The Toad's Book Club

We've had a miracle around here. After more than 6 years of torture, hand wringing, frustration and perseverance, we had a breakthrough. It wasn't until last year that someone breathed the word dyslexic about Superkid. There was obviously something up. Ever since Superkid was a baby he would sit on your lap forever and listen to you read, even when he was a toddler. He was a sponge. I've never seen a kid who wanted to drink in a book like Superkid. And the irony, the kid can't read. At least he couldn't until a few weeks ago. A friend gave me a book, The Gift of Dyslexia. It changed everything. I felt like the author was walking around inside Superkid's brain and explaining how and why Superkid thinks the way he does. The thing is, he is extraordinarily bright. I never equated this to his dyslexia before, but the book explained how they are linked. AND, it taught me how to help him correct the effects that cause him to flip his words. Here's the good news, it only took 2 hours. I'm serious, just two hours.

Before, when Superkid would get an assignment to read a book over the summer, we would start immediately and agonizingly work our way through it every day. After the correction I gave him a book to read, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and asked him to read. He read for 30 min. with only about 5 errors. We were both holding our breath. When I stopped him he said in disbelief, "Mom, I'm reading. What if I forget how to do it." I was a little worried myself. I told him we would wake up in the morning and try it again. He read the next morning for 45 minutes, with just a few errors again. I wanted him to get as much practice as he could, so I held my breath and challenged him to read the entire book in a week. This was a major challenge and I anticipated sitting on the couch with him for a couple of hours every day to make sure he could achieve the goal. The next day, I went to bed early and he sat up reading. He woke me up a couple of hours later and told me he finished the book! I asked him to pinch me because I thought I was dreaming. Sure enough he read the entire book in about 4 hours!

I'm a believer! He has been reading like a mad man ever since. He is averaging a book a week. He and Abizella have even started their own book club. They are slogging their way through the Harry Potter series. There is nothing more heartwarming to see them curled up on the couches together in the evening, reading, laughing, chatting and just radiating joy.

It is a huge relief to everyone. Superkid has experienced an enormous confidence boost. His reading ability has jumped about 3 grade levels, his true ability has been unmasked. It has been tough going, but I wouldn't trade it. He has worked so hard, even when working hard wasn't making any difference. The kid's not a quitter and the payoff is huge. And now he has the ability to read and keeps his gift to create, decipher, engineer, problem solve and wonder.

Life is a journey. I'm grateful to be traveling with this kid.