blue, clear yellow, super sunny day.

 

00:07:59:06 - 00:08:26:16

Speaker 2

What? That haze is how we feel when walking in that school, right? We kind of get a a numb, a cloudy haze through through us, through a brain. Like we're walking into this place again, you know, shoulders go up and and we tense up, we forget. We forget things. Because now there's blockages, so there's anxiety. We're back here again.

 

00:08:26:16 - 00:08:46:07

Speaker 2

Like. When I was playing hockey, I hated get my ass kicked once. You know, there's a punch in the face contests that hurt. It wasn't fun. Broken nose, bleeding.

 

00:08:46:09 - 00:09:15:21

Speaker 2

But that's what walking into school, I felt the same way, you know, was I was I punched day. So it takes. It takes 4 or 5 days. Once the holiday starts to decompress for those kids now, they decompress and they're having a great time. It takes them a long time to get adjusted, to go back to a place where they're not comfortable, where they don't fit in, where they're not accepted.

 

00:09:15:23 - 00:09:21:07

Speaker 2

So there's definitely going to be grace, you know, a grace period like.

 

00:09:21:09 - 00:09:40:09

Speaker 2

As parents, when you're holidays over your period and complaining, oh, I just want another day. I don't want another way. Kids are the same way. And probably, I probably say even worse to the point of meaning. They're not rationalizing that, you know, like we are. We have to write. We know we got to do it in socks, right?

 

00:09:40:11 - 00:10:07:20

Speaker 2

But the kids don't understand that portion of it. So it's probably going to last a little bit longer. It might take them a week or ten days to get back into that schedule, back in that more back into finding ways to get around this situation or around that situation or the anxiety, the stress, the exact the exhaustion ness that goes into all that is overwhelming.

 

00:10:07:22 - 00:10:31:03

Speaker 1

Okay. I have a question for you because you said you liked routine and the like when you you know, obviously after hockey when you didn't have routine. But how were you during breaks where there wasn't. I mean you probably still had hockey right. I mean I know like there's certain times, you know, you get certain times off like trim and even with basketball, like he'll have a couple days off, but there's still practice because it's a winter sport, right?

 

00:10:31:07 - 00:10:33:08

Speaker 2

Yeah. There's no there's no days off.

 

00:10:33:10 - 00:10:39:03

Speaker 1

Right. So. But how did you,

 

00:10:39:05 - 00:11:01:23

Speaker 1

Like when you were practicing when you were a kid. So, like, I'm taking this, like, for a parent to be thinking about the kid that some kids do. As Brant said, you thrive in routine, right? When you're out of routine, you, everything just relaxes. Like, I know I'm all or nothing. So, like, during holidays, if I don't do, like a little bit of work, which I've gotten really good at not doing, but then it's really hard to get back into it.

 

00:11:02:01 - 00:11:19:01

Speaker 1

Oh, it's like when I'm done, I'm like, that's why I even, like on vacation. I'm like, I just let me check an email here or there because if I'm completely checked out, it takes a lot to get me back in. And then it's like that things and you have to think about a kid, whether they're that that same sort of personality or not.

 

00:11:19:01 - 00:11:28:22

Speaker 1

So when you were on break, yes, you were out of school, but it was a different routine.

 

00:11:29:00 - 00:11:50:20

Speaker 2

You know, let me tell you, you know, you know, obviously, Elizabeth, I share an office. I come in a million times a day, say, hey, this is good idea. Just talk to this person or I did this. She's had to learn, and it's very hard for. I cut her off. Right. She's in the floor, right? She's in that space now to to get out, to turn, to answer me, to engage with me.

 

00:11:50:20 - 00:12:19:18

Speaker 2

Takes her out of that, which is really, really hard for people with ADHD to get, get going. Like so. So sometimes I have to leave the house because I always want, hey, how's this sound? What is it? You know, going in and out, which isn't productive. So sometimes I have to leave, you know, I, you know, and when it comes to the question for me, routine was hockey because I was the only thing I was good at.

 

00:12:19:19 - 00:12:28:05

Speaker 2

I didn't sit and read, write blue bluefish, green fish, purple fish. Like, I didn't read any of that. Like.

