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If you’re a parent struggling to understand why your child has trouble in school, or with simple tasks that their siblings and friends do just fine, you may want to learn to recognize signs of dyslexia. Now, we’re not going to go so far as to say that all the symptoms of dyslexia on their own warrant a parent diagnosis for your own child.

In fact, when you read about dyslexia, you may get a little confused. Sometimes the symptoms of the neurological disorder overlap with what you may have heard as being associated with other school-age struggles, like ADHD, or Autism. So taking any list of symptoms on its own without further doctor intervention is not recommended.

And also, sometimes the signs of dyslexia seem ‘normal’ for a kid who’s still learning. For example, don’t all kids mix up “chicken” and “kitchen” at one point in their lives? English is hard! Or haven’t we all heard a kid say “aminal” instead of “animal” by accident? And isn’t that darn cute?

So read the following with precaution, and know that there are tests, as well as solutions and positive outcomes for the dyslexic mind.

How to understand dyslexia as more than a learning disability

To further understand dyslexia, we recommend these excellent videos below. They not only give insight into the world of the dyslexic, they help us understand, from a scientific perspective, what the disorder is. Be sure to watch on YouTube:

What is dyslexia? – Kelli Sandman-Hurley

Dyslexia Explained: What’s It Like Being Dyslexic?

What Causes Dyslexia?

Based on those videos, and other resources we’ll reference, we can conclude that you can recognize the signs of dyslexia by any of the following (though this is by no means a comprehensive list!).

Do other people in the family have dyslexia?

Dyslexia can be hereditary, or inherited by your family’s DNA. While this may cause more reason for concern and motivation to get tested early by parents who already know of the dyslexic family members, it’s not always that simple. According to Reading Rockets, often times, dyslexia is misunderstood and people may have not been diagnosed properly.

So instead of only considering whether or not you know any family diagnosed with dyslexia, instead consider the signs of the disorder. Was anyone else in your family struggling with school in a significant way? This is just one example.

Does your child struggle with more than ‘flipped’ words and letters?

A misconception about dyslexic students is that they see words or letters backwards. The truth is that dyslexia exhibits itself by more than this confusion. It is more about the way in which whole words, and their meanings, are absorbed or come together.

Here is a resource that explains the other struggles that are involved with dyslexia:

10 Warning Signs of Dyslexia

Other dyslexic symptoms can be:

• Using the wrong words, but words that sound similar to what they meant
• Difficulty with word problems when tested
• Unable to remember instructions, especially in a larger set of things to grasp

Plus more…

Is your child more skilled in other areas of life, not necessarily academics?

As you’ll find around the web, lots of entrepreneurs and creative geniuses (as well as ‘regular folks’) have been able to make something of themselves, despite their dyslexia. This may be because they created opportunity for themselves using the strengths of their dyslexic mind, rather than focusing on their academic weaknesses.

Here is a list by Yale on some successful dyslexics:

http://dyslexia.yale.edu/successfuldyslexics.html

And, although not the most reliable source, here is a Wikipedia entry of even more successful dyslexic achievers:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_diagnosed_with_dyslexia

As you’ll find, dyslexic students may be more skilled at creative areas of life. They may be idea-full and love to come up with stories, or have conversation. But just because they can’t get that all down on paper doesn’t mean they are ‘dumb.’

This also falls inline with the theory of multiple intelligences.

Does your child hate school, and make excuses for not going to school?

We’ve written about how to help kids who won’t come to school. In that article we stressed the importance of finding out the ‘why’ behind your child’s resistance to going to school.

Well, dyslexia may be one of those reasons, even if your child doesn’t know it yet. If your child is struggling with school work, they may not know they are dyslexic to do anything about it. They will only be able to see that they can’t keep up with the other kids. And even worse, they may feel like their teacher is disappointed in them, if the teacher is not well-enough attuned to recognize the signs of dyslexia.

All this put together can create a negative experience and sensation of going to school. No wonder the dyslexic would then make excuses for avoiding the classroom altogether!

To conclude: not all dyslexics are alike!

As we’ve stated above, dyslexia and its symptoms can span across a range of expressions. On top of that, dyslexic children can exhibit different symptoms, while all having the potential to be diagnosed with the disorder.

Our list above is by no means a final one, but a short starter that may spark an interest in doing more research on your own. If you do find out that your child has dyslexia, be sure to tell your tutor and teacher, so they can work with you on solutions.

Growing up bilingual has a great deal of benefits (check out our article on 3 incredible advantages of raising bilingual kids). And the positive aspects of knowing two languages far surpasses all the challenges parents might think there are with raising bilingual kids. So here we’ll give 5 great tips you can use to raise kids bilingually.

1. If you speak a second language, try not to speak anything else with your kids

If either parent is fluent in a second language, it’d be best if that parent speaks solely that language with the kids. This is called a “one parent, one language approach.” The earlier you start this, the better. Your child will associate the second language with that one parent.

