Kelly Clarkson Tears Up Discussing Daughter’s Dyslexia and Bullying on Show
Kelly Clarkson got emotional on her show on Tuesday as she opened up about how her eight-year-old daughter River Rose gets bullied at school because of her dyslexia.
During a conversation with actor and author Henry Winkler, who has also battled dyslexia, the popular talk show host and singer shared her concerns about her daughter’s struggles with the learning disability. “I was driving my daughter to school yesterday, and she’s dyslexic,” she said.
“She’s been getting bullied because she can’t read at the same pace as the other kids in her class,” she added, as she got teary saying she did not know dyslexia was that common in children.
Clarkson has been an advocate for children with learning disabilities and has been vocal about her own struggles with dyslexia in the past. She praised Winkler for being an inspirational figure for her and her daughter, saying, “I find it amazing that you’ve written, like, 40 books and you’re dyslexic.”
Winkler, who is best known for his role as Fonzie on the hit TV show Happy Days, spoke about the prevalence of dyslexia in children, citing statistics that indicate one out of five children deal with the learning disability. He assured Clarkson and her daughter that they are not alone in their struggles and that dyslexia does not define their intelligence or worth.
“She’s part of the tribe,” he said of River Rose. “River! How you learn has nothing to do with how brilliant you are.”
Clarkson’s emotional response to her daughter’s situation showed her deep concern for her children’s well-being. The singer filed for divorce from her husband Brandon Blackstock in June 2020 after a seven-year marriage. The split was finalized a year ago, and Clarkson has been open about how difficult the past few years have been for her and her family.
Despite the challenges, Clarkson has remained committed to providing a stable and loving home for her children. Last summer, she took her kids on a vacation to Montana with their dad in an effort to create a sense of normalcy amid the upheaval of their parents’ divorce.
“It’s obviously been a rough couple years, so it was really important to me to, like, shut down for a minute,” she said. “The kids were with me and with their dad. It was nice because they usually have to travel a lot because of our separation so we were both in Montana, so it was the first time I think my kids felt more centered as well.”
