Show Notes:
Dyslexia: is it a disability, or a hidden strength?

In this powerful episode of the Water Prairie Chronicles podcast, host Tonya Wollum sits down with a remarkable mother-son team, Lynn and Jonathan Greenberg, to discuss their journey with dyslexia and their inspiring children’s book, “Robby the Dyslexic Taxi and the Airport Adventure.”

Lynn shares her early struggles navigating the education system, facing dismissive educators, and ultimately finding a school that truly understood Jonathan’s learning differences. Jonathan opens up about the emotional challenges of his early years, the frustration of feeling “different,” and how art became his powerful form of self-expression.

Discover how their shared experiences led to the creation of “Robby,” a character designed to empower children with dyslexia and spark important conversations about neurodiversity. Learn about the importance of representation in children’s literature and the incredible impact their book has had on kids who finally feel “seen.”

Jonathan also discusses how he went from a frustrated child, to a student getting his MFA at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago.

Lynn and Jonathan offer invaluable advice for parents, educators, and anyone seeking to understand and support individuals with dyslexia. They emphasize the importance of trusting your instincts, advocating for your child, and recognizing the hidden strengths that come with learning differences.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The early signs of dyslexia and how to navigate the diagnosis process.
• The emotional impact of dyslexia on children and the importance of finding supportive communities.
• How art can be a powerful tool for self-expression and communication.
• The importance of representation in children’s books and how stories like “Robby” can make a difference.
• Practical advice for parents on advocating for their children’s needs.
• The power of extended time as an accommodation.
• Information about their upcoming books.

Key Takeaways: How Dyslexia Became This Family’s Hidden Superpower!

• Dyslexia as a Strength: The interview highlights how dyslexia can be reframed as a “hidden superpower,” fostering unique ways of thinking and expression, particularly through art.
• Art as an Outlet: For individuals with dyslexia, art serves as a crucial and powerful outlet for self-expression, communication, and processing emotions, contributing significantly to well-being and personal growth.
• Empowering Through Representation: Books like “Robby the Dyslexic Taxi” play a vital role in empowering neurodivergent children by providing characters they can relate to, helping them feel seen and understood.
• Advocacy is Key: Parents must trust their instincts and be persistent advocates for their children with dyslexia, ensuring they receive the necessary accommodations and support within the education system.
• Nurture Unique Talents: Focusing on and nurturing the individual strengths and creative talents of children with dyslexia is essential for their confidence and overall development.

Buy the book! https://amzn.to/4hRUU40

(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Connect with Lynn and Jon:

• 👉Instagram: @creativecabcompany

• 👉Facebook: @Creative Cab Co.

• 💻Website: https://creativecabcompany.com/

Check out this related episode: Episode #40: (Dyslexia Can’t Stop Me!)

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Music Used:

“LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

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Episode #121: How Dyslexia Became This Family’s Hidden Superpower!

Dyslexia: is it a disability, or a hidden strength?

(Recorded July 9, 2024)

Full Transcript of Interview:

Tonya: What if the very thing your child struggles with could unlock their greatest potential?

Today’s guest, Lynn and Jon Greenberg are a mother and son duo who have navigated the world of dyslexia in a unique way, and they’re here to share their journey and tell you about a new book that features a dyslexic main character.

Lynn is a dedicated advocate for children and neurodiversity, whose journey took a personal turn when her son, Jonathan, was diagnosed with dyslexia.

Jonathan is currently working on his MFA at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago.

Welcome to the Water Prairie Chronicles, a podcast for parents of children with disabilities.

I’m your host, Tonya Wollum, and I’m glad you’re here. 

Lynn and Jonathan, welcome to Water Prairie.

Lynn: Hi. Thanks for having us.

Jon: It’s a pleasure being here.

Tonya: I thought we would start our interview today by talking about your experiences as mother and as as son. In the early years, and then we’ll move into what you’re doing now and what I call the meat of it.

