Innehållsförteckning för December 2025 från Brain Train

Hello from your slightly overcaffeinated Brain Conductor, now wearing a bright festive hat that keeps sliding over my eyes. December is finally here, and everywhere you look there are fairy lights, warm cookies and a whole lot of chaos at school events. This season is all about lights, and I want to remind you that every dyslexic brain shines in its own way. Some lights sparkle quietly, some burst like fireworks, and some flicker a little when tired, but every one of them matters. Dyslexia is not a limitation, it is a different way of thinking and creating. And trust me, the world needs that kind of magic more than ever. This month, our theme A World of Wonder, Celebrating Your Unique Light is all about embracing the things that…

The Gift of Laughter, Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg is proof that laughter can be powerful and smart at the same time. She is an actress, comedian and talk show host who can make you laugh so hard your stomach hurts and still leave you thinking about what she said hours later. What many people do not know is that she grew up with dyslexia. Reading was tough, school felt confusing, and teachers sometimes thought she was not trying hard enough. But Whoopi never let that stop her. She found her strength in storytelling, using her voice, humor and facial expressions to make people listen. Instead of feeling embarrassed, she used her difference to create characters no one could forget. From Sister Act to The View, Whoopi has shown that dyslexia…

Tell a Story, The Talking Snow Globe Imagine holding a snow globe in your hands, not the boring kind you find on a dusty shelf, but one filled with glowing lanterns, tiny houses and silver snow swirling like magic confetti. This is not just something to look at, it is an invitation to create a story. Who lives inside this snowy world. Maybe a shy snow fox who writes letters to the moon, or a little inventor who builds machines powered by snowflakes. For kids and even grown ups with dyslexia, writing can sometimes feel like climbing a tall mountain in slippers. But storytelling does not need perfect spelling or fancy words, it needs curiosity, a sense of fun and maybe a sprinkle of bravery. So shake the globe in…

Q: Why did the snowman use voice-to-text for his holiday cards? A: Because spelling “snowflake” kept melting his brain. Q: What did the elf say when the letters kept dancing on the page? A: Guess my brain is doing a Christmas conga again. Q: Why did Lucas write his wish list in doodles instead of words? A: Because pictures never mix up their letters. Q: Why did the gingerbread kid not worry about spelling mistakes? A: Because icing fixes everything. Q: How did the reindeer finish reading the storybook? A: One wobbly word and three cookies at a time. Q: Why did the kid with dyslexia volunteer to decorate cards instead of write them? A: Sparkles do not need spellcheck. Q: Why did the snow globe get an A in…

The Gift of You: Make It, Don't Write It! Not every gift needs long letters or perfect spelling. Sometimes the best gift is made with your hands, your heart and maybe a little glitter stuck in your hair. For kids and even teens with dyslexia, writing cards or long messages can feel tiring. But that does not mean you cannot show love. You can record a video message, look into the camera, smile and say what you feel in your own voice. Or make a playlist of songs that remind you of that person, from silly tunes to cozy winter tracks. It is still a gift, just a musical one. If you like making things, try painting a rock with bright colors or a tiny holiday scene. Bake some cookies,…

Share Your Light This season has been full of glitter, glue, last minute gift wrapping and maybe a few burnt cookies. Now it is time to celebrate the heart behind all of it. For our January issue, we want to feature your family’s creativity. If your child made their own wrapping paper, crafted a handmade ornament or designed something uniquely theirs, we want to see it. Dyslexia often brings big imagination and visual thinking, and we believe those gifts deserve a spotlight. It does not need to be perfect. It just needs to be real, made with care and maybe a little mess on the kitchen table. So grab your camera or phone and send us a photo of your creation. So grab your camera or phone and send us…

Finding Your Sparkle in the Holidays. The holidays are filled with lights, music, guests and that one aunt who keeps asking if the homework is finished. It is fun but it can also get loud, tiring and honestly a bit too much sometimes. For kids and grown ups with dyslexia, the busy season can make your brain feel like it is juggling fairy lights and dropping half of them. Here is the thing, you do not have to be perfect to shine. Take small breaks when your head feels full, sit in a quiet room, read a page slowly, draw your thoughts or just breathe and stare at the ceiling, that counts as a brain reset. Dyslexia does not make you less, it just means your brain learns and creates…

Meet Leo, the Holiday Helper This month, we meet eleven year old Leo Carter from Maplewood, a small town where everyone knows everyone and holiday cards fill every mailbox. Except, Leo always found writing those cards to be the hardest part of December. He has dyslexia, so words often jumble up or vanish from his head right when he needs them. Instead of giving up, he came up with his own genius plan. He draws comic strip cards. Bright, funny and filled with characters wearing Santa hats and snow boots, each card tells a tiny story without needing many words. Q, Leo, how did this idea start? A, I was trying to write Merry Christmas for Mrs Patterson next door, and it looked like a spelling puzzle gone wrong. So…

