I wouldn't have said boo to a goose"
A very kind man in a truck stopped to take a photo of me outside my new office this week. It was windy, I felt slightly shy, and underneath it all was a familiar flicker of something I hadn’t expected. That old feeling of not quite being good enough.
There was a time in my teaching career when I would never have imagined standing outside my own space. I wouldn’t have said boo to a goose. I worried constantly about getting things wrong or upsetting someone. Being told off felt enormous, and I carried that more than I realised.
That kind of feeling builds over time.
I was talking to my sister-in-law about her son, a bright, energetic boy who often found himself in trouble for typical “boy things.” Over time, he began to hear the negative comments more loudly than the positive ones. According to AuADHD coach Kayla Oughton, some children may receive up to 20,000 more negative comments than positive ones by the age of ten. That accumulation shapes how they see themselves.
Those children grow up. If no one interrupts that narrative, it follows them.
This is why environment and clarity matter so much. Repeated correction without understanding doesn’t build resilience. It builds shame.
On Wednesday 18 March at 3.30pm, I’ll be opening the doors at 11 Leyland Street. But more than a ribbon, I’m hoping to open conversations about how we build confidence instead of eroding it.
The words we repeat to a child eventually become the words they repeat to themselves.
Let’s make sure the words they hear are the ones worth carrying.
If you’d like to come along and celebrate with me, I would genuinely love to see you there. Click the link below to RSVP
I’m also exploring interest in hosting a local screening of the documentary Who Knew – Dyslexia is a Gift. Tentatively we have booked Tuesday 24th, Thursday 26th and Saturday 28th for an online screening. More details to follow.
It’s a powerful and hopeful film that highlights the strengths, creativity, and leadership qualities that often sit behind different ways of thinking.
If that sounds like something you’d be interested in attending, please let me know here. I’ll confirm details once I have a sense of numbers.
There's also a short trailer available if you'd like to get a feel for the film first.
If you’re doing some quiet thinking about learning or confidence this year and want to talk it through, you’re very welcome to get in touch.
Thank you for being part of this community and thank you for reading my newsletter.
Kindest regards,
Nikki
PS. If reading is stressful in your household right now, I’ve also updated my free guide called:
Discover the Secrets to Stress-Free Reading
It’s designed to help you understand what might be getting in the way and what actually helps.
Dyslexia Unpuzzled
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