I’ll give you a little teaser. Those that are on the video, this is part of what we’ll be talking about in a few minutes. So if you hear referrals to it, this is, this is what it is. So more, more to come on that. Lynn, I’m gonna start with you. So with dyslexia, a lot of times parents may not pick up on anything.

When did you first start seeing that Jonathan might have dyslexia or maybe you were just questioning that there was something about his learning that was different?

Lynn: Jon is my youngest of four children, um, and so I certainly know that every person, every child has a different learning sort of strategy and for me, I noticed that Jon could remember so many things.

He could remember every Thomas the Tank Engine’s name, but he couldn’t tell you that Thomas started with the letter T, and you know, he didn’t wanna sing the a b, C song. There was just sort of an incongruity, because I knew he was smart. I knew he could remember, but when it came to just trying to spell things or to learn how to read.

It was a total disconnect and I really did not know anything about dyslexia except, you know, I’d heard about it but really didn’t know. And, you know, unfortunately, the, his educators didn’t know what was going on with him. Um, you know, he’s a boy, he’s not that smart, and I sort of had an uphill battle and I had to ask a lot of questions.

And try to do some research and you know, keep in mind, that was before Google and the internet. So I’d go to the library and I’d ask questions and I’d talk to a friend who’s a pediatrician, and slowly it kind of occurred to me that maybe he was dyslexic and I found someone who would test him because the school wouldn’t.

And that’s how we figured out that Jon was classic dyslexic.

Tonya: Our listeners, some of them have, have heard the story with, with the same timeframe with my son. Did you have any pushback from the school that because it was dyslexia, they would not. Give him any, any services or extra help.

Lynn: They not only wouldn’t, they just wouldn’t even test him.

At first, they kept saying I was crazy. You know, he was the problem. He needed to stay back. Right. And I was like, Uhuh, nope. That doesn’t sit right with me. I know it’s not right. And then when I had him tested the school was like, nah, you know, we can sort of pull him out, but maybe we should do our own testing.

I’m like, yeah, too little, too late. We asked you to do that before. And they really, they just couldn’t. And even the learning differences, uh, teacher said to me, I just, I can’t help him. I don’t know enough about dyslexia. And so we had to look around. And there’s a school that’s about 45 minutes away from us that just teaches kids who are dyslexic or have a language-based learning issue.

And, um, we applied and kept our fingers crossed, and then we made a family decision once Jon did get in, you know, had to go about that because as I said. You know, Jon has three older siblings and this was gonna be a drive, you know, and it’s a private school. So we made a family decision that I would drive him and pick him up and we’d eat peanut butter and, you know, a lot of peanut butter.

And we, you know, came together as a family and Jon went to the Windward School, which was a real gift.

Jon: Uh, yeah, I don’t think I’d be where I am today without it.

Tonya: Looking back, do you remember those early years as far as how, how you felt in some of that?

Jon: They were very frustrating for a number of reasons.

Starting off by the fact that me realizing automatically I was quote unquote different from people really threw a wrench in my sense of confidence. It made me angry, uh, it caused me to act out. It caused me to feel depressed ’cause I didn’t really know how to fix it. And before I was diagnosed, I didn’t know.

I, I just thought I was, uh, what everyone was calling me slow. And so once I found out I was dyslexic, there was, uh, like a burst of, oh, it’s not me. It’s something I can’t control. Then came the actual anxiety of, so how do I fix this? Can I even, but. It was a struggle at first, but I’m still glad that I have dyslexia.

’cause without it, I think I’d be in a far different path than I am now. ’cause it made me want to draw and express myself ’cause I couldn’t with words.

Tonya: I was gonna ask you about the public school setting when you were younger, but you were in a private school. But I do wanna know, Jonathan, you were also.

I’m assuming in community groups or community activities, whether it was church or sports or clubs or something, did you do anything like that when you were young?

Jon: When I was a senior in high school, I was the vice president of the student body, and so I did some student government things. Over the years, past couple of years now, I’ve mostly worked on my practice in art.

