In a world where online debates often devolve into grammar policing, one mother’s heartfelt message serves as a reminder of the complexities behind the words we type. While many take pride in correcting others’ grammar—“You mean ‘you’re,’ not ‘your’!”—it’s crucial to consider the personal battles that may lie beneath those errors.
Author and mother, Sarah Mitchell, recently opened up about her own struggles with language, providing context for her occasional spelling mistakes and grammatical slips. “Every time I post a blog, the comments about my grammar start pouring in. So, I felt it was time to share my story,” she begins. Sarah recounts her educational challenges from a young age, including falling behind in second grade and struggling to focus as a fifth grader.
“During fifth grade, my dad tried cutting sugar out of my diet to help my concentration, but it didn’t make a difference,” she recalls. “In sixth grade, my teacher made me stand up in front of the entire class to read answers to our social studies homework. When I didn’t know them, she yelled, ‘Of course you don’t, everyone knows how dumb you are!’”
These experiences followed Sarah throughout her schooling, including a painful moment in seventh grade when her best friend overheard a teacher predict her failure. “Just watch, she always does,” was the remark that haunted her.
It wasn’t until her twenties that Sarah was diagnosed with dyslexia and potential ADD. Yet, these labels didn’t deter her passion for writing. “I wrote through everything—traveling, love, motherhood. Even when every publisher rejected my work, I kept going,” she shares. At 28, she entered college, ranking in the top 92 percentile for that year’s admissions. However, juggling motherhood and studies proved challenging, leading her to prioritize her writing instead.
Today, Sarah is a successful author with a thriving clothing line, a popular podcast, and over a million social media followers. She has even managed to fund two safe houses in Kenya—all while proudly identifying as the “dumbest kid in class.”
“This is why I don’t hire an editor for my blogs,” she explains. “I want my spelling mistakes to be visible. I might mix up ‘they’re’ and ‘their’ or ‘woman’s’ and ‘women,’ and I’m okay with that. I celebrate my children’s academic successes but don’t fret over their failures.”
Her journey encourages us to pause before judging others for their grammar or spelling. We often have no idea what personal challenges they may be facing—how could we know the obstacles they’ve overcome?
“I am who I am, and I hope other kids who struggle with spelling or reading see themselves in me,” Sarah writes. “There are so many definitions of what it means to be smart. Nobody believed in me, and yet, I achieved my dreams.”
As we reflect on her words, we should remember that everyone has their own unique path, and making fun of someone’s abilities is simply unkind.
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In summary, Sarah Mitchell’s story is a powerful reminder that intelligence isn’t solely measured by grammar or spelling. Our experiences shape who we are, and it’s essential to practice kindness and understanding, especially in a world that can be quick to judge.