10 years longer

Ruth · Post by **Ruth** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:43 pm

It has just come to my attention that it seems to me that I take about 10-15 tears longer to learn a skill than non dyspraxics.

I could tie my laces at 20 (ish) and make my hair look deliberate at about 25. I'm quite good at chatting now and I'm 32!! It only took me about 5 years to learn to drive and I still can't read a map, so maybe thats not entirely the case.

What about you guys, how much longer do you think it takes to pick up new skills?

Post by **Daniel** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 4:28 pm

It's definitely taken me longer to do things such as learn to ride a bike and shoe laces. I still don't drive, although that's through not having tried in the past 9 years, so that's a difficult one to judge.

Although I have short hair, I exert little control over it. I apply gel randomly and hope for the best!

I think with many other things that would potentially cause difficulties I've just learnt to avoid. I *might* be able to kick a football better than I used to be able to, but then I have no time or enthusiasm for such fruitless pursuits these days

Esioul · Post by **Esioul** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:10 pm

I had not started learning to drive yet- I dread it.

I still can't tie my show laces very well.

I am just gradually starting to get to grips with my hair- I can put it into about four deliberate styles now. It is difficult to manage as it is very curley and thick. It takes about an hour to sort it out.

Dan, you guys are lucky- takes you no time to cope with your short hair!

How do you wear your hair Ruth?

david456 · Post by **david456** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:16 pm

I missed a lot of the basics at school because I didn't understand them. This meant that when I was getting towards the end of my school education, I struggled with a lot of the work, so I had to relearn what I didn't understand when I was younger to progress on to the more complexed work.

I can tie my shoelaces, but they always come undone, whenever I run around and it's embarrassing to keep having to re-do them.
I struggled to learn to ride a bike, when I was young, but once I had it that was it, as it's not a skill you lose.

I used to be bad at football and I never really got into the school team and was laughed at, people said I was rubbish, but I wasn't and my skills improved and I understood the positioning of the opponants and where I needed to be in recent years. The team also had exceptional players, so I guess I could say I was about average as a footballer, however I give most people a run for their money at racket sports like tennis and badminton.
As for appearance, I gel my hair in a specific way, but it's a pain to do, but I feel comfortable with it that way, rahter than leaving it as it is. I feel more comfortable in a suit than looking struffy.
I have also found that I walk funny, which I am very self aware of, as my shoes are slooped on the heels.

Tortoise · Post by **Tortoise** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 2:27 am

YES, YES, YES!

Hi Ruth, nice to meet you. I totally relate to your post. Although i'm a mature person I've taken so much longer to be able to do some relatively basic things. took me longer to learn to drive too.

I went into the city to meet a friend yesterday and I WAS SO EXCITED because its the first time I've done something like that by myself... (im in my mid 20s!!!). You know, actually take the right train... find my way OUT of the station, negotiate my way IN the city and actually get to the RIGHT location!! and get home again... $\:D/$ And not be totally overwhelmed by the crowds!! Its these practical skills that have really overwhelmed me. I'm only now confident with the whole supermarket shopping routine. I'm only just starting to be relatively ok about the whole map thing - but i just got a navigator thingy to help with that - hopefully it will help.

I never had a big problem with laces though... i started physiotherapy very very young and we worked hard on those skills so i could do it. If i didnt have that help so young then it would have been a different story. But it takes me more time...

Post by **Daniel** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 1:17 pm

Well done Tortoise with finding your way around. I'm ok with central London due to practice, and I have learnt to cope with the crowds most of the time although it depends on my state of mind. Unfamiliar streets and places can still leave me rather anxious though.

I find visiting supermarkets (and busy shops more widely) a thoroughly unpleasant and stressed filled experience. I have yet to understand the joys of shopping

keiraknightleyfan27 · Post by **keiraknightleyfan27** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 4:00 pm

Umm...most people learn how to ride bikes around age 5 right? I didn't really get the hang of it until I was 10. I couldn't rollerskate until I was probably 14 and I still have trouble with rollerblades! Driving hasn't taken me quite as long, but I still need more practice than others, I think. However, doing my hair in different styles...still working on it...I just figured out the pony tail when I was 19 (a year ago).

I am still working on conversation, but I think everyone is always trying to improve communication skills. I talked to a non-dyspraxic a few days ago and he said that the communication class we were in was helping him a lot. Clearly, we are not the only ones struggling to communicate well. I just think it takes different people longer to do things and it is perfectly okay as long as we are all trying to do them right? Besides, not everyone has to be able to drive or to rollerblade. there are other ways of transportation which can be used. $\:D/$

rhubarb_crumble · Post by **rhubarb_crumble** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:39 pm

I didn't learn to ride a bike until I was 8 and I still can't rollerblade or ice skate. I have gone to the occasional roller disco and gone ice skating with a group but I haven't gone out of my way to learn to do these things. They don't really interest me, but that's okay. They aren't that important.

I still get my mum to do my hair if I don't want it loose or in a pony.

I didn't learn how to tie my laces until I was about 8 or 9.

I couldn't distinguish my left from my right until I was about 10.

I am yet to try driving.

Snjstar · Post by **Snjstar** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 4:45 pm

I learnt to ride a bike without stabilisers and tie my shoelaces late.

I also had difficulty learning to do up a tie for shool and for years just loosened it.

Took me a long time to pass my driving test and that is automatic.

Was bottom of the bottom tennis set at school.

Danni · Post by **Danni** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:32 pm

I wore a tie for school from 7-15, and never learnt how to tie it straight!

Funnily enough, ice skating is one of the few skills I picked up quite easily- I put it down to having to concentrate on balance so much just to stay upright when young!

Last time I went rollerblading I was 12, and snapped my wrist. I haven't done it since.

I can ride a bike, came off stabilisers at 8- failed my cycling proficiency test at 9. I can't ride straight though, and it's still too dangerous for me to ride it on the road.

I had some help with left and right- I have a mole on my right hand! I still have to check my hands to get it right though

Laces come undone, no matter how many knots I put in them. Also, if I do them too well, I can't get them off again!

Ruth · Post by **Ruth** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:38 am

Fun isn'tit. I imagine myself holding a pen and I KNOW I writw withmy right hand so the hand I close to grip the imaginary pen is my right works every time.

I have amarvelous hair dresser who has taken on board that I can't do complicated hair things. I have a very good hair cut that I can either blast or leave narural and it works! Hooray for clever hair dressers. I also recently bought some hair straigheners yo do my fringe and I've only burnt myself 4 times/

Snjstar · Post by **Snjstar** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:12 am

I can ice skate as took lessons and found with roller blading I used the same skills, so was fine.

Ruth · Post by **Ruth** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 6:33 pm

AArgh no hairdresser is moving!! how can she do this to me??

Post by **Daniel** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 9:56 pm

It can be traumatic, especially when you're used to the regular routine of always going to the same one, asking for exactly the same thing each time (if you're like me) and know that they'll do a decent enough job that you're happy with.

It's like change with a lot of things for those of us who like our routines!

monkey · Post by **monkey** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 11:04 pm

yes it can be diffiuclt if parts of rotien is ruineed or even wornse if your whole rotene gets changed.