I’m getting my MFA. And I’m working on this future book. So prior to that I was in charge of a animation club. We just watched stuff, so it wasn’t exactly like we were animating. ’cause that’s a whole different can of worms. But I’ve done a lot of sort of club activities, events, planning, that sort of stuff.

Tonya: Now those that you just mentioned were when you were older, when you were in elementary age, did you, did you participate in community events?

Jon: Um. Not really. Other than that, no.

Lynn: The school was so far away, it was like an hour away. And they also wanted the kids to participate in, um, different group activities together.

So they would, um, because everybody came from a. Geographic distance. And so all the kids at this, at the Winward School would participate in a, a sport or a club together. And so by the time he got home, it was pretty late. He, he did go to religious school, um, and then afterwards he went, we debated, he absolutely could have come back and gone into the public school, but he.

Was so artistic and expressed himself that way that he ended up going to another private school. So that was his community and that’s what he participated in. A lot of those activities as well.

Tonya: So there, what I was trying to get at was a lot of our listeners, their kids are gonna be in a public school setting and, um, and so you mentioned earlier about some of the anxiety that you were feeling when you were really young with, um, realizing that, okay, now there’s a, there’s a label for this, there’s a reason, but how do I fix it?

Um, I was curious how you interacted with your neighbors or with friends outside of school if you, if you had those, those peer-to-peer interactions when you were younger. Can you think of any situations, well though though you did mention religious school, so you were in an environment that was not a special needs environment where you had that built in support.

Did you, did you have any difficulty in making friends outside of your school or being involved with other activities?

Jon: I mean, yeah, mostly for a few reasons, including the fact that because I couldn’t really read or write that, that automatically threw out a bunch of options of things I could do with people.

But even then, I still just was very easily frustrated because I felt like nothing was going my way. So I like would do things like kick down cans of. Like those solo cups that people were trying to stack into a pyramid. I, I, I was, I was, I had outbursts. I was very frustrated and I didn’t know anyone else who could really commiserate with me.

And while I had parents who supported me at the time before I was diagnosed, they didn’t really know what to do either. So it was a bit of a toss up and difficult. But once we figured out what it was, how to fix it, and I started to show progress, I, I never really had those outbursts again. That’s when I started making friends.

Tonya: I appreciate you sharing that because I think it’s important that we recognize that when we see a child who has “bad behavior,” okay, the assumption. Most of the time is, all right, so you’re kicking over this thing. You’re just a mean kid, you know. But if we can look behind the behavior and try to see is, is this anxiety, is this anger, is it frustration?

You know, most kids do not just grow up thinking, I’m just gonna be the mean kid, or I’m just gonna be the bully. You know, there’s, there’s usually something behind that behavior, and my challenge to everyone is, let’s see behind it and see what’s causing it. Because what I usually see as a hurting kid, but we don’t always know, there’s not always an easy fix.

It’s not always easy to identify what it is. And you as that child kicking over the solo cups, probably didn’t know yourself why you’re doing it. You just knew you didn’t feel good, and maybe that made you feel better. I don’t know.

Jon: I mean, it didn’t but it in the moment, I thought that that pretty much was my line of thinking.

Yeah.

Lynn: I, I think a lot of, a lot of parents, a lot of people say, you know, how did you know? And I, you know, as we talked about, I, I, you know, watched my other children and, um, sort of saw the difference. But I think it’s really, really important to not just listen to the, to the verbal cues, but the nonverbal cues.

I think there are so many kids who are, have a learning difference. Uh, that are very frustrated because they feel misunderstood or feel that they’re being teased. And I think as you said, you know, I, I think it’s really important to look past that and say, I, I know my child. This kid is not a bad kid. He’s, he’s, something’s going on.

He’s frustrated, he’s embarrassed, he’s something. And I think it’s so important. I always say, please, you know, please listen to, you know, all of it. And, and not just listen, but watch I. And I think that’s so important.

Tonya: We’ve had so many conversations with guests, and we go back to this almost every conversation.

Parents, you know your child better than anyone else. You know that they can be loving children. You know that they have those great connections with you and you’re their best advocate if you can’t speak up and help them. By asking these questions, by getting them connected. No one else can do that for you.

