I helped my older son dress himself until he was about 6 years old--and that was before I knew about SPD. In hindsight, it was probably very hard for him. We did compromises sometimes, he would put his pants/shorts on and I would help with his shirt. Now he's 10 and he's very good about dressing himself.

I can relate to finding things difficult. Some days I feel that way too. I feel like everything I need to do is *such* an effort, it feels overwhelming and impossible to do. Or if there's too much, I just don't know where to start. Often on those days, I get very little done around the house. Makes me feel like an awful wife and mother. If I didn't have kids, it would be even harder to just get out of bed some days. On rare days, I'm full of energy and have motivation. I try to take advantage of those days and get as much done as I can on those days. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to have more days like those. I'm never sure if it's depression related, or if it's SPD.

With reading, my older son has been slow but sure. I can't remember if he wanted to give up when he couldn't get it. His reading has come in spurts. Like growth spurts. He started in Kindy and did well enough as a beginner, then in 2nd grade he had a spurt and moved to the next level of books. He had another spurt in the last 4-6 months, during 4th grade. He had been picking out books that were way too easy for him, but now he's picking age-appropriate books. Have you tried the LeapFrog videos? My son really enjoyed and benefitted from them. http://www.amazon.com/LeapFrog-Factory-R...208&sr=8-2 We started with just the letters one, then moved to the Talking Words Factory about putting letters together to make words and the next one (can't think of the name). He had a much better idea about letters and their sounds, and sounding out words, than my younger son does at the same age (he's never been into videos and movies so I couldn't get him to watch them as much).

My younger son didn't do any reading at all in Kindy. Barely did any sight words. Was not reading at all last year. At the beginning of this year, 1st grade, he told me that he didn't want to learn to read. I think he found it very difficult so didn't want to try. He would also want to quit right away any time we did try. By the time September ended, he was well on his way to being a reader. Something clicked and he got it. Next week is his last week of 1st grade and he's reading chapter books, which my older son never read until end of 2nd grade (maybe) or beginning of 3rd grade. I'll be reading with him and we get to a word that I swear he's not going to get, I'm about to help him with it, and then he says it! I'm shocked all the time at the words he reads. But he's not as strong about sounding out words he doesn't know. My older son is stronger with that. My younger son is more of a whole word reader. He often mixes up "what", "went" and "want" because he's not always seeing each letter, just the beginning and end.

My younger son helped to make his own breakfast this morning. He wanted french toast sticks (frozen kind). I had him get them from the freezer, put them on the plate, and put them in the microwave. I set the time, then cut them up. No luck with older son.