You’re looking in the wrong place.
He was fine at school.”
By 4pm, that version of him can look very different. The sharp response to something small. The refusal to engage. The mood shift that seems to come out of nowhere.
But let’s be honest for a moment.
You know what it’s like when your own brain has had enough. Some days there’s just so much going on that you cannot get your head in the game. You come home after a full day, rushing between appointments, juggling deadlines, trying to hold ten things in place at once. If you’re anything like me, it can feel like running around like a headless chicken, scattering bits everywhere and not really progressing anything. And on those days, if someone so much as looks at you the wrong way, you can feel that internal eruption building.
That’s not because you’re incapable.
It’s because you’re at capacity.
Children experience the same thing, only they don’t have the language for it. They’ve spent the day listening, processing, navigating social expectations, managing instructions that were given once and expected to stick. Some absorb it more easily. Some compensate quietly all day.
Both can look fine on the surface.
Working memory is limited. Executive function drains under pressure. If a child has spent six hours translating, adapting and holding themselves together, there is often very little left by the time they walk through the front door.
When evenings unravel, it isn’t usually defiance. It’s overload releasing.
Trying harder does not solve that. Reducing unnecessary strain does.
This is why clarity matters so much. Clear expectations. Clear steps. Clear communication. When learning aligns with how a brain processes information, effort becomes sustainable and confidence has space to rebuild.
Coming up:
On Wednesday 18 March at 3.30pm, I’ll be opening the doors at 11 Leyland Street.
You’re welcome to pop in, have a look around, and see how I work. There’ll be some of the clay work my clients use to build understanding, a few practical resources, and time to talk. It’s not just about cutting a ribbon. It’s about understanding how confidence is rebuilt when learning finally makes sense. If you’d like to come along and celebrate with me, I would genuinely love to see you there. Click the link here 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 you’re finding that effort isn’t matching progress when it comes to reading, I’ve updated my free guide:
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
