“Now do you understand how I feel?” How “Through My Eyes” helps parents connect with their neurodivergent kids

Parenting a neurodivergent child can be an isolating experience. When your child navigates the world differently than you do, trying to figure out what they’re going through every day can be pretty overwhelming. 

Because learning and thinking differences are often invisible, people often don’t really understand them. In fact, Understood’s research found that over 40 percent of parents don’t know that learning and thinking differences are caused by biological variations in the brain. Instead, many people mistakenly believe these differences are a result of how a child is raised, environmental factors, or too much screen time. 

That’s what Understood set out to solve with Through My Eyes, an interactive digital experience. It’s designed to let people step directly into the world of kids with ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia. The immersive platform was recently updated, making it even easier to use. But the core mission is the same: cutting through the stigma and giving families an easy way to build empathy.

Through My Eyes is an expert-designed and community-tested immersive platform. Instead of relying on statistics and textbook definitions of what disabilities look like, parents use the tool to gain a deeper understanding of what their child goes through every day. To really feel it. 

Using Through My Eyes can help parents become advocates for their kids’ needs and strengths at school, at home, and in the community.

The feedback from parents has been moving. Through My Eyes has been transformative:

• Parents have called it “powerful,” “eye-opening,” and an “incredible empathy-building tool for kids and adults.”

• One parent found the interactive experience so valuable that they immediately shared it with their child’s therapist to better align their support strategy.

• Another recommended that every parent, educator, and adult who works with kids take just a few minutes to try it out.

• Parents felt the downloadable resources were effective in meeting their needs to support communication — with their child or co-parent — about learning and thinking differences.

One of the most profound reviews came from a parent using the tool while their daughter watched. The daughter said, “See? Now do you understand how I feel?”

When a platform can give kids the words to say that, you know it’s making a real-world impact.

1. Host a family empathy night. Use the real-life stories from the tool as conversation starters for the entire household. Through My Eyes can help family members understand why your child needs more support. Go through a story together and discuss how it mirrors your family.

2. See the world through your child’s eyes. One of the highlights of the tool is the six simulations that let users immerse themselves in everyday scenarios and see the obstacles that neurodivergent kids face. When you go through these obstacles, pay close attention to how simple accommodations change a child’s ability to succeed.

3. Build a “self-advocacy pack” with your child. Empathy is best when it turns into action. Through My Eyes has 16 expert-created resources — including dedicated self-advocacy packs for kids. Go through the self-advocacy activities with your child. It’ll help them better understand their mind, recognize their personal strengths, and build confidence to speak up for what they need inside and outside of the classroom.

4. Share Through My Eyes with your child’s support circle. Share the tool with the people who interact with your child every day — like teachers, therapists, coaches, and grandparents. The more people who understand and support your child, the better!

By combining expert insights with the experiences of real students, Through My Eyes goes beyond just explaining neurodivergence. It’s helping to shift perspectives in the classroom, at home, and beyond.