Positive attitude goes a long way for dyslexics

Is a really creative mind the cause of dyslexia or is dyslexia the cause of a really creative mind?

Every time I read a book or story written (or directed) by someone who is dyslexic, they either see their condition as a gift or a curse.

I really enjoy the ones who see it as a gift because they have a really positive attitude, a strong spirit, and despite being told they were stupid when they were younger, they persevere like nobody's business.

That is the kind of attitude I want my son to have. He knows that dyslexia causes him trouble, but he also knows that he's intelligent and creative and much better than me at video games. OK, he's much better than me at a lot of things. I think the fight he puts up to conquer his dyslexic symptoms will give him the fight he needs to conquer the successes out there waiting for him.

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The most passionate books written by a dyslexic person (who struggled for years to write them) are written by Victor Villasenor. The first book of his I read was Burro Genius: A Memoir. It is so beautifully written and really helps you understand the life of a dyslexic person who has always been told he was stupid and would never amount to anything. You get to see inside his mind and feel his feelings. This book is not for the weak, but as parents or caregivers of dyslexic children, we should all try to understand what their lives are like. I cried not just for Victor but for my mom and all who grew up and went to school before dyslexia was truly understood. I highly, highly recommend this book and others written by Villasenor. And don't worry, after the sad parts are the really great revelations that make your mind spin and let you know that everything will be OK.

Beauty in the basin

Nick and I recently took a trip to Great Basin National Park, here in Nevada. It's a geologic wonder, containing the second highest mountain in Nevada (Wheeler Peak at more than 13,000 feet high). It's a very beautiful area and it was a nice, relaxing little vacation for us.

I always look out for wildflowers, new birds and cool rock formations when I go on a trip. Here's a few of the wildflowers we saw on the trip. Soon, I'll post a slideshow of the tour we took in Lehman Caves which is a geologic wonder on its own. Enjoy!

Recognizing personal victories

We had two personal victories yesterday that I just have to share.

The first involves Nick's pet mouse Jessica. I always feed our rodents fresh fruit and vegetables because it helps extend their short little lives. But Jessica didn't seem interested in them. I worry because mice are omnivorous and it's important for them to have their vegetables. She wouldn't touch carrots, leafy greens, or even some fruits. You can get children to eat a lot of different kinds of fruit but not this mouse. (It was so much easier to get Nick to eat his vegetables than this mouse!)

After much experimenting I found she'd at least eat blueberries, blackberries and watermelon, but that was pretty much it. So I continue to put different kinds of fruits and vegetables in her food dish in the hopes that we will find something she'll eat. (Don't worry, she eats her nuts and seeds.)

So yesterday when I put a small bit of zucchini in her bowl, I assumed it would stay there and dry up. You can imagine my surprise and delight when I saw it mostly eaten a few hours later!

Yea! Now I am filled with hope that I can get this mouse to eat her vegetables. I have a lot of squash options I think. Maybe I can try cucumber, but I think I may have tried that before. In any case, I'm just so excited.

Want some educational value in this? Well, Nick and I learned mice have individual tastes too. We had one mouse that would eat cilantro of all things, and one that preferred carrots and pumpkin seeds. My rat isn't that picky but he won't eat the celery stalk, just the leaves. It's crazy I tell you.

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The second victory is probably more exciting than the first for any mom.

Every time I start to load the dishwasher I have to wander the house looking for stray dishes that somehow didn't make it to the sink. I allow Nick to take his drinks and snacks to his room (he has a table to put them on) with the warning that he needs to bring his dishes back to the sink when he is done. I never really expect that he'll do it without constant reminders, so I frequently go back to his room to give him those reminders. Still, the dishes seem to multiply while on his table in his room.

So in the morning, I went to his room to gather dishes to put in the dishwasher and there were four cups, a bowl and a plate sitting on his table. They all appeared overnight apparently. In my calmest, mom-like pleading, I again mentioned that he needed to remember to bring his dishes to the sink when he was done. He apologized AGAIN and we went on with our day.

At night, he took a hotdog and apple juice to his room. I knew full well that plate and cup would remain in there if I didn't go back and gently remind him to take them to the sink. About 20 minutes after he went into his room, I went back. I looked at the table and they were gone. I wasn't sure what happened. I asked him where they were and he said he took them to the sink (with that "duh, mom" tone like he did this all the time). I was shocked and I think I just stood there with my mouth hanging open, not sure what to say next.

THEN, to top it all off, he had his retainers on! He had already brushed his teeth without me asking him to do so. I was floored. That's two in a row where I didn't have to remind him to do something.

So, like any mom wishing to have this happen more often, I feverishly praised and thanked him. Yippee! I'm so happy!

Now I'm going to go check his computer desk to see if the chocolate milk cup is still there.