All kids do better when they feel good about themselves. Here’s what parents of children with learning disabilities can do to make sure these children develop a positive sense of themselves:

• Be open about the disability. If you can’t accept the disability or if you overreact to it, your child will react the same way.
• Avoid demeaning terms like “hardship” and “burden.” If you perceive the disability as something negative, so will your adolescent.
• Help your child understand her disability. If your teen can’t get information from you, she will try to figure it out alone. Or, she will ask others who may give incorrect answers.
• Avoid comparisons with others. Phrases like, “If John can do it, why can’t you?” focus on an ability your child doesn’t have. They imply that this is something you value and find lacking in your teen.
• Stress positive, coping strategies. Introduce your child to good role models. There are probably many adults with disabilities who live and work right in your community.

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