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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
My daughter was struggling to read. A private tutor didn't help, but glasses did.
Our daughter had low reading marks despite having a strong work ethic. We hired a private tutor and doubled her teaching, but neither helped. We finally realized learning wasn't the issue. She couldn't physically see the words. My daughter Rylie loves to get lost in otherworlds. In print, she soars the skies with "Phoebe and Her Unicorn." On screen, she wades through the swaying hand-drawn grass of "Kiki's Delivery Service." And, together, we kick it into hyperspace to cruise the galaxy in "Star Wars." There are no limits to where she's excited to explore. It wasn't always like this, though. Rylie turned 8 this June. Just 14 months ago, she couldn't read. Plus, as we found out later, she had been missing key elements of the worlds that wowed her in books and movies. That all changed with a conversation that had my wife and me wondering how we missed the signs of her struggles for so long. Rylie is an intelligent child. She retains song lyrics and grasps complex game rules. She can quickly end a fight between my wife and me by replaying word-for-word the conversation we had the day before. Yet, at age 6, she could not read. Rylie's teacher raved about her work ethic and overall educational acumen. Rylie clearly had the drive and the tools, yet her reading marks were low. My wife and I could not understand why she struggled. We doubled down with more teaching and hired a private tutor for $60 an hour, once a week. Rylie's language skills improved, but she didn't make a breakthrough with her reading. That changed with one question. The first "aha" moment came one spring day when my wife volunteered in Rylie's first-grade class. After school, I joined them. That's when my wife asked Rylie, "What is the word of the day written on the chalkboard?" Rylie nonchalantly tossed back, "What word?" "What do you mean, 'What word?'" my wife and I asked. "I can't see the words," Rylie said without emotion. Everything came into focus on our end. "Oh! You need glasses!" we said gleefully in unison. We took Rylie to an optometrist who confirmed what we'd suspected: Rylie struggled to read because she struggled to see. The doctor diagnosed her with moderate myopia, aka nearsightedness. After she got glasses, Rylie's reading marks went up from below average to reading at the level of her classmates. Her math and writing marks have also gone up. I wish I'd taken a picture of Rylie putting on her glasses for the first time. She had a permagrin as the world around her shifted into focus. That weekend, we rewatched one of her favorite movies, "Star Wars: A New Hope." During the attack on the Death Star near the end, she hollered out, "Wow, there's so much going on in the background!" My wife and I locked eyes as we realized Rylie's vision kept her from seeing beyond the central characters in movies. It was another aha moment for me. I write about family films for Rotten Tomatoes, SlashFilm, and Not Another Kid Movie. While Rylie has seen many more films than the average child, she's missed a lot of the details. Because of this, we're rewatching a lot of films. Her eyes move from corner to corner in amazement. I watch her dazzled eyes with equal dazzled amazement. Looking back, there's one more clue I didn't notice that other parents should keep an eye out for. Rylie used to get sick on car rides. Sometimes, a mere 20 minutes would make her stomach lurch. The discomfort was caused by a sensory mismatch. Her brain sensed motion, but her eyes struggled to focus on anything outside the car. The more she looked inside than out, the dizzier she got. Now, with her glasses keeping her eyes focused and not blurry, she rarely gets sick, even on Oregon's winding coastal roads. If I could go back, I'd ask my pediatrician for more specialized testing to earn Rylie back several years missed exploring the world around her, both in reality and in her stories. She's making up for it, though. Rylie reads before and after school—graphic novels and chapter books. She asks for movies with powerful cinematography and expansive effects like twisted alien landscapes and bustling animated metropolises, details she couldn't see before. I happily oblige, sharing the fictional worlds I roamed as a kid and getting a tour of the new worlds she's discovered thanks to her new glasses. Read the original article on Business Insider
Arab News
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Global traditions shine at Ithra's Eid festivities
DHAHRAN: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, known as Ithra, attracted more than 50,000 visitors during the Eid Al-Adha holiday, offering a range of activities and programs, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. Visitors of all ages enjoyed more than 31 events, including artistic displays, live performances and interactive experiences under the theme 'The Ribbon of Giving.' Highlights included a concert at Ithra Theater by Egyptian oud virtuoso Islam Al-Qasabgy, known for blending classical Arabic music with modern styles. The 'A Melody from Every Land' event drew large crowds by showcasing diverse Eid customs and traditions from various cultures. The center was beautifully decorated to reflect the spirit of giving. The Ithra Library shared Eid stories exploring different aspects of generosity. The Energy Exhibit featured interactive displays such as 'Nature's Bounty,' 'Treasures from the Desert,' 'Wings of Giving' and 'Wealth of Nature.' In Ithra Gardens, visitors engaged with experiences such as 'The Gift of Storytelling' and 'Pathways of Earth and Palm.' The Children's Museum offered a range of activities, including 'The Kindness Keeper,' 'The Giving Reflection,' 'The Art of Giving,' 'The Eid Journey,' and 'The Gift of Us.' Ithra Cinema screened content featuring the Japanese manga character Chibi Maruko-chan, along with the animated fantasy film 'Kiki's Delivery Service,' subtitled in Arabic. Other festive highlights included a 96 km trek along the historic Hajj trail, reviving stories of persistence and generosity passed down through generations.
Arab News
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Ithra serves up 3 days of festive fun for Eid Al-Adha
DHAHRAN: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture is celebrating Eid Al-Adha with three days of activities. From June 7-9, visitors of all ages can enjoy more than 31 events, including music, storytelling, games and workshops, under the theme 'ribbons of giving.' Many of the activities will be in Arabic but are open to all. Among the highlights will be a concert at Ithra Theater by Egyptian oud virtuoso Islam Al-Qasabgy, who is renowned for blending classical Arabic music with modern styles. Ithra Cinema, meanwhile, will showcase the Japanese manga character Chibi Maruko-chan and also screen the Japanese animated fantasy movie 'Kiki's Delivery Service' with Arabic subtitles. Another screening will be 'Saleeq,' a short animated film about a lonely grandmother who faces a flood after a pot of rice boils over. Among the other festive offerings are a 96 km trek along the historic Hajj trail that revives stories of persistence and generosity echoing across generations. Entry to the center is free but some events are ticketed. The center will be open from 4-11 p.m. during the Eid celebrations.
