Control Chaos Daily Grind

  • Strong-Willed or Struggling?

    This piece explores the emotional reality of raising a child with dyslexia and how behaviors that appear defiant are often rooted in frustration, exhaustion, and unseen learning struggles. It offers perspective and encouragement for parents, helping them better understand what their child may be experiencing while emphasizing patience, support, and greater awareness of the challenges…

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  • When Your Child Struggles to Read: The Silent Weight of Dyslexia

    Dyslexia is more than just a reading difficulty; it’s an emotional journey that slowly turns ‘I can’ into ‘I can’t.’ Parents face the challenge of watching their children’s confidence erode. At Illuminations Center for Dyslexia, we help families understand that dyslexia is a unique brain processing difference, not a measure of intelligence or laziness.

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  • Stronger Than I Knew Chapter 2

    Chapter 2: Learning the Hard Way Hawaii sounded like paradise. When I first stepped off the plane, the warm air, palm trees, and oceanbreeze made me believe that maybe this was a new beginning — achance to build a real family, to give Devin the life I never had. I wantedto believe in happy endings.…

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  • What Progress Actually Looks Like for Dyslexic Readers

    Progress for dyslexic readers is rarely linear—and that doesn’t mean intervention isn’t working. Growth often happens in layers, with confidence, decoding skills, and stamina improving long before test scores reflect the change. For parents—especially those with 3rd graders facing high-stakes testing—it’s important to remember that a single assessment does not define a child’s intelligence or…

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  • Reading and Incarcerated adults

    Behind cold steel bars, an open book rests on a scarred metal table — quiet, almost forgotten. The cell is confined, the air heavy, the future uncertain. And yet, there it is: words waiting to be understood. It makes me wonder how many lives might have unfolded differently if those pages had been opened sooner…

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  • The New Year, the Pressure of Third Grade, and Why We Keep Going

    As we step into this new year, I am choosing intention over resolution. Instead of striving for perfection, I am committing to consistency. Showing up for my children every day—advocating, supporting, encouraging, and reminding them that a test score does not define who they are or what they are capable of becoming. Showing up for…

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  • Three Things I’m Starting This Year—and Why I’m Writing Them Down

    I have learned that if I don’t pause long enough to name what I’m doing, life will simply keep happening to me.And while there is nothing wrong with surviving seasons, I am no longer willing to live only in reaction mode. This year, I am choosing intention. Not perfection.Not aesthetic routines.Not resolutions designed to be…

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  • Holidays and ADHD with Family

    The holidays are often painted as joyful, memory-filled seasons—full of gatherings, traditions, and togetherness. For families raising children with ADHD, however, this time of year can feel less like a celebration and more like survival mode. Holiday schedules are rarely predictable. Normal routines are replaced with late nights, crowded homes, loud conversations, sugary foods, travel,…

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  • Stronger Than I Knew

    Chapter 1 Chapter 1: The Girl Who Became a Mom I was sixteen years old when my world changed. Most girls my age were worrying about grades, friends, and prom dresses. I was worrying about how I was going to raise a baby when I could barely keep up with school. The day I found…

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  • Why Reading Levels Lie

    Why reading levels are one of the most misleading measures for children with dyslexia For many parents, the first time they hear their child’s “reading level,” it sounds concrete—almost clinical. A letter. A number. A box to check. It feels like proof. But for children with dyslexia, reading levels often tell a distorted story, and…

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