What Would You Do?

[MyKingdomforaNameChange]

Son is 16, had a bad start at college and has since moved to a different form of education.

Due to issues at college I spoke to a Counsellor, thinking that there might be reasons I didn't know about for him "not putting in any effort" (their words). After taking some details she suggested I get him assessed for dyslexia.

He's dyslexic.

(That's the long story cut short!)

My mother is the problem now, as she's fuming about it. He should have been diagnosed earlier, why didn't teachers in school spot it. He should have had extra time for his GCSEs and why don't I phone the school and ask for something to be done. I asked what she thought should be done, and she thinks his GCSEs should be re-marked, at the school's expense, taking his diagnosis into mind.

I'm not sure this is a good idea. She thinks I'm not on his side.

What would you do if you were me??

Tell her remarking his GCSEs is not possible and if she can't think of anything helpful to say to shut up. Then make sure he has the appropriate support put in place for his future education.

Ha ha that's pretty much what I said. She told me I won't know until I ask!

Support is being put in place as we speak :)

I think family members underappreciate how frustrating it is for the parents. It is a fight against the impossible to get help for dyslexia unless you have Sen experience. Well done for getting him the support he needs and try your best to ignore comments like this. If we could all live in hindsight a lot would be different, but that doesn't help. If she wants to be helpful tell her she can fund a private dyslexia tutor for roughly £80 an hour or speak to Gove himself who is to blame for this, not you.

I'm just so relieved that he has a diagnosis, and I won't have to listen to teachers telling me he is lazy, and needs to work harder and faster.

The lady at his new place is lovely, very understanding, and used to work in an area that gives her lots of experience of dyslexia and other similar things, so I'm confident he's in the right place :)

Very tempted to speak to the lecturer who refused to let him stay on the college course she teaches, and was not swayed by me telling her that his behaviour was not normal for him. Poor kid just couldn't cope with the change in teaching styles between school and college. I think she thought I was "that mum", not able to see what her son was really like.

Thank goodness she's not involved in his education any more.