For Raiza, reading with Kali became more than a routine — it became a way to connect.
For parents of children with different learning needs, reading time can bring both hope and frustration — especially when it is hard to find tools that truly fit the child.
For Raiza, that was the case with her son. Reading was not his strongest area, and because he is autistic and has ADHD, staying engaged for long periods was not always easy. She wanted to try something different — something accessible, supportive, and better aligned with the way he learns.
As Raiza explained, what first stood out was that Chalky felt approachable from the beginning:
I liked how it’s very accessible and that it chooses books that are appropriate for his age and also appropriate for the way he learns.
That early sense of fit mattered. Instead of feeling rigid or overwhelming, Chalky felt flexible and inviting — a platform her son could actually enjoy using.
One of the biggest changes for their family was the routine they built around reading. Before Chalky, Raiza said she had tried buying books for her son, but his interest would often disappear quickly. With Chalky, things became more consistent, and reading became part of their daily routine.
In her words:
We’ve become much more consistent and it’s become a nice bonding moment for me and him.
That consistency made a real difference. Reading became less of a struggle to sustain and more of a shared routine they both valued.
Raiza also noticed that her son became much more excited about reading itself. The combination of visuals, read-aloud support, and a wide range of books helped turn reading into something more engaging and enjoyable.
She described it this way:
He actually gets excited because of the visuals, the read-aloud, and how there’s so many books to choose from.
That freedom to choose also helped. Raiza shared that she likes letting her son pick what he wants to read, which gives him more ownership in the experience and helps him feel more invested.
That kind of engagement mattered. Raiza noticed that because Chalky kept him interested, he was willing to sit longer and participate more actively in reading time.
For a child with autism and ADHD, engagement like that can be especially meaningful. Raiza explained that because Chalky keeps him engaged, he now sits down for longer periods and participates more actively in reading time.
Since Chalky keeps him engaged, we’ve noticed that he sits down more and he actually wants to read.
That shift alone changed the tone of reading at home. Instead of reading being something to push through, it became something shared.
As the routine continued, Raiza noticed progress beyond reading time itself. She saw changes in speech, vocabulary, listening, focus, and overall engagement. One of the clearest shifts, she said, was in vocabulary.
As she put it:
The more that he hears words, then the more that it is added to his vocabulary.
Over time, those changes became more visible. Raiza shared that increased speech was one of the clearest improvements she noticed, along with stronger attention and better listening.
One of the most meaningful changes was not only in Kali’s development, but in Raiza’s own understanding of him. Reading together helped her realize that he was taking in far more than he was able to express.
She said:
For Raiza, reading with Kali became more than a routine — it became a way to connect.
One of the most meaningful shifts was in how Raiza understood her son’s learning and comprehension. But since reading to him, we’ve noticed that he understands more than we think.
That realization is deeply important. For many parents, progress is not only about academic milestones — it is also about discovering new ways their child understands, connects, and responds.
Raiza also described Chalky as helpful because it supports her child without putting too much pressure on him. Rather than forcing a rigid structure, the platform allows him to move at his own pace.
In her words:
It doesn’t pressure him. It’s not very structured. It lets him go at his own pace.
That lower-pressure approach made reading feel easier and more natural at home.
In her words:
He actually enjoys it… he just feels like we’re just having fun.
That emotional shift may be just as important as the academic growth. When reading stops feeling like a task, children are often more open to engaging, listening, and learning.
Raiza also values Chalky’s post-reading questions. Rather than treating them like a test, she uses them to encourage discussion and critical thinking, talking through wrong answers together so her son can better understand them.
As she explained:
It also builds his critical thinking skills.
For Raiza, that makes the reading experience feel richer and more meaningful — not just about finishing a book, but about helping her son think, respond, and grow with confidence.
For Raiza, Chalky supported not only learning, but connection. It created a shared space where education and emotional closeness could grow together.
She described it like this:
Chalky AI has helped me connect with Kali in terms of education through reading.
And beyond that:
We found a common ground that helped us both emotionally and mentally.
What stood out to Raiza was how quickly she began noticing change. After starting with Chalky in January, she said her family was already seeing meaningful improvement within about two months.
We’ve only been with Chalky since January and we’re already seeing so much improvement.
For Raiza’s family, Chalky became part of a reading routine that supported both learning and connection.
Sometimes progress starts with consistency, accessibility, and a reading experience that feels safe enough for a child to engage. In Raiza’s case, it also became something deeper: a shared moment of connection.
And sometimes, reading together becomes much more than reading.
If you’re looking for a way to make reading feel more approachable and more meaningful at home, Chalky can help support that journey.
Did you know that you can use your ESA or funding Chalky