 

00:12:28:07 - 00:12:49:03

Speaker 2

Anytime I could be on the ice was when my life changed. So it didn't matter if I was in the garage. It didn't matter is in the basement. It didn't matter if I was practicing with my team. You know? So for me, it you know, it is a little it was a little bit different. That routine is finding what I was good at.

 

00:12:49:05 - 00:13:11:15

Speaker 2

Right. We always talk about strengths in school. Right. Obviously they never talk about the strengths. It's always the negative. It's always the name of the hockey was my was my was my strength, my positive where I got my self-esteem. So as long as I had that involved during the break, I was good. Should I start? I could step away.

 

00:13:11:15 - 00:13:17:20

Speaker 2

Yeah, I hated school so much that. So as I stepped out of that school I never thought about once right now.

 

00:13:17:20 - 00:13:37:21

Speaker 1

Did you? Were you the type of kid though, that was like, okay. I mean, especially living in Canada in the winter, you obviously had access to go play, right? And so were you. Even if you didn't have practice, were you out there like you would get up early and get out there, or were you like, just like, would you just take it and relax until you had a practice or something?

 

00:13:38:00 - 00:14:06:19

Speaker 2

So just where I grew up, you know, in Saskatchewan, which is, Montana, North Dakota, or kind of go north, just about every school has an outdoor rec, you know, as a kid when I grew up, I don't remember one Halloween without your foot or two a snow, -50, minus half our winter. So just to give you you paint a picture, we always.

 

00:14:06:19 - 00:14:29:17

Speaker 2

There's always outdoor rinks everywhere. Now, was it shoveled? It was always flooded. Right. So I always had a had to place, you know, I could walk through the park there. There was from my parents house. There's a park across the street. There was three outdoor rinks in a matter of, you know, a mile. Yeah. Two of them were schools are literally side by side.

 

00:14:29:17 - 00:14:49:03

Speaker 2

So I could I could hit a golf ball on one outdoor rank to the next. So. Oh, there's too many people here. There's a game going on. It couldn't fit in. I go to the next one. There's there's for me. Yeah. It's not like I lived in Florida. Right where there was only only rink. Right. I was blessed with or on a pond or like, it's -50.

 

00:14:49:05 - 00:15:14:10

Speaker 2

Like you're not for sure. I grew up playing on those outdoor rinks or out those ponds or, I always had access. That's a, you know, for me, it was my saving grace. And probably saved my life. If we talk about it because I could find a place to go and be myself. You get on that ice and be myself, and I'd self esteem.

 

00:15:14:12 - 00:15:31:14

Speaker 2

Like I said, if you're living in Florida or Arizona like you didn't have that. Yes. Could you go on to rollerblading? You know. Right. But still even that access. Yes. Because you could do it on the road 100% or in your driveway. You know, I'm just meaning, you know, rent or things set up, you know? Right.

 

00:15:31:14 - 00:16:00:20

Speaker 2

So I was I was lucky to live in a place, where I didn't where I, I didn't have that access. So, the school I went to, you'd walk out the mudroom doors and you probably go 50 steps, and the right's right there. So every recess, every gym, I wanted to be out there. I was late every time coming in, the game or so.

 

00:16:00:20 - 00:16:17:14

Speaker 2

I had access to those things, but if I didn't, I 100% wouldn't be here. And if I didn't have hockey, I 100% wouldn't be here today because I didn't have anything else to live by.

 

00:16:17:16 - 00:16:35:17

Speaker 1

Because I was thinking and the reason why I'm bringing it up, it's just interesting. But I want parents to think about their kids as you were just speaking and I can like talk about like to Montgomery. So he's a soccer player. So he comes home from his at home from college. A lot of kids already go back. Last year he had a crazy long break.

 

00:16:35:17 - 00:16:36:10

Speaker 1

Yeah. This year.

 

00:16:36:12 - 00:16:41:08

Speaker 2

Didn't he come home in like Thanksgiving last year not to like the new year.

