Open up the conversation in a safe, neutral way: “I heard from your teacher you are really loving doing art, and playing really well with the other kids. She said you are really creative in making up cool games to play with the kids in your class. She did say you were finding spelling a bit frustrating too, though. I know words seem really confusing to you, so we’re gonna help you figure this out, okay?” Introduce the disorder clearly: “You know, your frustration with spelling and words is because you have something called dyslexia. Lots of people have dyslexia, and it’s something that makes you see words differently than some other people — you are just as smart as the other kids, and with some extra support we’ll help you learn to read and spell too. We’ll make sure you have extra time to work on words and reading so you don’t feel rushed, since that can be pretty stressful.” Talk about how the school will be supportive: “Your teacher is really great, and she knows some tips for how to help you with some of the frustrations you’re feeling. The school has some special tools for helping people with dyslexia be able to learn in a way that makes sense, and we’ll talk to your teachers and principal to see what else they can do for you.” Speak with your child about how to talk to other kids about their dyslexia: “You know, lots of kids have different things that they struggle with. Dyslexia is one of many disorders that makes it hard to learn, and you can tell the other kids that if they ask. But it’s also okay if you don’t want to talk to other kids about it. If they make you feel bad, say ‘I know I am smart and am good at a lot of things, and it’s okay that my brain works a bit different than yours. Lots of kids need help with different problems.’” Talk to your child about how you will support him/her: “You amaze me every day, and I want you to know I am proud of you. This is just a part of what makes you unique. I will spend extra time with you to learn to read, and to make learning fun. We’ll do this together.” Talk about his/her future: “You have so much to offer, you are special, and I know that despite having dyslexia you are going to do great! Many very intelligent or interesting people have dyslexia, or similar disorders, and I know you’re amazing!”