Complex Kids, Simple Solutions
Complex Kid, Simple Solutions is the go-to podcast for parents raising neurodivergent and medically complex kids. Hosted by Michelle Choairy, a seasoned advocate and mom of a complex child, this podcast delivers clear, actionable strategies to help you navigate the chaos with confidence.
Each episode breaks down overwhelming challenges into simple, practical solutions—whether it’s advocating for your child, navigating the school system, or finding the right support team. You’ll hear expert insights, real-life stories, and empowering advice to help you become your child’s best advocate while keeping your own sanity intact.
Because raising a complex kid is hard—but finding solutions doesn’t have to be.
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Complex Kids, Simple Solutions
Rebecca McAllister — Turning Playtime into Phonics Power
In this conversation, Michelle sits down with Active Reader co-founder and former classroom teacher Rebecca McAllister to unpack why so many complex kids (and even their teachers!) still struggle with reading—and how a multi-sensory, five-minute-a-day routine can rewrite that story long before first grade.
Rebecca shares:
- From “good student” to secret struggler. Undiagnosed dyslexia left Rebecca memorizing textbooks and dodging eye-contact with contracts—until Orton-Gillingham training finally “turned the world to color” at age 36.
- Why most classrooms miss the mark. Whole-word cueing relies on memorization; structured literacy rewires the brain by fusing sight, sound, touch, and movement.
- The active-learning blueprint. How her flash-card “equations” (C—cat—/k/) + tracing + play turn toddlers’ Hot Wheels laps into letter-sound mastery.
- Red-flag behaviors to spot early. Avoidance, echo-answers, symbol confusion—signs your pre-K child might be heading for the same hurdles.
- A 30-week plug-and-play curriculum. For parents, daycares, and special-ed teams: five to ten minutes a day, zero guesswork, scripts included.
- Success without burnout. Why mixing story time, movement games, and even movie characters with a target sound cements learning for ADHD and dyslexic brains.
Quote to tape on the fridge:
“If they can feel it, hear it, and giggle while they say it, the brain keeps it forever.”
Whether your child is handwriting their first “B” at 11 or devouring chapter books at five, Rebecca’s message is simple: build a sensory-rich foundation now, and reading roadblocks vanish before they start.
👤 About Rebecca McAllister
A certified teacher, literacy specialist, and co-founder of The Active Reader, Rebecca turned her own late-identified dyslexia into a mission: give every family the tools schools often skip. She leads one-to-one Orton-Gillingham tutoring across North America and designs play-based curricula that fit into real-life parent schedules.
🔗 Connect with Rebecca & The Active Reader
Website: theactivereader.com
Instagram: @the_active_reader
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rebeccalmcallister
Email: rebecca@theactivereader.com
#ComplexKidsSimpleSolutions #EarlyLiteracy #OrtonGillingham #DyslexiaSupport #PlayBasedLearning
Listen to this episode and more at
https://wisdom4complexkids.com/complexkidssimplesolutions
🎧 Connect with Michelle:
Website: www.wisdom4complexkids.com
Instagram: @michellechoairy
Join the community: Wisdom 4 Complex Kids Facebook Group
💌 Have a question or want to share your story? Email Michelle at michellechoairy@gmail.com
🧠 Want simple tools that actually work?
Download the free advocacy toolkit: wisdom4complexkids.com/the-ultimate-advocacy-toolkit-pdf