In this Vital Mercy series, Dr. Brenda Murphy shares letters to help calm the fears, answer the questions and steer parents on a path to successful teaching and learning with struggling learners at home.
Welcome!
It’s going to be okay….It started getting better the moment you clicked the link read this letter. That click took courage. It’s not easy to admit, even to yourself, that your child isn’t learning or developing like other children. It hurts. It hurts “bad” in the deepest part of who you are.
I know; I’ve been there and felt the stabbing, dull heartache when the child of my love and hope and dreams, the precious cherub with happy eyes and tender heart, didn’t get it or fit in with other children.
I know the cycles: anger alternating with acceptance; frustration, with bravery. And the tears. Oh, the tears! They stream uncontrollably and salty down our cheeks moments after we take off the stoic mask we’ve worn all day. We don’t want anyone to know that we really don’t know what to do and feel so overwhelmed by the burden of it. The tears offer just enough relief for the next round of being not only my child’s mother (or father) but also her teacher and therapist.
Lord, help me!
Whether you’ve yelled or whispered those words, be assured that He will answer your cry with comfort and help and understanding Vital Mercy is a start. The purpose of this series is to encourage, guide, and offer informed hope for you and other families with children who learn, behave, and develop differently from their peers.
Oh, for the joy set before you! Don’t see any joy? I’m not surprised. Over twenty years ago, I too experienced the grief and dismay at a child struggling to learn. I did not know what to do but cry and pray. Over time, those prayers were answered and since then I have been privileged to know hundreds of the parents who share a similar story. Together we labored to find ways to change the course of our children’s lives. And, you can, too.
The writers of this series know from first-hand experience the storms and tears, the victories and celebrations of teaching and working with children who learn differently.
Our goal is to provide practical and proven help and direction for parents and teachers of struggling learners as well as words of hope and encouragement.
We also invite your questions and stories. We grow strong together sharing our stories and getting to know each other. In fact, there’s a story in the next letter about one family with three of our favorite children.
Looking forward to our journey together,
Dr. Brenda Murphy
Read the next letter, Snapshots of Struggling Learners