You’ve gotta be the one that starts it because you see that frustration and um, and as a parent, you wanna fix it. You wanna help them find peace. Um, so I mean, I always speak for myself with, with 2, 2, 2 children for very different reasons. We went through very, very similar experiences as, as you’re describing here too.

And it’s frustrating as a parent ’cause you don’t have the answers. However, we’re looking at you today, Jonathan, and we’re seeing that there is an answer here, and this is what I love. So you’ve mentioned that you’re working on your MFA, you’re in Chicago, is that correct?

Jon: That is correct, yes. I going to the School of Art Institute in Chicago.

Tonya: So how did you get into art? How did that start for you?

Jon: Well, it started because. When I couldn’t read or write, the only sort of book that made even limited sense to me were picture books, because I could look at the images and get a rough idea of what exactly was going on in the story was that perfect?

Not by a launch shot, but it was something. And so eventually that sort of urge to find these things grew into something different in that. Soon I wanted to actually create those images that other people couldn’t look at. So I found the best way to really express myself was through my art. And while now I can read and write, that feeling is never really left.

It’s just changed priorities, I guess, into a more important place. And so now my dream is to make work that really connects with. The viewer on a level, a very personal level.

Lynn: I know I’m prejudice, but it’s really, the art is enchanting. The pictures are adorable. And, um, so, so that’s how the story story grew from, from our experiences of, of trying to create more and trying to.

Find a platform for younger children who haven’t seen themselves in some of these books, you know, to see themselves. And as we’ve gone on, we’ve, you know, done readings and, um, book signings. And that’s been the biggest, you know, I. Bit of excitement from everybody. It is like, oh my gosh, I never saw myself in a book.

And there I am. And you know, I feel seen. So we’ve, we’ve been really happy that, that the book has grown into something that a lot of people can appreciate.

Tonya: Well, something I was gonna ask you, Jonathan, is um, why you think it’s important that kids with dyslexia see themselves reflected in characters like Robbie?

Jon: Because it shows them that they’re not alone. When I first. Found out I was dyslexic again. I was, I was happy because I knew it wasn’t, you know what, I wasn’t what people seemed to be putting labels on to me, so, but then it kind of became hit I, I was hit by this. I. Well, now what am I a I, I mean, I clearly, this isn’t something I can control, but how many more people are like me?

Is this just going to be an upward climb by myself? I, I didn’t know, and I was young, and so the whole process was intimidating to put nicely. But as soon as I walked through the school doors and realized that, oh, wait a second, everyone here has some sort of a problem, it just sort of opened up conversations that I.

Uh, you wouldn’t really have anywhere else. So I, I learned not only a lot at that school, but I made a lot of friends who I still talk, talk to today.

Tonya: So I’m looking at the cover here. I don’t know if our viewers can see this or not. What medium did you use to make the pictures?

Jon: Uh, watercolor and watercolor paper.

I hadn’t prior to this, really done watercolor that much because. Many say it is the most cha challenging. I’ve always loved the vibrancy of the colors in watercolor, and I really just wanted to push that for a drawing that was in a book that was supposed to be full of whimsy and adventure. I, I, so I just really wanted to push boundaries, given a sh uh, push my boundaries and give it a shot.

And I don’t regret that at all.

Tonya: Well and you’re able to see the texture paper that you’re using. But I never would’ve guessed that was watercolor. I, I, I’m pretty impressed with that. Listeners, the pictures through this, and I don’t wanna go through the whole thing, but you can, we’re gonna put the link to the book so that those who are looking for it, we’ll be able to find it.

Um, there’s so much detail in there, especially knowing now that it’s watercolor that, that’s pretty impressive. I. On that. And the story itself is really a sweet story. It’s, um, it’s fun. Your kids will enjoy hearing the story, um, especially if you have someone into cars and trucks and, and all it’s, um, and planes even show up in this.

There’s, there’s all kinds of things. Um, but I wanted to ask, how did you come up with the taxi and airport theme?