As they grow up, be keen on getting your kids to communicate with you only in the second language. If necessary, pretend you simply don’t understand the dominant language your kids may want to use. This will be especially important once they start school.

The Huffington Post has a great article listing other approaches used in terms of who should speak what (linked to above).

2. Read bilingual books, or translate books as you read

If you are able to get a hold of bilingual children’s books, this will make it easier for you to read to your kids in a second language. If not, and if you are able to, translate books for your kids as you are reading them out loud. You can always do this with simple books that have basic vocabulary. This will not only increase the child’s second language vocabulary, it will also reinforce the fact that the one parent always communicates in the second language.

3. Watch cartoons with kids speaking a second language

Netflix has a great variety of cartoons that offer a multiple of audio language choices. There are also kids’ movies in many languages. You can even find cartoons and kids’ shows in several languages on YouTube. Cartoons and TV shows allow bilingual children to hear different tones and accents, and even different expressions in the second language they are learning. Their vocabulary and comprehension will also be greatly enhanced by hearing different characters play out stories in the kids’ second language.

4. Have extended family and friends get involved to raise bilingual kids

If you have family or friends who speak the second language you want your kids to learn, make them aware of your plan. Every time you all get together, use the opportunity for your kids to hear others speak their second language. And, if others can also be consistent in only speaking the second language when they see the kids, it’ll be even better! The more exposure kids get of the second language, the more they’ll pick it up.

Above all, be consistent and don’t give up! Children who naturally switch from one language to another are a wonder to watch. And it will be a huge reward for parents who stick to a plan with an end in sight. So if you are thinking of raising bilingual kids, give these tips a try!

Plus, see these related posts about language development on our blog!

• Why get a French Immersion tutor?
• The pros and cons of French Immersion programs and how French Immersion tutoring can help
• Why get an ESL tutor?
• Top 10 ESL Tutoring Tools For Students in British Columbia
• Why kids should learn how to code (coding is language!)
• Learning spelling and grammar in the age of “spell-check”

If you take a walk around your city and see people looking at their phone while walking, chances are they are playing Pokémon Go. This nintendo game has taken Canada by storm! And it’s timing couldn’t have been better, right in the summer break when youngsters have lots of time to spare. So, is it all good fun or is there something to consider before letting our kids get hooked in this Pokémon Go craze? Here we give you some pros and cons of kids playing Pokémon Go to think about.

The good side of kids playing Pokémon Go

It’s mostly played outdoors

Kids can certainly play Pokémon Go at home, but the fun of this game is that there are Pokémon around the neighbourhood, at the park, at stores, they can be anywhere you go to! So kids are encouraged to go out, exercise a bit, and be outdoors for extended periods of time. That’s always a good thing, especially in the summer!

It encourages social interaction

The mother of a 6 year old Autistic child shared her incredibly positive experience with Pokémon Go on Facebook. She explains how, thanks to Pokémon go, her Autistic child is interacting, verbalizing, and sharing something in common with other kids.

Along similar lines, Psychology Today says Pokémon Go may help with social anxiety and even depression. Kids can go out to play on their own but they may be surrounded by others doing the same thing. So kids may not feel as fearful of being in such a seemingly social environment. But since so many kids are probably playing Pokémon Go, it makes it easier to start conversations and make friends.

The downside of kids playing Pokémon Go

Kids are outside, but distracted on their phone

There are distracted drivers, but what about distracted walkers? If you google Pokémon Go accidents, you’ll find a surprisingly large number of reported injuries and major accidents. From walking into doors, bushes, and trees to crossing streets and highways without looking! Two men fell off a cliff while playing Pokémon Go! So having to constantly look down at your phone can be dangerous for kids.

Too much screen time?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that screen time for kids be limited to “no more than one or two hours per day.” They explain that excessive use of technology and media can lead to a number of negative issues, including attention problems, learning difficulties, and sleep disorders. So it may be a good idea to limit your kid’s time playing Pokémon Go, if too much screen time concerns you.

For more on this topic check out our other articles:

• How much is too much screen time
• Kid’s staring at a screen while studying in the dark can be harmful

As parents, it all comes down to balance and personal values. If they aren’t yet, your kids will eventually want to play the game everyone else is playing. So weigh the pros and cons because as soon as your kids start playing Pokémon Go, they’ll quickly get hooked on this popular craze!

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, “most children have the capacity and facility to learn more than one language.” Raising bilingual children may seem challenging for some, and it does require some level of determination from the family involved. But the advantages seem to surpass the challenges of raising bilingual kids. Read on and you’ll learn about some of the advantages of raising bilingual children.

Bilingual children work at a more complex level than monolingual kids

The brains in children who speak two languages can handle “higher cognitive processes.” Incultureparent.com outlines some of these:

1. “Better ability to focus and be less distracted”
2. “Better at multitasking”
3. “Increased mental flexibility and creativity”
4. “Stronger logic skills”

And, according to the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, they have better memory skills too.

