Frankie Bridge reveals her son Carter, 9, has been diagnosed with dyslexia as she tearfully shares she feels ‘helpless’ after he ‘cried for an hour’ about going to school

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Frankie Bridge shared that her son, Carter, has been diagnosed with dyslexia. She emotionally discussed how difficult it’s been, especially after he started refusing to go to school, leaving her feeling powerless to help.

As a mom myself, I completely understand how tough it can be when your child is struggling. I recently shared my own experience on YouTube, admitting it was a real challenge to get the support my son needed. He was having a hard time with school for weeks, and it finally came to a head when he had a really emotional breakdown about going to class. It’s so important to talk about these things, and know you’re not alone!

Frankie, 36, revealed she was struggling to help Carter and explained that he had often asked to be educated at home.

The Loose Women star, who is also mom to 11-year-old Parker, shared that she met with Carter’s school. They’re now using new teaching strategies to better support him in the classroom.

Dyslexia is a learning challenge that mainly makes it hard to read words correctly and fluently, and to spell.

This can impact anyone, regardless of how intelligent they are, and may lead to difficulties with spelling and writing. It can also make it hard to follow instructions or stay organized.

Frankie shared in a YouTube video that she was really tired because Carter had cried for a full hour about having to return to school.

Carter had a really tough time yesterday about going back to school. He cried for at least an hour, and it’s been happening more and more lately – he’s been upset about school a lot recently.

It’s just really upsetting to see him struggle, especially when even subjects like food technology require a lot of writing and science. It’s hard for me to keep sending him to school each day knowing how much he’s finding it difficult.

I’m relieved to know he’s improving and will be okay once he arrives, but I honestly feel powerless and unsure how to help him further.

As a lifestyle expert, I often encounter situations where parents and children have differing ideas about education. In this case, my son is hoping I’ll agree to homeschool him, but honestly, I don’t believe that’s the right fit for our family. Social interaction is so crucial for his development, and I’m concerned he’d miss out on that. We’ve talked it through, but I’m really at a loss for how to move forward and support his wishes while also doing what I feel is best for him and our family dynamic.

Frankie explained she began searching online for resources to help parents of children with dyslexia. She shared that she recently recorded her son practicing his spelling, and while they try to keep things fun and positive, it’s difficult knowing he’ll likely always find spelling challenging.

I’m worried he’ll really dislike school for the next eight years, and that I’ll constantly have to push him to go, knowing he’ll have a hard time every day.

‘I just feel helpless basically. I need to look in to it, I need to talk to the school.’

Frankie admitted she hadn’t fully understood the challenges faced by people with dyslexia. She shared with her followers that while dyslexia affects everyone differently, she was surprised by how difficult it could be, and sometimes feels concerned she isn’t able to offer enough support.

On Monday, Frankie shared in a new video that she’d contacted Carter’s school to arrange extra support for him. She explained it had been difficult to get him the same kind of help at his previous school.

She said the staff at his school were very supportive, and he was scheduled for an educational psychology evaluation. The school was also giving him tools like a computer and a reading pen to assist him in class.

Frankie explained they went to Carter’s school to set up additional support for his dyslexia, as he’s been struggling recently.

Getting him settled in school was challenging, but the staff have been wonderful. It was a real struggle to get any support at his previous school.

‘But at this school they’re like ”right let’s do this”.’

Frankie revealed last year that Carter was diagnosed with dyslexia at age eight. He only found out about Carter’s learning difficulties when he was informed Carter would need to repeat kindergarten.

Oh my god, she wrote about it! Apparently, when he was younger, the system wouldn’t officially give him a diagnosis, which is just… infuriating. But she and everyone else were hoping that sharing what was going on would at least help his teachers understand what he needed and how to best support him. It’s just so heartbreaking to think about, but also amazing that she’s finally talking about it!

Carter’s main struggle was a lack of self-assurance. He noticed that his classmates had skills he didn’t possess.

He was diagnosed with dyslexia when he turned eight last year, and I naively hoped this would immediately give his teachers and us a clear path to help him learn. Sadly, it didn’t work out that way.

She explained that she and her husband, Wayne, chose to enroll Carter in an international school because they believed it would better meet his requirements.

Frankie has openly discussed her experiences with anxiety and depression, recently revealing that when she was struggling, she worried her husband, Wayne, and their children would be happier with someone else.

She shared this information while talking about the best ways to help someone who is sick.

Frankie shared that dealing with depression and anxiety often makes them feel like a burden on their family.

As someone who’s navigated their own mental health journey, I’ve realized I don’t always need the same level of support as others. But honestly, when I’m really struggling with depression, I worry about the energy I’m bringing into my home. It’s like I feel I’m casting a shadow, and I don’t want to bring anyone else down with me.

I often wonder if Wayne and the children would have been happier with someone else – someone without those personal struggles.

Frankie, clearly upset, shared that she wants her family to be with someone who is consistently cheerful and doesn’t experience sadness or mood swings.

She said: ‘I feel sorry for them sometimes that they have to deal with me. 

It’s true that you sometimes feel like you’re asking for too much, but it’s not the same as needing help with physical tasks.

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2025-12-17 12:04