Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities, Inc.

In her early years, we discovered that our youngest daughter had learning disabilities, short term memory being one of them. I had no problem acknowledging the situation. I did struggle with understanding just what that meant.

Initially, I struggled to understand why she failed to complete simple tasks like emptying the bathroom wastebasket despite being reminded every morning. Then I realized that she could only remember up to three tasks at a time. I adjusted my approach. I used simple sentences with no more than two tasks per sentence. I was mindful that a single sentence ending with “have a good day” translated into an extra task or direction. If it was the fourth one, it wiped her memory clean of all four.

Today, our daughter is facing a similar diagnosis for our grandson. Despite her own success overcoming her LD challenges, she struggles with her son’s needs. This puzzled me.

Over the years, I’ve kept in touch with Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities (SKLD), often referring friends and colleagues to the nonprofit as a valuable source of information and support. Now, I find myself reaching out to them again, but this time for my daughter. They now have parent groups enabling the exchange of information, peer to peer. They are still especially helpful as a supportive advocate and resource for those dealing with pushback from school districts. Now, I can tell you honestly that SKLD even provides support and resources for grandmothers, long since done with battling schools and teachers.

For me, SKLD is like a guiding light through the darkness of fear, uncertainty and the challenges of learning disabilities. I’ve already shared articles and videos with my daughter. I hope one day she feels the same pride I felt when she graduated from high school, then four years later as she walked across the stage at her university’s commencement to receive her bachelor’s degree.

SmartKids offer an opportunity for every parent and educator to learn more about kids with learning differences. There is a mound of information on the website as well as local regular programming and events. I found SmartKids many years ago when going through the IEP process with my daughter and getting frustrated with the system and the jargon. All of the resources that I found through their website and their Executive Director were extremely helpful.

This organization offers so many free resources for families from amazing experts.

It is amazing to watch the work of people in an organization who live their work. I admire this organization for working in the sheer heart of their mission minus ostentation. I attended a Smart Kids With Learning Disabilities gala a year I did not know a soul in the organization and let feeling like I was among friends. The board members were present; however, they did not impress their "status" upon me. Rather, they were sincerely grateful for all in attendance. Moreover, the success stories I heard that evening were real and traceable, not at all bloviated. Jane Ross and team put together the most informative author visits. I am a fan of Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities enough to open my wallet, something not taken lightly by a frugal person.

S.D. Harris

Smart kids is a wonderful organization that was started to empower parents of children with different learning styles . The information is most helpful in giving tips on how you can help your children and gain support for yourself in parenting in a somewhat difficult landscape . The more you know the more you are empowered to help your child. It has been such a huge help for me in parenting my son with ADHD and learning disabilities . I encourage everyone to check it out.