"...as well as a processing deficit."

The next thing evaluator looks at is a "processing deficit". The term "processing" refers to way your child's brain works. Can his brain handle information better through what he sees (visual channel) or through what he hears (auditory channel). Can he remember a list of 4 or 5 things, or does he forget them quickly? How well does he find information he has stored in his head? How quickly can he process information?

A deficit in processing means that he has trouble with one of ways his brain handles information.

Now, let's put it all together:

"There has to be an aptitude-achievement discrepancy..." The evaluator has found a big gap between your child's ability (100) and his achievement (60) in reading. That tells you that he hasn't learned what he needs to learn in order to be successful in reading.

"...as well as a processing deficit." The evaluator has found that he has a real problem remembering letters and sounds. And what is more necessary in order to learn to read than remembering letters and their sounds?

Now you know that he should be able to read like other children in his class, but his brain isn't remembering letters and their sounds way it should. That's what's standing in way of his being able to read as well as other children.

Chances are team will decide that your child has a learning disability in reading and that he is eligible for special education services. He will be able to get extra help from a special teacher. There will be things you can do with him at home to help him as well. He will be able to receive help from people who know what will work best for him and who care enough to give him skills he needs to be successful in life.

For more plain talk about learning disabilities, please visit us at www.ldperspectives.com.

Oh – and you know what Mom said about her bratty kids? She said that she “tried everything”. She tried sitting down and talking with them, she tried taking away toys, she tried sitting them in time-out. She tried it all, but nothing worked. Hmmmmm. Seems she left out THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE! The controlled, loving, whack across caboose.

When are parents going to “get it” that loving, proper, consistent discipline when they’re young means that they’ll be controlled, loving, children that behave when they are 6, 7, and up.

AND – children can’t be happy if they aren’t disciplined. You can see it on their faces. Whiney, out-of-control children are miserable. And so is everyone around them, for that matter.

When’s last time that you’ve seen a miserable, well disciplined child? You haven’t. I mean, there are a few moments of bad attitude or whatever that quickly goes away with correction; but they are basically happy, content, and secure.

So, anyway, back to my story.

Each family was getting $50,000 for trade. But catch was that visiting spouse made decision of how other family would spend their $50,000. The rich man’s answer to fix low income family? Buy house, remodel it – basically improve material possessions.

The country man’s answer to fix wealthy family? Family relationship counseling, cooking lessons, and family vacation time.

And you guessed it – rich wife flipped out – she was planning on using $50,000 to pay for her son’s bar mitzvah!!

But, I’ll say one thing. The country man was right on for what that family needed. Less focus on “things” and more focus on “relationships”.

Actually, he was downright clever. He showed America #1 way to build family relationships…Cooking together.

Ahem. Ring a bell?

Cooking creates family bonds – across all ages – across all abilities. Too bad country man didn’t have more of that wisdom to have disciplined kids too.

So, if you’re already ahead of game with well behaved kids – don’t forget about relationship side of things. And don’t overlook easiest, most funnest ( he, he), I mean “fun” way to spend time with you kids – COOKING!!!!