 

00:16:41:10 - 00:17:02:11

Speaker 1

Interval or it was at the end of January this year. He's home. He doesn't go back. Which because his school is very international. So they which is great. I mean it's probably like 60% international. I mean his soccer team is mostly international guys. So they let them go home at Thanksgiving. Not that the international guys are, you know, celebrating Thanksgiving overseas.

 

00:17:02:15 - 00:17:14:17

Speaker 1

Some of them are doing other things, but they let them have that break and let them go home and train if they want. And then they go back. But this time they're going back, early January. So like right after the New Year, where. So he's got to home now.

 

00:17:14:19 - 00:17:17:19

Speaker 2

00:17:17:21 - 00:17:20:15

Speaker 2

The golden child. Yes.

 

00:17:20:17 - 00:17:22:12

Speaker 1

I was waiting for you to say that.

 

00:17:22:14 - 00:17:27:07

Speaker 2

But. So. So he's not home till, 2026?

 

00:17:27:09 - 00:17:45:03

Speaker 1

Yep. Yeah. But so for him, he's like, okay, this is great. I finished school, but he is so disciplined with his sport. So like he has a trainer that he goes to. But you know, if they don't have an indoor facility he's outside in this freezing cold. I know it's not your freezing cold, but it's still in the 30s.

 

00:17:45:03 - 00:17:47:16

Speaker 1

I'm sorry. That's still cold. It's still cold.

 

00:17:47:17 - 00:17:48:13

Speaker 2

Well.

 

00:17:48:15 - 00:17:49:22

Speaker 1

Everyone else is going to agree with me.

 

00:17:49:22 - 00:17:54:16

Speaker 2

You're just play soccer. You really not touched off. So I just kind of lines up, know.

 

00:17:54:18 - 00:18:08:15

Speaker 1

Right. Exactly. So. But he's already like, he took. He's like, I'm fine not doing it Thanksgiving but he's up today. Well are they going to, you know, are you going to the gym? And then he'll be working on it like 6 a.m. with them, with his trainer.

 

00:18:08:17 - 00:18:09:21

Speaker 2

Because it's it's.

 

00:18:09:23 - 00:18:10:10

Speaker 1

Where he gets.

 

00:18:10:10 - 00:18:37:22

Speaker 2

His self-esteem. That's it. You know, it's and that routine for for life for me was knowing I could get my self-esteem. It's almost like a, you know, drag. I know I can go buy my drugs, my crack, or I can go buy my coat like, I know I'm going to get it. It's when you don't know you're going to get the next fix, you know?

 

00:18:37:22 - 00:19:01:21

Speaker 2

And that fix could be work. That fix could be food that could fix, could be sex, that could be drugs. Like there's there's a million, things that go into, into this. It's not, you know, eating, you know, eating, too much, too little. Like, these are all defense mechanisms to, you know, to your trauma.

 

00:19:01:23 - 00:19:08:19

Speaker 1

But so the thing that's also interesting, though, is because. Are you all or nothing?

 

00:19:08:21 - 00:19:11:06

Speaker 1

I don't know why.

 

00:19:11:08 - 00:19:17:12

Speaker 2

I'm all or nothing, but I can be taken down so quickly.

 

00:19:17:14 - 00:19:31:19

Speaker 1

Right? But, I mean, like, all or nothing where, like, if you like with Montgomery, like, he knows he's the same way as me. Like, if he doesn't keep his toe in it, he's out and he's like. And then it's so hard to get back in. So he's like, people are like, just take two weeks off, just take it.

 

00:19:31:21 - 00:19:49:13

Speaker 1

He knows if he takes two weeks off, it's going to be so hard because his mind and everything, he's now like, oh, I'm totally relaxed and I don't need to be as disciplined and as straight like. So he knows he has a goal. If he takes himself out of it, it's going to be so. It's just like people going back and forth to the gym or whatever taking themselves out.

 

00:19:49:13 - 00:19:52:18

Speaker 1

But when you're all or nothing personality, it's it's even harder.

 

00:19:52:19 - 00:20:04:12

Speaker 2

Because, you know, I don't even know. You're correct if I, if you're all or nothing. But I think for us is a little bit differently.

