Kelly Clarkson reflects on challenges of parenting a child with dyslexia: 'I feel like I'm failing'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Kelly Clarkson is sharing her experience as a parent of a child with dyslexia. 

The 42-year-old host hosted U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' on Wednesday, January 22, and the duo reflected on their parenting while sharing their experiences of bringing up their respective children with dyslexia.

Kelly Clarkson and Larry Mullen Jr open up about their children's struggles with dyslexia

Appearing on the show, Larry Mullen Jr admitted that his son’s dyslexia is one of the topics he has spent "all my career, avoiding talking" about, as per Today.

"I just don’t want to involve them," explained the musician, before addressing Kelly, "And now here I am on your show."

The Irish musician shares three children, Aaron Elvis Mullen, 29, Ava Mullen, 26, and Ezra Mullen, 23, with his longtime partner, Ann Acheson. 

It was his eldest son Aaron’s struggle with dyslexia, that made him dive deep into the nature of the neurodevelopmental condition and inspired him to produce the documentary 'Left Behind', which follows the journey of six women who created New York City’s first public school for children with learning challenges.

Larry shared, "I knew my son was dyslexic, but I really didn’t understand him, and it was difficult in the house, like I was away, coming home. He’s acting out, got the police at the house."

The drummer reflected on how children with dyslexia face difficulties in learning, which, in turn, may hamper their development.

"My son is 29, and he went through a very rough time in school and got diagnosed late, and they didn’t have a system he could fit into," he shared before making a heart-wrenching confession, "My son, I think, would have ended up in jail. I think that that’s terrifying."

The 'Because Of You' singer, who shares her two children, daughter River Rose Blackstock, 10, and son Remington Alexander Blackstock, eight, with her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, further reflected on the predicaments of the parents who do not have dyslexia themselves. 

She said, "It’s a really hard thing being a parent, especially a parent that doesn’t have dyslexia."

Elaborating on the challenges she often faces with her daughter, who has also been diagnosed with dyslexia, the 'American Idol' winner said, "And you just try to talk to them or help them with homework or whatever, and you don’t really know what’s going on."

She voiced one of the major concerns felt by several parents with children with learning disorders, that they often feel like they are "failing."

"It is about our kids first. But man, when you don’t have anyone to talk to (as a parent) and you’re just like, 'I feel like I’m failing,'" the 'Because of You' singer further expressed.

The episode ended on a high note as the Literacy Academy Collective - the initiative highlighted in 'Left Behind' - received a $15,000 donation from Scholastic, a $15,000 donation from author Dav Pilkey and a matched donation from Clarkson.

Reflecting on her donation, Kelly said, "I get it too. That’s my family, too. Any family that’s ever gone through, that has a kid that just thinks so differently understands that.”

Kelly Clarkson previously revealed that her daughter River was 'bullied' for her dyslexia

This is, however, not the first time that Kelly Clarkson has opened up about her daughter's struggles with dyslexia as previously in 2023, she revealed that River was bullied by a few of her classmates because her diagnosis, as per People.

While hosting the 'Barry' actor Henry Winkler, who is also dyslexic, on her show, the 'Broken & Beautiful' singer shared, "I was driving my daughter to school yesterday, and she's dyslexic," before addressing the actor, "And you have told me that you're dyslexic as well. I find that amazing, to tell my daughter that you've written like 40 books and you're dyslexic."

She explained that her daughter River was "getting bullied at school for not being able to read like all the other kids."

The mother of two shared that she "didn't know how common" dyslexia was among children when Henry pointed out that one out of five children are diagnosed with the learning disorder. 

Henry then directly addressed the youngster and said, "River! How you learn has nothing to do with how brilliant you are."