From Cupcake Mom to Literacy Advocate
Released: Thursday, September 03, 2026
When her daughter struggled to learn to read, everything changed. What began as a mother’s search for answers led to a deeper understanding of dyslexia, Structured Literacy, and the science of reading. During this inspiring story, Brett Tingley shares how a personal challenge became a lifelong mission to ensure every child has the opportunity to become a successful reader.
So, I recently went on a road trip with Kareem Weaver to Georgia. We were filming for the podcast, and my daughter came along with me. I really just thought of it as a time for the two of us to spend together.
But partway through the trip, I began noticing that she was listening. Really, really deeply listening. And she began saying, “I want you to ask every single guest their why. Ask them why they are doing this work.”
And so I began asking people, because she knew that the most important thing was for people to understand their why. Why are you doing this work?
And so I want you to understand my “why.”
I was a mother who was what I call the cupcake mom. I was the room mom. I brought snacks for everybody. I went on every field trip, and everything was going along peachy until one of my kids struggled to read.
Then all of a sudden, the whole system changed. My child was blamed for not trying hard enough. I was blamed for not reading to her enough.
And I knew that couldn’t be the case because I had read to her, my husband had read to her in utero, and we had read to her every night before she went to bed since. So, I knew that we were not the problem.
I began reading, and I read everything I could about Structured Literacy, dyslexia, and the science of reading. What I found was that we actually do know how to teach every child to read. We just aren’t doing it.
Once I heard that, I couldn’t unhear it.
So, I decided to make that my life’s work because I don’t know another problem that affects more people, for which we have a solution that we are not addressing.
My “why” is making sure that I help educate and activate parents to ensure that every child, in every classroom, regardless of zip code, has the opportunity to learn to read.