 

00:20:04:14 - 00:20:17:03

Speaker 2

Because we believe wholeheartedly we have nothing else. Like Montgomery believes all he has soccer. Right.

 

00:20:17:05 - 00:20:18:01

Speaker 1

Got right now.

 

00:20:18:03 - 00:20:36:19

Speaker 2

Right. You know, I believe, you know, I was it was hockey only thing I good that I don't bring anything to the world. As you know, we talked about this last podcast. That's why, you know, that's what I knew. That's why I believe that's the only thing I was good at. Montgomery is the same way, right? Soccer is all I got.

 

00:20:36:19 - 00:21:03:23

Speaker 2

You know? That's why my routines were so wild and crazy in the NHL. And for example, like, on the ice, you know, when there's, you know, the TV timeout. So obviously you go to commercial journey to, you know, some guys, you know playing NHL, they'll look up in the stands and you know, see if their kids are there or see other people or what's on the big I couldn't I had to do my I was literally in my own world doing my little figure right on the ice.

 

00:21:03:23 - 00:21:31:20

Speaker 2

And if I looked up in the stands, I knew my game was over. My head was in the game, wasn't in the game. I couldn't do it. So I couldn't even look up there to see, something funny going on, like a kiss cam or I couldn't look down because it took me away. Then I knew. So it's a little bit different.

 

00:21:31:22 - 00:21:44:06

Speaker 2

But when you believe and know, all you have is that one thing, it's not a fun way to live. And that's all. That's how we're living right now.

 

00:21:44:08 - 00:22:01:08

Speaker 1

So, so a couple things. And this is what I want parents to think about. And the reason why I wanted to, like, ask those questions is because thinking about your kid and then thinking about your kid going back to school, like I hated going back to school, but I also loved going back to seeing my friends. Like I was like, I can't wait to go back to see my friends.

 

00:22:01:09 - 00:22:18:03

Speaker 1

I, you know, I was like, Miss Social, like, whatever, I can wait. Especially if everyone was away. Like, that was like fun. So I hated it. But then there was a part of me that was like, I liked, like, certain parks. I liked the sports. As Brendan, we talked about like, he didn't have the sports in school, like we had that attached to our school.

 

00:22:18:03 - 00:22:39:06

Speaker 1

So like, yeah, I knew that I had that at the end of the day, we had practice, right? Or I was doing something with like my friends, and one of the sports because I played for sports and, you know, I didn't I was some people would play 1 or 2. I was like, nope, I'm playing for. So I did every season, because I knew after school that was like something I knew I was going to be good at self-esteem kind of stuff.

 

00:22:39:07 - 00:22:55:02

Speaker 1

If you think about your kid and they're like, again, really giving you like, I really don't want to go back, especially now we're full on into school. Everyone is fond into school. I know, like private schools. They get the big long break. They get like two weeks in March. That's across the country.

 

00:22:55:02 - 00:22:57:00

Speaker 2

But I don't think.

 

00:22:57:01 - 00:23:13:12

Speaker 1

I know all of our private schools. They get like a tiny little Christmas break, but then in March they get like a two week break. And so it's like kind of like a it's, it's choppy. But if your kid is like, when's the next break? I can't wait or like, you see that they're anxious or quiet or like just acting different.

 

00:23:13:14 - 00:23:29:18

Speaker 1

Just check in. Especially as kids are getting in the harder grades. You know, we used to always talk about the younger kids. Definitely. That's really important. But then as your kids are getting into the harder grades, if all of a sudden they've never had problems, you're all of a sudden listening to this and you're like, you know what?

 

00:23:29:18 - 00:23:50:19

Speaker 1

They are acting different, things are getting harder, and they might have one of the five DS. There could be something going on, you know, you don't know. Just check in with them, find out what what they're excited about to go back to school, if at all. And then you can kind of ask those questions and get a little bit of, like a kind of a window into what your kid's thinking.

 

00:23:50:21 - 00:23:55:15

Speaker 2

Well, you know, we were talking about this the other day.

 

00:23:55:17 - 00:24:06:09

Speaker 2

They're talking about, you know, you know, parenting and how crazy the world is and how crazy kids are now, you know?