Bilingual kids can have a wider range of work opportunities in the future

Consider Canada as an official bilingual country. Many may argue that learning French may not be worth the trouble as most Canadians function in English. However, according to an article by huffingtonpost.ca, there are thousands of federal government jobs that need to be filled every year.

Canadian families don’t need to speak french for their kids to be bilingual. They can choose to enrol children in the Canadian French Immersion program. So Canada will teach kids French for free. In exchange, these bilingual children may be the only ones qualified to fill up these government positions in the future.

See more from our site on this topic, as it relates to French Immersion tutoring and education:

• Why get a French Immersion tutor?
• The pros and cons of French Immersion programs and how French Immersion tutoring can help

But looking at how globalized everything has become, children who grow up speaking two or more languages will have much wider access to career opportunities than monolingual kids across the globe. It may be much easier for bilingual kids to work for international companies and abroad.

Being bilingual can help delay dementia and Alzheimer’s in old age

BBC.com says that “scientists examined almost 650 dementia patients” as part of a research that wanted to know what impact bilingualism had on dementia. The results showed that bilingual patients developed dementia a few years later than monolingual patients.

The New Yorker has a great article on bilingualism and the aging brain. They mention the research done on Alzheimer’s patients and how being bilingual has acted as a protection against the onset symptoms of the disease. The research concluded that bilingual patients developed delayed diagnosis and symptoms of the disease compared to monolingual patients.

To conclude, if your child is already bilingual, learning even more languages may be easier for them as their brains are already trained to handle such a complex task.

For families who already have bilingualism in their midst, exposing your kids to a second language can start as young as infancy. The younger, the better! Consistency and perseverance in keeping a second language is key. But taking into account the above advantages mentioned in this article, seems worthwhile!

Plus, see these related posts about language education and brain stimulation on our blog!

• Why get an ESL tutor?
• Top 10 ESL Tutoring Tools For Students in British Columbia
• Benefits of teaching kids music at an early age
• Learning spelling and grammar in the age of “spell-check”
• Why kids should learn how to code

If you think that brands are only something teenagers and adults are concerned about, you might be surprised to know children as young as 3 can recognize brands. But what is wrong with a preschooler wanting to buy only Lego as opposed to other types of blocks? Or by choosing to have a Mcdonald’s birthday party over having one at home? As you will read in our article below, brands may have a deeper impact on young children than you may think.

Kids are understanding brands at a much younger age nowadays

In their article ‘Preschoolers know all about brands’, Slate.com points out how powerful brands can be on young children. Based on a study done by the Madison-Wisconsin and the University of Michigan, 3 year olds are already familiar with brands such as Disney, Mcdonald’s and My Little Pony. Livescience.com has also referenced the same study. In their article they have included several quotes from preschoolers, aged 3 to 6 year old.

They say that, nowadays, kids are starting to judge others based on the brands they like from a much younger age than before. What these kids have to say shows that they do make certain judgements based on the brands they recognize.

For instance, a child associated having a birthday party at Mcdonald’s with having lots of friends. Anna McAlister, a researcher in the study “Children’s Understanding of Brand Symbolism” says that this type of cognitive discernment would be expected on an 8 year old.

So why is it bad for a 3 year old to have such developed thinking? In the Livescience article linked to above, McAlister calls this type of child socially mature. She says: “Children who are able to think about the thoughts of other people are better able to dig out a toy and say ‘I’m going to take this Lego to preschool because other kids at school will like it … and think I’m cool.’”

As a solution, McAlister advises parents to have more control over their kids’ tv time. This is so they don’t get overly influenced by brands and don’t start judging other kids based on what brand advertisements are teaching them.

Brands influence what kids want to eat

Food is a huge part of a child’s development. And advertising companies know this very well. Fast food companies target children in a very particular way, offering indoor playgrounds, toys with their meals, and most important of all, yummy treats.

Slate.com points out that, “if you stick a McDonald’s label on carrots, kids will tell you that they taste better.” Slate also quotes Alison Gopnik, author of The Philosophical Baby. Gopnik links the influence brands have on kids with obesity. And it makes sense.

Take a child who watches an advertisement in which children are thoroughly enjoying some sort of junk food. The child will then go to the supermarket with mom and see this brand item displayed. Chances are this kid may beg and even throw a tantrum over wanting the treat. To keep the child happy (and calm), parents may give in and feed their kid the treat he so enjoys. The brand has won.

Children are incredibly smart. They absorb absolutely everything they see and hear. Brand companies know this and advertise their products accordingly. In the McAlister study linked to above, she says that the more a child is exposed to brands, the more socially mature and sophisticated they’ll become. And this may create:

• Children who make distinctions based on brands.
• Children who choose friends and peer groups based on their favourite brand of toys.
• And children who prefer to eat unhealthy food.

So in a way, the simplicity of a child’s thinking and understanding may be taken away if they are overly influenced by brands.