Jon: Well. This woman here was a huge help for multiple reasons. Not only just eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while I was going to school for quite a long amount of time. She was the person who got me to school, and that was like a 45 minute drive on a good day.

And so in many respects, without her, I wouldn’t have gotten to that school at all and learned to read and write. So part of the idea of the taxi came from this sort of knowledge that sometimes you need a little, it is from me giving acknowledgement to my mom for everything she did. And also on another note also, this going back to me for years, I couldn’t tell my lefts and my rights apart, and it wasn’t until I sort of learned the little.

Uh, cheat of if you put both hands out, one makes an L and that’s the left and the other makes a backwards l and that’s the right. And so I started using that and now I can tell left to right like anyone else, but because of that, we thought, how would a cab who has trouble figuring these things out, get customers to where they need to go, especially if we can’t read the street signs.

So all of that combined to sort of create this. This character of Robbie. So a lot of personal experience.

Tonya: I like that. So listeners, you just heard a little teaser there. So we have a taxi who can’t read and he’s trying to get to the airport.

Lynn: We were told at the beginning, drop the word dyslexia, and we were like, why?

That’s, that’s our target audience. And, and we were, yeah. So we were so glad that we didn’t listen to some of the. Talking heads and, uh, we kept dyslexia and that’s, I think, been the big selling point, obviously, because people were so excited to, to find out about, you know, this little taxi and what dyslexia is.

Tonya: Well, as, as you say, whether you have a child with dyslexia or not, or have anyone in your life, it’s important that we know what this word means and that we can support those who are, are working through dyslexia. And there’s no, as you see Jonathan here, there’s no reason not to work through this.

Lynn: Absolutely.

Tonya: So parents and grandparents that are listening, um, keep in mind this is gonna be a great idea for a gift for a child in your life. Um. One for your own library to be able to read. If you have any teachers in your life, it’d be a fantastic resource to have on their bookshelf, especially elementary teachers, to be able to have some diversity in their reading so that kids who come through the years can identify with us.

So before we finish the interview portion, listeners, I’ve been giving each of my guests this season a series of statements that they are going to pass on advice to you by repeating the statement and then finishing it for us. And, um, Lynn and Jonathan have both agreed to, to do this for me. So I’m gonna kind of alternate which one I’m asking to repeat for me.

So listen to this, you’ll, you’ll get some ho hopefully some fun and some encouraging tips out of this. So Jonathan, I’m gonna start with you. The first statement is,

every child with dyslexia needs to know that …

Jon: they are not alone. That having dyslexia does not make them any less than anyone else.

That in fact, having it can be a superpower. Some of the most creative people I know all have dyslexia. They have used their, what many called a disability to not only their advantage, but superseded that. And I think you should all know that you are special, you are cared for. And don’t fear the future.

Tonya: We can just stop right there.

That’s, that’s perfect answer right there. But we’re not, so, Lynn, where going to you now?

Lynn: Okay. Hit me with it.

Tonya: You have a little tougher one here. The biggest misconception about dyslexia is.

Lynn: that, uh, someone with dyslexia is not intelligent. Most of the people I know who are dyslexic are so smart, have really superior IQs, and having a learning difference does not mean you are less than.

And that’s the biggest misconception. A hundred percent.

Tonya: All right, Jonathan, back to you. The most helpful accommodation I ever used in school was,

Jon: extra time, because there were a lot of points where even though I could read and write fluently I, it would take a little longer to get through things as opposed to other students and so on things like tests and exams. Having that ability to slow down and take my time. Really benefited me in the long run.

Tonya: All right, Lynn, we’re gonna finish with you with, um, if I could tell other special needs parents one thing, it would be,

Lynn: to go with your gut to really listen to your child.

Um, as I said, you know, the verbal and nonverbal cues Know that your child is special and just really keep. Deciding what that child needs, and don’t let the talking heads, don’t let the educators tell you something that doesn’t feel right for you.

Tonya: Those are all great advice. So listeners, I hope you’re taking notes.

