I think that learning difficulties are somewhat like having the wrong manual for the problem you are trying to solve.
As a young mom, I would struggle with trying to fit my daughter into the system that was presented to us. The system that almost everyone else fitted into. It was only when I put away my fear and got a little creative, did her ever downward spiral start to show some upward flourishes.
When who our children are is not the same as anyone else we know, then we just have to get creative.
I am endlessly in awe of children who overcome their fears and find their creativity. In the children I have known, creativity has looked like asking for help, it has looked like mistakes, like laughter, like peace, it has looked like bravery.
It takes immense courage and fortitude to have any form of difficulty and still remain immersed in the very thing you have difficulty with.
And in being courageous, they have found a way to be fearlessly authentic and in turn, found their people. The people that encourage them and call them friends and make them part of their lives.
I have been enjoying Seth Godin’s work lately. His work speaks to me mainly because he has this thing he says – people like us do things like this.
I like this. Everyone belongs somewhere, just maybe not everywhere. I think this is a good mantra for kids who are struggling to fit in.
