Tony Ive
Core 122
“I have dis… disleck… dyslec… I can’t spell.” It sounds funny on a t-shirt, but in real life it is not so funny. Hi, my name is Tony Ive and I believe that parents should be supportive of their children, especially if a child has a disability.
During preschool my teachers described me as an “active” child with a lot of energy. In kindergarten the teacher would ask all of us to sit in a circle while she read to us. I was always the one constantly moving, and I could not stay focused no matter how interesting the story was. I felt like I had a remote control in my head and someone kept changing the channels. It was clear to my mom and teacher that this was more than a case of excess energy.
Soon after that I had the opportunity to sit with a therapist and be tested for four hours. The therapist diagnosed me with ADHD and Dyslexia. My mom started taking me to different schools trying to find a match for me. She found a private school for dyslexic students located 45 minutes away. I was transferred a few months into second grade.
During that period my parents had divorced. One of their differences of opinion was whether or not I had dyslexia. Every teacher I ever had said I needed testing and all of the tests confirmed it. My father refused to accept the diagnosis, and refuses to acknowledge it to this day. I believed whatever my father said, but I rarely saw him and desperately wanted his attention.
At my new school I thought that if I was angry enough people would realize that things were better the way they were before. It did not work out that way. Instead, I spent the next three years as an outcast, hating my school and everyone in it. I also began to realize that I did have dyslexia. Middle school was not a fun time either.
Then I started High School and turned over a new leaf. I remember walking down the hall to register for classes and saying to myself “Try smiling and fitting in.” It worked. I got involved with sports, and clubs. I got the academic support I needed from my school as well. I even became student body president, and racked up more awards than I can remember. That is not to say that doing the school work was not hard. Far from it. There were still many late nights trying to do what seemed like the impossible, but I was fortunate to have many people helping me.
I developed a shield to wear everywhere I went, a wall of accomplishments. No one ever knew what I was really feeling. On the out side I was Tony Ive, the nice, good student who would stop and talk to anyone. I had the respect of the whole school. On the inside I struggled thinking about the battle for my father’s acceptance, and wondering if I would be able to finance going to college.
Now I am in college rooming with my best friend. I have a set plan for what I would like to do with my life, I have plenty of support, and I don’t have to think about my father as often. Many of the struggles that came with dyslexia could have been made much less difficult had my father been more supportive. If you are a parent, please think about the messages you send your children. They need your support.