Nana Duty, a Bag of Potatoes and a Big Surprise
I've spent the last couple of days on nana duty while my son works, and I've loved every minute of it. Something I always enjoy.
Each night, one of his kids gets a turn cooking dinner with him. Last night it was my littlest granddaughter's turn. She's just turned eight, and her job was the potatoes.
Her dad asked her to read the recipe. She wasn't keen. With a bit of gentle cajoling she gave it a go, and that's when my ears pricked up.
She was making honest attempts, but she tripped and stumbled over words I thought she would know by now. Simple instructions, words like chop and dice. And what struck me most was how often she looked up at her dad for help, even with the easy bits.
Perhaps you've had a moment like that over the holidays? Perhaps your child grizzled when you asked them to read what's on at the movies and said "you read it", or they've been finding reasons to skip reading altogether, or asking for help with words you thought they'd know by now?
Then comes the question that sits with you afterwards. Is this just a normal part of learning to read, or is it something I should be paying attention to?
It's a really hard one to answer on your own, especially when you've been told to give it time, they'll get there. That's exactly why I created a two minute quiz, What's actually going on with your child's learning. It's designed to give you clarity about what you're seeing at home. You answer a few quick questions, and it names the pattern and tells you whether it's the ordinary sort of struggle or the kind that has a reason behind it.
➤ Take the two minute quiz here: https://www.dyslexiaunpuzzled.co.nz/whats-going-on
It gives you a clear place to start. Because that's what I do, I help people discover how they can learn and succeed.
One more chance to see WHO KNEW
If you'd like to understand more about how visual thinkers learn, there are two free online screenings of the award winning film WHO KNEW: Dyslexia is a Way of Thinking this month, and they're the last for 2026. Each one includes a short introduction to Davis Dyslexia solutions and a Q&A afterwards.
Tuesday 13 October, 7pm NZT
Tuesday 20 October, 7pm NZT
➤ Register for a free screening here: https://tinyurl.com/WHOKNEWDyslexiaFilm
Ngā mihi,
Nikki