 

00:24:06:11 - 00:24:20:02

Speaker 2

I think that and parents have never been in a worse mental situation in their lives. And who's it falling on? Yeah. Okay.

 

00:24:20:06 - 00:24:22:04

Speaker 1

It's a lot of stress for parents, right?

 

00:24:22:04 - 00:24:45:14

Speaker 2

You know, and they can't verbalize it, like, I. I couldn't verbalize all the things I can now. Back then, I've learned what I've learned. Young about dyslexia since since I started the foundation years. Well, I didn't know I couldn't answer these questions. So,

 

00:24:45:16 - 00:25:00:11

Speaker 2

It's a it's, you know, and we can blame kids and we can point it at kids, but parents are, you know, aren't and not weren't in worse situations. And.

 

00:25:00:13 - 00:25:18:06

Speaker 2

Teachers aren't your friend. So let's, let's let's be clear. They're they're not there to to to help your kids, to expect they know because they're educated. They're not educated in any of this. So it's.

 

00:25:18:08 - 00:25:42:11

Speaker 2

Even more stress for parents. It's even more important to to have conversations and ask questions. And remember how they answer him. Because that's how I can tell so many, so many things.

 

00:25:42:13 - 00:26:09:02

Speaker 2

Months before things come to fruition, how they answer things, you know, and as a parent, I know we're all struggling, you know, adults even more than we ever have, you know? Yeah. You know, in the history of this, this world. But it's key to ask questions and remember how they answer those questions.

 

00:26:09:04 - 00:26:21:00

Speaker 1

I was going to say something. Know I totally forgot. And that's not like me. But then I was thinking of something else. So clearly it was an important. But to your point is.

 

00:26:21:02 - 00:26:41:00

Speaker 1

That. Well, there's. And because it was interesting. Oh, I know it was. One of my friends was telling me years ago they were we were going back and they said, like, you know, their second grade teacher was really they were really good friends, like, outside of school. They were really good friends. And they were nervous that their child was dyslexic.

 

00:26:41:00 - 00:26:56:08

Speaker 1

And they said, you know, and maybe it was like first grade, whatever was when the kid was young and the teacher was like, no, I think it's just like there's, you know, a little bit of Slough. I think you're looking into things because there one child was already dyslexic, and the the mom was like, you know, let's say the teacher was named Jenny.

 

00:26:56:08 - 00:27:13:07

Speaker 1

Like, Jenny, I really kind of think it. Can you just keep an eye? And she was like, you're being paranoid just because your other kid is like, don't worry about it. I'm telling you, they're fine. And it was their best friend.

 

00:27:13:09 - 00:27:32:18

Speaker 1

And the kid wasn't fine. Two years later, he was diagnosed and the mom was like, I like ass. And she's like, well, no. As teachers, we are not. They're not taught to look for things. And this is where there's so much disconnect. You know, teachers are not. And that's not the teacher's fault. They're going into teaching. They're not supposed to.

 

00:27:32:18 - 00:27:51:18

Speaker 1

There's some teachers that yes are just innately they'll look for things. But you're not supposed to be looking for deficits. You're teaching to the kids that are quickly learning, right? They're running around. They're like, oh yeah, I got this, I got this. You're teaching to those kids. And then the kids that are kind of like, well, what's going on?

 

00:27:51:20 - 00:28:02:20

Speaker 1

And they're like learning how to kind of hide and not tell you that they're struggling. You're missing those little nuances that we like to say. And it is.

 

00:28:02:22 - 00:28:28:14

Speaker 1

There is just it's there's so many things, even in colleges, you know, even with Ida and bringing them back up. Yep. You know, the ones that are, doing accreditations for colleges like. What are they teaching them? You know, we've had if you haven't listened to those two episodes, season four, which we're in, but 11 and 12, we go into the definition, you want to listen to 11 first and then go to 12.

 

00:28:28:16 - 00:28:49:01

Speaker 1

But like, these are the people that are the ones that are telling the teachers what they should be learning. If the college is even doing any deep dive in dyslexia at all. And so people are like, well, no, but look, they've done whole accreditation. They have a whole course for dyslexia and it's Ida sponsored. Well, all right, I don't trust that.

