Dyslexia’s Silent Thief: How Waiting Steals Our Kids’ Shine
Imagine your six-year-old erasing his homework so hard it tears holes in the paper, whispering, “I can’t do it,” while you stand by, helpless, as the school shrugs, “Just give it time.” For Missy Purcell, a former teacher turned fierce mama bear, this was the gut-wrenching reality of her son Matthew’s dyslexia journey—a tale of red flags ignored, interventions that flopped, and a system that waited for him to fail. On the Don’t Call on Me podcast, hosted by Megan from Dyslexia on Demand and Aaron from Advocate to Educate, Missy lays bare the emotional rollercoaster of fighting for her child. It’s a story of heartbreak, yes, but also of hope—proof that with the right support, a kid’s brain can rewrite its own script.
The Red Flags No One Saw
Missy’s wake-up call started early. Preschool reports gushed about Matthew’s charm but flagged his lagging reading skills. “He’s a boy, he’ll catch up,” teachers cooed. First grade rolled in, and the struggles piled up—scribbled-out papers, meltdowns, and a reading recovery program that promised miracles but delivered zilch. “He’s shutting down,” Missy pleaded, only to hear, “Give it 20 weeks.” Spoiler: 20 weeks later, he still couldn’t read. Parents, sound familiar? That sinking feeling when your gut screams something’s wrong, but the system pats you on the head? Missy’s been there, and she’s got the receipts.
By fourth grade, Matthew’s “I can’t do it” morphed into “I’m stupid” and “Throw me in the trash can.” School became a battleground—armpit noises in class, after-school collapse, and a kid obsessed with controlling his socks because reading was a chaos he couldn’t tame. The pandemic peeled back the curtain: Missy watched his resource teacher fumble through generic lessons, ignoring his IEP goals. “He was surviving, not thriving,” she says. Here’s the kicker for parents: every day you send your kid back to a place that breaks them, you’re stacking trauma on trauma. Don’t wait for the school to play hero—they’re not coming.
Author Quote“
“There were pages in first grade where he had erased so hard that there were holes in the paper and then he got all of them wrong or just quit.” — Missy Purcell
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Growth Mindset to the Rescue
Enter the game-changer: Sage, a dyslexia-specific school with Orton-Gillingham-trained wizards who knew Matthew’s brain inside out. With targeted intervention—decoding, encoding, even speech therapy for his newly discovered dysgraphia—he didn’t just catch up; he soared. “Light bulbs were going off,” Missy marvels. This is the Growth Mindset magic I live for—proof that brains aren’t stuck. Challenge them with the right tools, and they bloom. Don’t let anyone tell you (or your kid) that dyslexia’s a life sentence. It’s a detour, not a dead end.
Key Takeaways:
1
Early dyslexia signs (like erasing holes in paper) get dismissed too often.
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“Wait and see” breeds trauma; early intervention builds success.
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A Growth Mindset turns struggles into strengths with the right support.
The Mom Guilt and the Fight
Missy’s no stranger to the “bag of rocks” parents haul around—panic attacks, 18 IEP meetings in a year, and a district that looped in lawyers to dodge her pleas. But she flipped that guilt into grit, advocating until Matthew got what he deserved. “I thought they’d do the right thing,” she sighs. Spoiler: they didn’t—until she made them. Parents, you’re not “overreacting” when you push. You’re the first line of defense. Teach your kids to self-advocate too—Matthew’s learning to tell teachers, “I need more time,” and that’s gold for life.
Author Quote“
“He was surviving, not thriving… School was hard and not accessible to him, a place where he couldn’t win.” — Missy Purcell
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Slaying the Villain of Inaction
The real villain? The “wait and fail” myth that traps kids in a cycle of shame and stagnation. Missy’s story proves early intervention isn’t optional—it’s oxygen. Schools may miss dyslexia’s red flags (shocking, right?), but you don’t have to. Get curious, get loud, get answers—because a supported brain doesn’t just survive, it thrives. Not sure where to start? Take the first step this quick, free Dyslexia Test . Act now—your kid’s future is counting on you.
