By Anna Woods
SheStrength Perspectives
I have been attending a small group for moms of kids with special needs. At our most recent meeting, I told myself ahead of time not to talk too much. (I can get very passionate about some topics.)
And I walked out scolding myself for what I felt was over-talking, again. But as I was driving home, I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me, saying, “You’ve been through so much with all three of your kids’ needs—your experiences are what others need to know. You can help others avoid all the heartache and struggle you’ve been through. Speak. Share.”
Recently, I messaged with a young mom who shared her frustration with her son’s inability to read and focus in school. In her gut, she feels something’s wrong, but the school has tested her son and says he just needs more tutoring, more time, he just isn’t a good reader, but sits and listens in class.
(insert: my heartache) As this one hits close to home for me…
I sat there for a while after getting her message, as my heart broke for her, knowing our experience and hearing hers. For us, it took five years of my asking for help, being met with statements like, “She’s a good kid, she’s just a low learner,” “She just isn’t trying hard enough,” or “She’s lazy.” And I settled for those statements because they were coming from the school, and if we were being honest, I was overwhelmed with three kids needing separate IEP or 504 plans.
Last winter, I’d finally had enough and was again told nothing was wrong with my child, and that she just isn’t good at reading (when homework took hours, tears, hours of tutoring, and us helping her—just to stay at a low learner level). Her confidence was gone. She was exhausted from tutoring twice a week, taking extra IA classes, and not getting many elective choices during her school day. She didn’t get to have classes with her peers. So her school experience was becoming all about struggle. And after all that, her test scores barely stayed above passing. She reached her breaking point, and so did we.
So we took her to Philips Fundamental Learning Center in Wichita to get a reading analysis done and dyslexia testing. After that, we visited a developmental optometrist and began weekly sessions based on their findings.
And our prayers were finally answered. She had a form of dyslexia, and she had a visual issue called insufficient convergence. Basically, she couldn’t read or see well, which confirmed what my mom gut felt all along. What is wild is that before this, we took her to multiple eye doctors and she passed her vision tests over and over again with 20/20 vision. Apparently, we needed to be asking for a different vision test.
We spent six months doing online dyslexia classes, and traveled to Wichita for vision therapy several days a week. We requested a 504 and a new plan of action.
And she has started making progress. She has started trying to read books. She is passing her math tests with 90-100%. Her confidence is coming back. And school is becoming a favorable experience again, for all of us! We use audio versions of homework, extended time on tests, and assistance when she requests it.
It took me five years before taking things into my own hands, even though in third grade I started asking questions. And I kick myself for being talked out of what my mom gut knew.
So I messaged back and encouraged this mom. I shared our information and story. I told her I’d be praying. I told her to trust her gut and act now. Don’t be talked into waiting another year. Don’t trust school testing alone. Be proactive. Be the crazy mom asking for more for your kid!
In SheSTRENGTH Perspectives, Anna Woods challenges the traditional fitness narrative with a fresh, empowering take on what it truly means to be strong. Each month, Anna shares insights drawn from her experience as a coach, athlete, and business leader—blending practical fitness tips with real-world wisdom about resilience, mindset, and self-worth. This is your monthly dose of strength that goes beyond the gym.