Dyslexia Journey | Real Stories & Strategies for Thriving with Dyslexia

Send us Fan Mail For the first time since 2002, the International Dyslexia Association has rewritten its definition of dyslexia. The new version quietly removes two ideas that have kept kids from being identified for two decades: that dyslexia has to be 'unexpected' given a child's intelligence, and that a phonological deficit is always at the root of it. Read our article about the change on our website for more detail. Full transcript . The original paper . We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail Fiona Rintoul, fellow parent of a dyslexic daughter, joins us to discuss her experiences. You can find Fiona online at https://purplecowrecruiting.com/. We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail The first two weeks go great. Then, somewhere around week three, the crying starts, or the stomachaches, or the flat refusal to get in the car. If you've been through a back-to-school honeymoon followed by a hard crash, this episode is about setting things up so the crash doesn't take the whole year with it. We talk about treating your back-to-school plan as scaffolding rather than a set of rules: something you build to help you climb, and something you're allowed to rearrange in October when it stops fitting. Full transcript We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail Especially with younger dyslexic kids who are struggling with reading, getting them to sit down and do their homework or practice reading can be a struggle. As parents, we walk a fine line knowing that they need to do this work, but also knowing that it's challenging. In this episode we give you five specific tips for making this go a little more smoothly! Full transcript . We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail In the world of reading instruction, phonics has long been hailed as a cornerstone for teaching children to read, particularly for those with dyslexia. However, a recent article raises an important question: is there a limit to how much phonics can help as students progress into middle school? In this episode, we'll explore the insights from that article and discuss the implications for our dyslexic kids. Here's the article in the Hechinger Report that prompted this discussion. And here's the 2001 meta-analysis study about phonics Full transcript We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail Listen to one of our most popular episodes from Season 1! Here are the ten most important things that you should know about dyslexia! Full transcript . We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail Haiyu Zhang grew up in China and moved to the US as a teenager. Full transcript . We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail We'll be back with a fresh episode in two weeks, but in the meantime, here's one of our most popular episodes from Season 1! We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wished that you could sit down with your child's pediatrician and talk about dyslexia, neurodiversity, and parenting? Well, this is your chance! We recently enjoyed a conversation with Dr. Kristen Cook, pediatrician and author, about neurodiversity, dyslexia, the role of pediatricians, and the general parenting challenges that come with parenting neurodiverse kids. Kristen Cook, MD is a pediatrician and author of "Parenting Redefined: A Guide to Understanding and Nurturing Your Child's Behavior to Help Them Thrive." You can find Dr. Cook at https://www.kristencookmd.com/, and you can find her book at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FZLV5TY4. We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail Do dyslexics think backwards? Kind of. Based on an article in Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide's February 2026 Dyslexic Advantage newsletter (https://7ca50762.flowpaper.com/February2026Newsletterfinalcompressed/#page=6), we explore why many dyslexic thinkers start with the end in mind and work backward, building mental models instead of following step-by-step procedures. And here is the podcast episode that Nick mentioned: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fundamental-tension-at-the-heart-of-math/id1021340531?i=1000760017533 or https://open.spotify.com/episode/1CdX7qShEDhBSqQK76wDlM?si=fZ09jz4VSlKF_2Oh3dCtZA We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a child born with severe dyslexia and a life-threatening diagnosis refuses to accept his limits? JT Mestdagh's answer: you climb mountains. JT is the author of No Bad Days and founder of the JT Mestdagh Foundation. Born with VATER/VACTERL syndrome and severe dyslexia, he was told there was much he'd never accomplish — including learning to read. In this episode, JT shares how dyslexia shaped his worldview, what it took to push past labels, and how he now helps kids find their own path forward. If you're a parent or educator looking for hope and real-world perspective on dyslexia, this episode is for you. JT Mestdagh Foundation: jtmestdaghfoundation.org No Bad Days (Simon & Schuster): https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/No-Bad-Days/JT-Mestdagh/9781637632819 We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail The dictionary says dyslexia is about reading. We say that's just the beginning. After many years of parenting a child with dyslexia, and over three years of doing this show, we break down what the standard definitions miss, from the strengths no one talks about to how it shapes everyday life. We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail A recent Atlantic article revealed that nearly 40% of Stanford undergraduates receive disability accommodations — and the takes have been bad ever since. In this episode, we break down what the outrage gets wrong, why the 40% number actually makes sense, and why the real question isn't 'why so many students?' but 'why is the system designed this way?' Here's the original Atlantic article, "America’s colleges have an extra-time-on-tests problem” by Rose Horowitch, published on Dec 2, 2025. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/01/elite-university-student-accommodation/684946/ (non-paywalled version): https://archive.ph/gFRz4 Here are the other two articles we reference: https://reason.com/2025/12/04/why-are-38-percent-of-stanford-students-saying-theyre-disabled/ https://ca.news.yahoo.com/40-stanford-undergrads-receive-disability-155441769.html (non-paywalled version): https://archive.ph/gFRz4 We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail Coral PS Hoh, Ph.D., is a clinical linguist with a Ph.D. in Linguistics. For the past 30 years, she has worked with children and adults with dyslexia, learning disabilities, and other language-related disorders. The U.S. and other countries granted her AI patents for the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders. She is an author and referee for peer-reviewed journals and the architect of Dysolve® AI (https://dysolve.ai/), the first autonomous AI system for neurodevelopmental disorders. We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail Listen to Nick's diatribe in defense of "creative" spelling! We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail What does it look like to build a successful career with dyslexia? In this episode, entrepreneur Jeffrey McCain shares how dyslexia shaped his thinking, the challenges he faced in school and business, and why he now sees dyslexia as a competitive advantage. Whether your child is struggling with self-confidence or you’re looking for role models to share with them, Jeffrey’s story will inspire your whole family. Find Jeffrey at jeffreylmccain.com. If this episode resonated, please leave a review — it helps other dyslexia parents find us! You can find Jeffrey online at https://www.jeffreylmccain.com/. You can purchase his book at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZX35GYD/. We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail You can find the Summerbell Reading Method online at https://www.summerbell.com/ We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail In case you missed it, please enjoy one of our favorite episodes of this past year! I don’t want to bury the lede, so here’s the link to the new ROAR@Home online literacy test that your child can take for free! https://roar.stanford.edu/homesignup/ The full interview is well worth a listen as well. Dr. Jason Yeatman is an Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Education and Department of Psychology at Stanford University and the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. As the director of the Brain Development and Education Lab, the overarching goal of his research is to understand the mechanisms that underlie the process of learning to read, how these mechanisms differ in children with dyslexia, and to design literacy intervention programs that are effective across the wide spectrum of learning differences. His lab employs a collection of structural and functional neuroimaging measurements to study how a child’s experience with reading instruction shapes the development of brain circuits that are specialized for this unique cognitive function. You can read more about Dr. Yeatman at https://psychology.stanford.edu/people/jason-yeatman We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !

Send us Fan Mail We're Sonja and Nick — parents of a dyslexic kid and your guides on this journey. We created Dyslexia Journey because we know how isolating it can feel when your child struggles with reading and school isn't helping. Every episode brings practical strategies, expert interviews with psychologists, educators, and reading specialists, plus real stories from dyslexic adults who've thrived. Whether you're a parent navigating diagnosis, IEPs, and accommodations, or a dyslexic adult looking for community — this show is for you. Got a question or a guest idea? Reach out at parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.com . You can find complete episode transcripts on our website , as well as a list of Dyslexia Resources and summaries of Dyslexia Research . Also check out our YouTube channel !