Meet Bethany and Rosie

Thriving with ADHD and Dyslexia. A Family’s Journey Toward Understanding, Advocacy, and Joy

BY CHRISTINA MCGAIRK PHOTOS BY KATIE MENDEZ PHOTOGRAPHY

A mother-daughter duo in Anderson, Indiana, is redefining what it means to live with ADHD and dyslexia. Bethany Wire, a teacher, community volunteer and entrepreneur, shares her family’s powerful journey of diagnosis, discovery and determination, proving that different doesn’t mean less.

Bethany wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until her senior year of high school, and it wasn’t until college that she finally received a dyslexia diagnosis. “Looking back, the signs were always there,” she says. “But they were often misunderstood—by teachers, even by me.” That delayed recognition shaped how she navigated school and later, how she approached parenting her daughter, Rosie.

Rosie, now nine, showed early signs of ADHD as a toddler and was professionally diagnosed in kindergarten with both ADHD and dyslexia. Because Bethany had walked a similar path, she recognized the signs quickly: struggles with focus, fidgeting, difficulty with multi-step directions, and challenges in early literacy and number alignment. “She wasn’t being defiant. Her brain just processes the world differently.”

Bethany made the life-changing decision to homeschool Rosie when public school systems couldn’t provide the accommodations she needed in time. “It was a hard choice, especially as a full-time high school teacher myself,” Bethany explains. “But it’s allowed us to tailor Rosie’s education to support not just her academic needs, but her emotional and mental well-being too.”

Through hands-on projects, visual checklists, and personalized lesson plans, Rosie has blossomed. She’s active in 4-H—where she raises goats, sheep, and chickens. We have created an LLC, Little Miss Livestock LLC to help pay for her animals and their care. She has also taken on a leadership role in her Junior Girl Scout troop. Recently, Rosie discovered a passion for reading through the Harry Potter series by following along with audiobooks. “She’s now read five chapter books in three months and writes her own fanfiction,” Bethany shares. “It’s been incredible to watch.”

But the journey hasn’t been without challenges. Rosie sometimes feels overwhelmed by large projects or math problems that involve multiple steps or numbers. “We’ve learned to break things down into manageable pieces,” says Bethany. “I use printable math templates from Temu; where we buy our business display and other school supplies, and we celebrate progress, not perfection.”

Bethany’s background in education, and her own experiences as a neurodivergent student, have equipped her to advocate not just for Rosie, but for others as well. She serves as Rosie’s Girl Scout leader, volunteers with the local 4-H club, and uses her platform as a teacher to promote inclusive practices for neurodiverse learners.

The family’s creativity also spills into their small business, Four Generation Crafters, where Bethany, her daughter, mother, and grandmother create handmade jewelry inspired by their Eastern Band Cherokee heritage. “Crafting is how we hyperfocus. It’s soothing, expressive, and a beautiful way to stay connected across generations,” she says. Rosie, who once showed little interest in jewelry making, now enthusiastically creates her own bracelet collections and helps sell them at local fairs, learning math, marketing, and confidence along the way.

As Bethany reflects on their journey, she offers advice to families navigating similar paths: “Your child isn’t broken. ADHD and dyslexia affect how they process the world, not who they are. Lean into their strengths. Connect learning to what they love. And above all, never stop trying. That’s where the magic happens.”

And for those new to the Anderson community, Bethany has a warm message: “This place has heart. There are people here who care. But you may have to advocate a little louder to get what your child needs. Find your people, through 4-H, Girl Scouts, homeschool groups. You are not alone.”

Bethany and Rosie show that with the right tools, support and love, challenges can become steppingstones, and anything is possible.

Follow their journey on Instagram: @bethany.wire