From our family to yours

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Kirsty

Kirsty Greenwood tells us about supporting her daughter who stammers through school, and writing a workbook to help other young people.

When my daughter first started to stammer, she was nine years old.  Like many parents I read everything I could, searched for answers and wanted to understand how best to support her. Looking back, I realise that while I was trying to understand stammering, she was learning what it meant to live with it.

Like many young people who stammer, there have been times when school has presented challenges. Speaking in class, meeting new people, asking for help or simply joining a conversation can take enormous courage when words don't always come easily. Every child's experience is different, but I have learned that a stammer affects much more than speech alone. It can influence confidence, friendships and the way a young person sees themselves.

Creating something to reassure others

As her mum, I have watched her grow into a thoughtful, kind and incredibly creative young person. One of the things that has inspired me most is her determination to use her experiences to help others. Rather than allowing her stammer to define her, she wanted to create something that would reassure other children and young people that they are not alone.

With understanding, encouragement and the right support, children and young people who stammer can thrive.

Together, over a course of about three months, we created a booklet called My Voice, My Story, a stammering workbook for children and young people (Ed: read a review from a STAMMA volunteer) . Every page has been carefully co-produced, combining her lived experience with my perspective as both a parent and an Special Educational Needs practitioner. This isn't a book written about children and young people who stammer, it has been created with a young person who lives with a stammer every single day. We hope it offers reassurance, practical ideas and, most importantly, reminds every child who reads it that their voice matters, whatever it sounds like.

Starting college

Our journey is still continuing, and we are incredibly excited about the future. This September, she will be starting college, a milestone we are both so proud of. Together, we visited several colleges before finding one where she genuinely felt comfortable, welcomed and understood. The college has arranged additional transition visits, and a dedicated member of staff will be there to support her whenever she needs it. Knowing she will begin this new chapter feeling understood, listened to and supported gives us both confidence and excitement for what lies ahead.

I hope this booklet helps your child feel understood, encourages meaningful conversations and reminds them that they never have to face their journey alone. With understanding, encouragement and the right support, children and young people who stammer can thrive, achieve their ambitions and discover the confidence to use their voice in their own unique way.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for supporting your child on theirs.

My Voice, My Story: A Stammering Workbook for Children and Young People is a self-published digital workbook by Millie and her mother Kirsty, available to buy from tfortransition.co.uk 

Read a review of the workbook by Amira, one of our volunteer reviewers.

More

• Help if your child is stammering
• Read more articles from parents
• Share your story. Find out how to write for Your Voice
• Join the community! Become a STAMMA member for free