How to Support Your Dyslexic Child in Primary School: Daily Strategies That Truly Help

Understanding the Daily Struggles of a Dyslexic Child

If you're reading this, it's likely that every homework session with your child brings a mix of frustration, worry, and deep compassion. Maybe you’ve noticed your 8-year-old gets anxious before spelling tests, or your 10-year-old avoids reading altogether. And each time you sit down to help, the same feeling returns — the sense that something just isn’t clicking for them the way it does for other children.

Dyslexia is a learning difference that affects how the brain processes language. It's not about intelligence or effort — it’s about wiring. For children in primary school, this means that reading, writing, and spelling can feel like climbing a hill every single day. As a parent, knowing how to walk beside your child on this journey can make all the difference.

Start With Connection, Not Correction

Too often, learning struggles become a battleground at home. But children with dyslexia already spend their school days confronting tasks that feel overwhelming. When they come home, what they need most is a supportive presence, not pressure. One helpful mindset shift is to de-prioritize the perfect spelling test in favor of nurturing your child’s self-worth.

Instead of starting homework with corrections or goals, begin with connection. A simple question like, “What part of your day felt good?” can set a new tone. The goal is for your child to feel understood, not scrutinized — especially when their confidence may already be fragile. For more on building your child’s confidence, this guide on how to help a 6-year-old with dyslexia build confidence offers age-specific insights.

Build Routine Around Strengths, Not Just Struggles

It’s natural to want to fix what’s hard. But if every focus is on reading practice, spelling drills, or school accommodations, children can start to see themselves as nothing more than a problem to be fixed. That’s why weaving their strengths — artistic skills, storytelling, humor, mechanical mind — into your daily routine is vital.

Try carving out a few minutes each day where your child feels competent. This could be letting them explain how something works, draw a sketch to review a school topic, or tell a story verbally instead of writing it down. Dyslexic children often excel in areas like spatial reasoning, memory, and creativity — letting them shine there can act as an emotional anchor.

This reflective article on why family reading rituals matter so much is a reminder that connection through literacy doesn’t have to mean silent reading. Shared, cozy reading time — even with audiobooks — helps build routine while affirming your bond.

Find Tools That Reduce the Daily Strain

While academic adjustments at school are crucial, daily life at home also benefits from practical supports. For a dyslexic child, text-heavy bedtime stories may cause stress instead of comfort. That’s where listening-based tools come in — without the pressure of decoding letters, children can follow complex plots, enriching their vocabulary and imagination.

One gentle way to integrate this is through the LISN Kids App, which offers original audiobooks and audio series created for kids ages 3–12. It's available on Apple App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android). Whether during quiet time or long car rides, these stories can be a break from decoding exercises while still feeding your child's love of learning.

Redefine "Success" On Your Terms

What does success look like for your child — today, this week, this year? For a child with dyslexia, learning milestones might arrive on a different timeline. And that’s okay. Rather than measuring progress by comparing with peers, consider this: Did they attempt something they normally avoid? Did they show resilience this week, or ask for help when frustrated?

Shifting your vision of success fosters resilience. It’s not just about reading fluency or writing legibly — it’s about building a child who feels valued, curious, and emotionally safe enough to keep trying. For more tips tailored to slightly older children, this article on supporting your 10-year-old with dyslexia during homework time unpacks the growing need for independence and collaboration.

You Are Your Child's Safe Harbo

There’s no “perfect” script when parenting a child with dyslexia. Some days will feel like breakthroughs, others like setbacks. But if you create a home where your child feels seen and supported — not just evaluated — you’re already doing something powerful.

For parents of younger children not yet diagnosed but showing potential signs, our guide on early signs of dyslexia in a 4-year-old may help clarify what to watch for next.

Supporting a dyslexic child isn’t about fixing them. It’s about empowering them with tools, self-belief, and emotional connection — day after day, word by word, step by step.