If not, rewind a little bit and listen again so you can get all of that. Before we go though, I want to find out what, so we have Robby the Dyslexic Taxi, and this is your first book, correct? And I say first ’cause I’m expecting more. Do you have more books coming out? What’s, what’s in the works?

Jon: Yes. We are currently in the midst of creating a second book in what we’re calling the Creative Cab Company series.

And I won’t spoil too much, but it will involve characters. You’ve seen this first book. And new ones as well. And I don’t know if you wanna add to that, mom.

Lynn: Um, all the characters we’ve decided at the Creative Cab company are going to have a neurodivergent, uh, issue of some sort. And because not just kids with dyslexia, but this next book is going to talk about ADHD and a character.

You know, our, our new character is going to have that. And we think it’s important for lots of different differences to be seen. And so that’s our goal with this series.

Tonya: Yeah, no, I could see that. So, again, listeners, the website we’re gonna link, but, um, shout out your website, your social media so that we can let everyone know how to find you.

Lynn: You can find us on, on Instagram and Facebook. Our website is also, it’s the creative cab company, um, Instagram and Facebook is also, uh, the creative cab company. So if you just type that in, you’ll be able to find us. Um, and we’d love to, you know, have you DM us or on, on the website itself. There’s a way to get in touch with us and we’d really love to hear what you think and, you know, look forward to different conversations with people.

Tonya: Well, thank you. I, I appreciate you sharing your experiences with us. I know sometimes it’s hard to go back to those early years. A lot of times for parents there might be some, some pain that’s there even for our kids, but it’s so important that our young parents hear these stories today and to know that they’re not alone.

There are others who understand, and as Lynn has said, reach out to them if, even if it’s not about their book, Lynn and Jonathan can give you information that I can’t give you. So if you have questions, send it to them. If you would rather come through Water Prairie, send it to me, I’ll forward it to them and, um, and we’ll make sure that, that you’re getting your answers, whatever they may be.

’cause between us, I’m sure we have enough contacts that we can get you to the right person. So thank, thank you both for being here.

Lynn: Thanks for having us.

Jon: It was, it was quite a pleasure. Thank you.

Tonya: I appreciate Lynn and Jonathan sharing their story with us and hope they’ve given you some ideas through their practical advice. Remember, you are your child’s best advocate, and together we can rewrite the narrative surrounding learning differences. If you found this video helpful, please like, comment, and subscribe for more empowering stories, and don’t forget to check the description for links to their book and other resources.

Thanks for being part of Water Prairie. I’ll see you next time.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Dyslexia and Art

Q: How can art be a positive outlet for individuals with dyslexia?

A: Art provides a powerful means of self-expression and communication for individuals with dyslexia, especially when traditional forms of literacy present challenges. It can help build confidence and provide a unique way to process thoughts and emotions, as demonstrated by Jonathan Greenberg’s experience.

Q: What challenges might parents face when advocating for a child with dyslexia in the education system?

A: Parents may encounter resistance or a lack of understanding from educators regarding dyslexia diagnoses and necessary accommodations. It’s crucial to trust your instincts, persist in advocating for your child’s needs, and seek out specialized resources if necessary.

Q: How can children’s books help empower kids with dyslexia and other neurodivergent traits?

A: Books featuring neurodivergent characters, like “Robby the Dyslexic Taxi,” provide much-needed representation, helping children feel “seen” and understood. They can also foster a sense of pride in their unique abilities and promote self-acceptance.

Q: What advice do you have for parents of children with dyslexia?

A: Trust your parental instincts, recognize the hidden strengths and unique ways your child learns, and advocate tirelessly for appropriate accommodations such as extended time. Focus on nurturing their talents and ensuring they feel supported.

Q: Are there more resources available like “Robby the Dyslexic Taxi”?

A: Yes, the “Creative Cab Company” series, which includes “Robby the Dyslexic Taxi,” plans to feature other neurodivergent characters in future books, offering further representation and empowerment for children with various learning differences, including ADHD.