“I’m Not Stupid” — The Dyslexia Scars We Carry | Bernadette Haigh

At 10 years old, Bernadette Haigh was made to stand in front of a classroom of children and explain why she was repeating the school year.

Her answer?

“I can’t read.”

The shame from that moment stayed with her for decades.

Today, Bernadette is a proud dyslexic, mum, author, mentor and founder of Daring Dyslexic helping parents protect something that can so easily be lost when a child struggles at school: their belief in themselves.

In this episode of Thick No More, Bernadette and I have a very personal conversation about growing up dyslexic, being labelled by education, bullying, parenting neurodivergent children and the damage that can be done when a child starts believing they're stupid.

We also get into:

• Why confidence can matter as much as academic intervention
• The signs that a child's self-esteem may be disappearing
• Why parents shouldn't blame themselves for spotting dyslexia late
• Why Bernadette doesn't share school grades with her children
• The pressure on parents to become advocates, educators and even legal experts
• Whether calling dyslexia a “superpower” can sometimes do more harm than good
• Why understanding your dyslexia can completely change the story you've been telling yourself

And Bernadette shares the moment, aged 35, when she finally received her own dyslexia diagnosis and one thought immediately came into her head:

“So I'm not stupid.”

If you're dyslexic, raising a dyslexic child, teaching one, or supporting someone who is struggling to believe they're capable, this conversation matters.

🎙️ Thick No More with Jay Giddens

Because learning to read matters.

But making sure a child doesn't lose themselves along the way matters too.