Are your grandkids simply sitting idly, passively listening to the story? Is the bedtime reading designed to unwind and prepare them for a quick slumber? What? No! Stop it now.

It's time to stage a rebellion against the tired tradition of reading to your grandkids! That's right, put down those dusty books, and let's explore some fresh, interactive ways to spark their imagination and curiosity. Okay, okay, you may think I am a little crazy, but bear with me. Have you considered trying out interactive reading sessions as a new approach? Because let's face it, reading alone won't teach them the wonders of the world – but fear not, we've got some tricks up our sleeves to make story time an adventure they'll never forget.

The World has made it through the COVID-19 pandemic, but now we have seen another epidemic hit America: Literacydemic. What does that mean? We are sounding the alarm on this crucial problem: literacy decline. Did you know 67% of American fourth-grade children do not meet reading proficiency assessments?

However, the problem starts even early; 47% of kindergarteners aren’t on track to becoming readers. Findings indicate that gaps in kindergarten readiness relate to a later lack of achievement in elementary school. New research finds that children who learn more in kindergarten earn more as adults and are more successful overall.

As modern grandmas, we answer to a variety of names. Our young grandchildren might affectionately call us Mimi, Gaga, Nana, or even Grammy. But getting called “Alexa” or “Siri” might make you pause. Those three-year-olds consistently asking “Why?” typically get a patient and accurate response from Grandma, while frazzled parents might say, go ask Alexa. Although using technology can be a lifesaver, overuse of technology can mask the early signs of dyslexia.

From Sun Dials, Hourglasses, and Pendulum Clock to the current technology of Apple Watches, telling time has improved its accuracy. Throughout history, the development of clocks has played a significant role in improving various fields, from astronomy and navigation to science and industry. But in this crazy busy world, knowing how to tell times impacts our daily lives. Unfortunately, teaching time to grandchildren has become more challenging than ever, especially when those children are dyslexic thinkers.

The English language, by most standards, is challenging to learn. Spelling, in particular, is weird. Did you know that only English-speaking countries have “spelling bees?” Why, you ask? Because in other languages, spelling is more predictable. But spelling is about writing; language is about speaking. English features grammatical rules that are often broken, an alphabet that can confuse people who are used to a character-based system, and spelling and pronunciation irregularities that confuse even native speakers. So how do the little ones learn to speak?

No entiendo Española.  Je ne comprends pas le français. Nie rozumiem. Non capisco. This is the extent of my rigorous training and immersion into various languages: Spanish, French, Polish, and Italian. I can confidently say I don't understand in all four languages. It isn't as though I didn't try. My schooling started when I attended Head Start at three years old. I came home spouting all sorts of Spanish words from what I was told. But my linguistic talents went downhill after that. While playing a language game with my sister and cousin, I mistranslated a picture of someone pointing to their teeth as "How are your teeth."  Yes, an absurd translation that they never let me forget. My forte wasn't languages. I muddled through my language and English classes, but I excelled in math, leading me into engineering. Nobody questioned my language challenges since; overall, I was a good student. But this isn't the case for children with dyslexia. The inability to learn a language besides English should be a red flag for parents.

Teachers often say your child will outgrow some of their issues with reading, writing, or arithmetic.  School administrators will require testing every five years to validate the need for accommodations.  In reality, students learn to compensate for their dyslexia, but they never outgrow it.  I call it the invisible disability.  It may seem that your child is performing well in school at the beginning of the year resulting in the "need" for accommodations being overlooked.  Maybe extra time on tests is seen as unnecessary or considered an advantage for that student.  If your child has issues in first grade, they will continue through college and into adulthood.

Did you know that 35% of dyslexic children don’t graduate from high school? 70% of the people in prison cannot read? It is speculated that the majority of inmates are dyslexic. Learning to read is essential to the well-being of students, not only being successful contributing adults but in their emotional well-being. Not being able to read hurts children’s self-esteem leading to depression or worse. These facts alone should have the educational system advocating for the well-being of dyslexic students, but instead, this invisible disability goes undetected. How can parents and teachers support their dyslexic children to avoid a path to failure?

As a parent, you might have identified signs of dyslexia in your child. You may have a family member with dyslexia (dyslexia runs in families).  Or they are just struggling in school, and you know something is just not right.  If you approach your school, they might say your child is at an acceptable reading level for their grade or a regular part of development.  The school told me that my youngest was a delayed reader since I must not read him at home.  When I protested, saying we read daily, they asked if I displayed good reading habits in front of him.  When I said no, I didn't have time to relax and read in front of them; I said I read when they are in bed.  They proceeded to blame me for his poor reading.  Did you know that 1 in 5 children have dyslexia, but 1 in 100 teachers understand or are trained on the signs? Don't accept the pushback from the school.  You know your child better than anyone.  The question, however, is what is next?

Did you know that one in five children are Dyslexic? Dyslexia is more than reversing letters. It is a learning difference where children have trouble with letters and sounds. It typically runs in families. The medical profession actually can see the differences in brain activity between non-dyslexic and dyslexic brains. Children experience letters jumping around the page when they read. However, it is considered an invisible disability. What children see comes out in other ways, such as hyperactivity, depression, or disruptive behavior. Parents and teachers want their children to succeed but are helpless when it comes to solutions.

Now that children are returning to school, I think back to the stress of starting the new year for our family. Everyone is excited, but the teachers are not always familiar with their new students. They may have received notes from the prior year’s teacher, but not in our case. We moved around the country when the boys were little. Our boys had a different school (and the teacher) almost every year from 3 years old pre-school until sixth grade. These were critical years to learn to read. But teachers want their students to flourish and support those who work hard to achieve success. It wasn’t until our oldest son was in fourth grade that he started failing at school. Teachers thought he was lazy, but he was actually dyslexic and gifted too.

When our oldest was born, I quickly started him on a path toward the love of books.  Just weeks old, I would prop him up on my lap to recite Dr. Seuss’s, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.  We progressed to Good Night Moon where I would point out the kittens and the mittens to identify objects in the room.  By the age of two, he could “read” the Polar Express word for word.  Barney was never part of his repertoire; however, Brontosaurus and Brachiosaurs became part of his vocabulary early on.  As a proud parent, I highlighted his precociousness to family and friends.  He soared through his preschool absorbing the educational play time like a sponge. When he started kindergarten, he quickly became the teacher’s pet. In first grade he was one of two students in his class identified for the gifted program.   Dreams of a doctor, lawyer or engineer became part of our expectations for his future.  But our hopes vanished as he entered fourth grade, the turning point in his education.