[Guest]

Dyslexia, what a problem... I think that this problem is what makes half the mechanics in the world choose mechanics. I did not go back to college until I was 38 because I remembered how "dumb" I was in High School. You all remember the lines:

He's not trying hard enough.
Hie's bright, we just don't understand why he's not doring better?
He is lazy.
He's not concentrating hard enough.
He never learned the basics.
He's just plain stupid.
He's a special child.
He needs special classes.
He's slow.
He'll never ammount to much.
He'll never get a good job.
He'll never have a normal life.

Well, experts come and go, and theories change with the wind. It's an amazing thing what the human spirit can do when given half a chance. If any of you have kid with dyslexia support them and help them to never hear any of the above tag lines. They can overcome the problem, it won't be easy, but then the measure of the success is defined by the struggle.

Hats off to any of you out there in Jeepdom who have this problem, or one like it and have overcome!

Good Jeepin'

Larry

Leve you hit pretty close to home with your post . Our youngest son has been tested and found to have Dyslexia. We went to a lot of expense to learn this as the school in Yankton would only give us the above reasons he was having a hard time in school. I fear I have his same problems but have never been tested. Had to beat my head against the wall to get any ware on any schooling.
The more I read every ones post the more I see we all have allot in common. This is a bunch that I would love to share a camp fire and a beer with.
Thank you all for putting up with my poor grammar and horrible spelling not to mention getting off track.

 

[13337]

My dyslexia went undiagnosed all through grade school and high school.
I was in the fourth grade before I could write my own name, and the sixth before I could read a comic book. (Shows what out teachers and school support staff is worth...)

I could build a cats' whisker radio and rebuild 1 barrel carburetors before I could read.
In grade school, I took a kids electronics class, and graduated the top of the class.
(I was 9, and the class was for teenagers)

I built several radios, and a couple of TV's before I went to high school. (Anyone remember Heath Kit?)
I was going to all major USAC races, and many of the CART races, and I was the chief mechanics #1 student/ roadie. I could rebuild a sprint car engine by age 15. By age 16, I was building and testing twin turbo engines on my own.
(This is the same time they decided to test me to see if I was too stupid or retarded to stay in school....)

While in my junior year in high school, I was tested for mental retardation because I couldn't keep up with my class.
The I.Q. test showed I was way far from retarded, so the 'lazy' and 'won't apply himself' labels came back with a vengeance.

I joined the Army at 17 just to get away from all of the cruel names and people in this backwoods town I grew up in.
Two days into my first AIT I was sent to the Learning center for testing. Two weeks later I was in training for my dyslexia.
I finished my high school in the military, and continued my education after the military, with no problems.

I have owned a few businesses, and in some circles I'm considered intelligent.
I am a private pilot, and a certified scuba diver, both of which are book learning heavy.
I retired at 34, and I have a couple of homes and most of the toys.

I often wonder how far I could have gone if my teachers in grade school, or high school, my doctor, or any of the other adults that were supposed to be trained to catch this affliction would have done their jobs...

I will not tolerate incompetence in any form to this day...

I still want to take a claw hammer to anyone that even suggests I'm stupid or retarded.
(the true meaning of rage... blind homicidal rage...)

It's a good thing that you had your boy diagnosed early. Maybe the nit-wits that called him stupid haven't done irreparable damage. I can tell you the damage is already permanent, but maybe you can get him help with it so it doesn't become a major factor in his life like it has yours and mine, along with the dyslexia.

He's probably going to be VERY mechanical, most of us are.
I went to SEMA this year, and was talking to an engineering group I had seen several times before.
They asked about our patents on the air ride systems, and we started talking about patents, and about engineering in general....
More than 3/4 of the group were patent holders, and more than 3/4 of the group were dyslexic.
Coincidence? Not for a second! I've never felt so normal in my life!
That bunch could misspell four letter words, but design and build anything!

Good luck with you son. I wish him all the best. And you too.
Aaron.

So many cats, So few recipes....