 

00:28:49:03 - 00:28:55:02

Speaker 2

This is going to be you know, obviously we we see some staggering stats and.

 

00:28:55:04 - 00:29:00:06

Speaker 2

We are one of the only.

 

00:29:00:07 - 00:29:22:05

Speaker 2

Five one C3 which is charity foundation tax deductible in this world. It's that is for dyslexia ran by dyslexic. So next time I talk to a woman I'm going to tell her how to feel during her third stage of a cycle.

 

00:29:22:06 - 00:29:23:10

Speaker 1

You just learned about it that I.

 

00:29:23:10 - 00:29:30:21

Speaker 2

Just learn about it. I know that I know I'm an expert at. So I'm going to tell her how she feels during our third stage.

 

00:29:30:23 - 00:29:47:17

Speaker 2

And when I get slapped, I'm gonna say, actually. But that that's how crazy this is, that I'm an expert in the, woman's menstrual cycle because I listen to it. A podcast.

 

00:29:47:19 - 00:30:05:22

Speaker 2

Same premise goes for dyslexia. None of them have dyslexia. None of these charity foundation have sex idea read Canadian Dyslexia Association. The list goes on and on. They don't have dyslexia.

 

00:30:06:00 - 00:30:32:22

Speaker 2

They again, I can't tell a woman how to feel pregnant. I can't tell woman how I feel at any point in time. Right? Then how can they tell a dyslexic they can't. They're they don't have it. And that's a staggering stat. The fact that, you know, we're 20% of the world has this, and we're one of the only foundations in this world that is run by dyslexics.

 

00:30:33:00 - 00:30:41:10

Speaker 2

Like, that's staggering. And we're always going back and going back with this. Is that.

 

00:30:41:12 - 00:30:46:09

Speaker 2

The education system.

 

00:30:46:11 - 00:31:16:00

Speaker 2

You you tell them something they're going to know on the expert. I'll tell you what this think they don't take suggestions. They know better not just ask them know. Tell us. A teacher from a principal from a superintendents, you know, all the way up to to Congress, right? They're going to tell us how to fail. Just like I'm going to tell a woman how to feel when she's pregnant.

 

00:31:16:02 - 00:31:18:11

Speaker 2

Yeah, just chew on that.

 

00:31:18:12 - 00:31:38:20

Speaker 1

I'm going to leave it at that. But check in with your kid, check in with your kid, and go listen to this other podcast, because you'll understand, especially if you're like, well, no, that's Ida. You know, there's there's organizations out there that give information. Just go, go, go, Mandan. Look at that. And then to those podcasts, but check in with your kid before they're going back.

 

00:31:38:22 - 00:31:45:11

Speaker 1

I know when this goes out, they probably have just gone back or they're going back to see how the first week is, see where they're.

 

00:31:45:13 - 00:32:01:21

Speaker 2

So it could be good. Let's be clear. Just be prepared. Just know why. Just know what the anxiety is is going back into it. Just like you going back, you know, going back to the office full time. How many people had Covid? Yeah, I didn't know they got to go back in the office full time. All right. That big change.

 

00:32:01:21 - 00:32:04:19

Speaker 2

How long has taking some kind of thought process with your kids.

 

00:32:04:22 - 00:32:15:12

Speaker 1

With the kids? Yeah. So just be gentle as even if they're annoying you because whatever, they don't want to go and they're whining. Their stomach hurts. Just be gentle and ask some questions and let them know that you understand and you're there to to listen.

 

00:32:15:18 - 00:32:20:22

Speaker 2

Maybe like, get a big nice Bill's lunchbox to take with them.

 

00:32:21:00 - 00:32:43:09

Speaker 1

I'll leave it at that. Thank you for listening for another episode of Word Blindness Dyslexia expose. Don't forget to do what I always say go rate and review. We've had some actually new reviews that I've been meaning. The next podcast I'm going to read them. I'm doing this on my finger again, but go and share, because so many people need to hear is you don't know who is struggling right now and needs to hear this episode.

 

00:32:43:11 - 00:32:45:01

Speaker 1

Thank you. Thank you for.