Eileen

Over the years I have overheard many times that it was such a blessing to have you all as our role models. We quickly learned how we shared so many of the same values and each understood the importance of seeing your children’s strengths no matter how difficult this may seem. Now in adulthood, I am so appreciative of your support, as through my experiences with The NVLD Project I have learned this is relatively uncommon. Sadly, many families are afraid to speak up and be advocates. Thankfully you did and my parents were never worried about asking you questions or seeking your guidance. Read More

While I do think it’s important for NVLD students to be treated the same, I also believe their effort needs to be honored and valued especially when grades are involved. For example, on subjective assignments, say the teacher’s initial grade is D+ but the student always works incredibly hard then the student should earn a C-. This is especially true when the student is close to passing. This being said, I believe this type of treatment must be kept at a reasonable level and not necessarily applied every time as it can come across as treating others differently. Read More

Growing up with an NVLD has brought disappointments, however the ones that bothered me the most, while they seem minor, are the times I was treated differently. What I mean by this is that I was not being treated like my peers in and outside the classroom. This stigmatized me even more. I have always been a firm believer that if you are going to have an “inclusive” classroom or athletic team you must treat everyone the same and keep the expectations the same for everyone to feel included. Read More

Over the years, I have continued to learn more about my challenges and I would like to thank you for understanding me and seeing me as a person, not just having NVLD. In my experience, you truly were the adult who understood the complex challenges of NVLD the best and each session I knew I was going to gain new skills.Yes there was often tension, though with the heart to heart conversations and your empathy, I was able to go cool off and get back on track. Read More

Growing up with an NVLD brings more challenges than people really realize and because it is a misunderstood disability it makes each challenge even harder to overcome. What people don’t realize is that, with deficient fine motor and spatial skills, many of the biggest challenges faced are often outside of the classroom. Often when we think of NVLD as a Learning Disability we don’t always see the full picture outside of school. Read More

People with an NVLD, or any disability for that matter, face many challenges in life including having adult relationships, beyond just those people who admire your determination to do well. During my high school years, these types of relationships were plentiful but after graduation only a few lasted. Read More

As 2020 is almost over, it has made me realize how important having strong personal relationships are to help you navigate life. Personally, I can’t imagine going through the pandemic without the wonderful connections I have. While this can be done, it is difficult for many with an NVLD. These times remind us how they are as important as gaining academic skills. Read More

Growing up with an NVLD in a rural town brought a mixture of positives and negatives. On the positive side, I could really go after my dreams. On the negative side, I was alone as the harder path wasn’t that encouraged. However, now in adulthood I certainly understand how helpful this was. Read More