What do stuttering, dyslexia, and ADHD have in common? Unfortunately children who present with these disorders often appear to lack motivation. Hence, they are termed lazy.
When children are called lazy and are not given reasons to be excited about learning or unsure how to achieve the high stressed educational goals our society places upon them, they lose their spark to succeed.
When I was young and stuttered severly, I didn't have much success in speech therapy. As a result, I wasn't able to speak and became fearful of talking. I used every excuse possible to not be in the classroom. I went to the nurse with headaches, went to the bathroom to avoid being called on and as a result didn't study hard for exams.
I didn't see a light at the end of the tunnel. I couldn't figure out how doing well on a test would help me in the real world. I couldn't adequately see into the future. I also found reading textbooks difficult and it wasn't until later that I started using audiobooks, which opened up a different way of learning for me.
Many times in my practice, children and teens tell me they aren't smart enough for school and they are told by family members or educators they are "lazy."
I ask them if they like learning. Many of them say yes but they can't learn in the way they are taught. I see sadness in their eyes.
I am hoping we can put a spark back into our children and help them realize they are unique in their own way and will contribute to this world. We need people who think out of the box.
To all these children and teens, please realize you are not lazy. All of you have special gifts inside of you that one day will be unwrapped, hopefully sooner than later.