Holiday Helpers The holidays are fun until your brain remembers there are emails to send, cards to write and relatives asking why you have not replied yet. For people with dyslexia, all those words and deadlines can make December feel more stressful than joyful. That is where tech becomes your friendly elf. Voice to text tools can help you speak instead of type, letting your thoughts flow naturally without worrying about spelling. Need to enjoy a classic holiday story but reading feels tiring. Audiobooks are your best buddy. You can listen while decorating cookies, wrapping gifts or just relaxing on the couch. Want to send holiday cheer without facing a blank card. Try simple animation or digital card making apps. You can draw, add music or record your voice wishing…

Cozy Connections The holidays are not about perfect plans or picture ready homes, they are about moments that make you feel warm inside. Cozy Connections is a space for families to slow down and enjoy activities that do not need fancy tools or perfect spelling. Families with dyslexic children or parents know that some holiday tasks like reading long recipes or writing cards can bring stress instead of joy. So this section focuses on the fun stuff. Storytelling around a blanket fort, baking cookies where measuring is more memory than math, board games you can play using humor instead of heavy rules. These activities celebrate strengths like imagination, big picture thinking and creativity, the things dyslexic minds are great at. Here, no one cares if a word is spelled sideways…

Peace on Earth (and at Your Dinner Table) Holidays are supposed to feel magical, but let us be honest, sometimes they feel more like a marathon with glitter and burnt cookies. For parents of children with dyslexia, this season can come with extra pressure. Relatives ask how reading is going, someone comments about spelling at the dinner table, and suddenly your mashed potatoes go cold. It is okay to set gentle boundaries. You can say, we are focusing on progress, not perfection. School is on break, and so is our stress about grades. This season is about family, not test scores. Big family gatherings can be noisy and overwhelming. Your child might need a quiet break, and that does not mean they are being rude. Find a calm corner with…

Spreading Wonder, The Empathy of Director Palacio R.J. Palacio, the author of Wonder, is known worldwide for writing a story that made people cry, smile and rethink kindness. But what most people do not know is how deeply her own life shaped that story. Palacio grew up struggling with dyslexia, often feeling out of place in classrooms where words danced around on the page and letters refused to stay where they should. Instead of letting it break her confidence, she turned to art and storytelling, where pictures and emotions made more sense than spelling tests. Her own quiet battle with reading made her sensitive to the feelings of children who felt different or left out. The true spark for Wonder came from her son, who also lives with dyslexia. Palacio…

The Fun-Derland Express All aboard The Fun Derland Express, where learning takes a holiday break and puts on fuzzy socks. This section is not about tests or heavy books. It is about games, puzzles and brain teasers that feel like play, not work. For kids and even grown ups with dyslexia, learning can feel exhausting sometimes, like words are doing backflips on the page. That is why this space is made different. No stress about perfect spelling or neat handwriting, just fun that secretly trains the brain to think sharper, remember better and grow stronger. Each activity in this section is like a tiny adventure. You might crack secret codes, solve snowy riddles or draw your thoughts instead of writing them. And parents, you are welcome to join in too,…

The Best Gift of All Lucas had always loved the holiday season. The lights, the songs, the warm cinnamon cookies his grandmother baked. But this year he was nervous. His best friend Emma always made beautiful holiday cards with perfect writing and glitter in straight lines. Lucas had dyslexia, and words never sat where he wanted them. So he decided to make a gift instead. He collected old buttons, scraps of fabric and tiny bells and spent three evenings creating a small handmade snow globe scene inside a jar. The snow looked a bit lumpy, and the paint on the little house smudged when he sneezed, but his heart was in every tiny detail. The morning of the gift exchange, Lucas felt his stomach twist like cold spaghetti. He saw…

Holiday Fun for Everyone, A Blueprint for Joy Holidays do not need to be packed with perfect plans or long to do lists. This guide is for families who want joy without stress, especially when reading and writing tasks can feel heavy. Dyslexia can make simple holiday things like writing cards or reading game rules a bit tricky, but that does not mean the fun stops. Try building a blanket fort, throw in pillows, snacks and pick a movie everyone loves. No reading, just comfort. Or go for a light spotting walk in your neighborhood. Count the houses with glowing lights, laugh at the funny ones and vote for the best. It is simple but magical. If your family loves games but not heavy instructions, try holiday charades. Act out…

The Gift of Self Advocacy, Setting Goals for the New Year Q, How can parents start a gentle conversation about the past semester without making their child feel judged? A, Dr. Melissa Harper, educational therapist, says, start with kindness, not with grades. Sit with your child, maybe with hot chocolate, and ask, what made school easier, what made it harder. Focus on effort, not mistakes. Kids with dyslexia already carry a lot of pressure. Instead of saying, why did you struggle with spelling, try saying, I saw how hard you tried, what can we do together to make it easier next time. This builds trust instead of fear. Q, How do we set goals without making them feel like punishments or homework disguised as hope? A, Dr. Harper explains, goals…