My Child Doesn’t Like Reading Because of Dyslexia: Alternative Solutions That Work

When Reading Feels Like a Battle: Understanding the Why

You’re sitting beside your child at the kitchen table, homework spread out, another reading assignment looming. But instead of diving in, they groan, fidget, and sigh. Maybe they even say it out loud: “I hate reading.” If your child has dyslexia, these moments aren’t just about stubbornness or lack of discipline — they’re filled with invisible struggle, fatigue, and frustration.

Dyslexia fundamentally affects how a child processes language. It doesn’t reflect intelligence or motivation — rather, it makes reading slower, more effortful, and often less enjoyable. When reading feels like biking uphill all the time, who can blame them for avoiding it?

If this resonates with your reality at home, you’re far from alone. And the good news is: reading in the traditional sense isn’t the only way to build stories, vocabulary, and confidence.

Alternative Pathways to Literacy and Learning

It’s helpful to step back and ask: what’s our ultimate goal? Most parents want their child to read so they can access knowledge, enjoy stories, grow curious minds, and thrive in school. But reading with the eyes isn’t the only door to those outcomes. Listening, speaking, moving, and even playing can become powerful tools for growth.

The Power of Listening: Audiobooks and Storytelling

Audiobooks allow children with dyslexia to immerse themselves in storytelling without the decoding struggle. When children listen, they absorb sentence structure, expand their vocabulary, and encounter complex ideas — all essential parts of literacy. It also means they can enjoy the same stories their classmates are reading, fostering belonging and self-esteem.

This is where resources like the iOS or Android LISN Kids app become helpful. With original audiobooks and immersive audio series tailored to kids aged 3 to 12, it offers a fun and low-pressure way for children to explore stories on their own terms. Often, children who resist reading text discover joy in audio adventures — and sometimes, their interest in books builds from there.

Creative Alternatives That Build Language Skills

Let’s expand the idea of literacy beyond pages. Here are some engaging alternatives that stimulate a dyslexic child’s language growth while easing the reading pressure:

• Acting out stories: Give your child roles in family skits. Acting strengthens comprehension and oral expression — critical building blocks of reading.
• Storytelling games: Try games where everyone adds a sentence to build a silly story. This builds sequencing and narrative thinking, essential skills in reading and writing.
• Art-based prompts: Ask your child to draw a story and describe it. Drawing taps into imagination and visual memory, while speaking reinforces language structure.

You’ll find more fun activity ideas here that target cognitive skills without turning into chores.

Shifting the Emotional Experience Around Reading

Dyslexia doesn't only affect the brain's language processing — it often takes a toll on a child's self-confidence, especially in classroom settings where they feel different or left behind. That emotional weight can drain motivation and create long-lasting school anxiety.

Start by reframing how you talk about reading at home. Avoid turning it into a performance metric, and instead, celebrate effort, curiosity, and any form of story engagement — whether that’s through listening, drawing, or retelling. And don’t underestimate the power of simply saying, “I know it’s harder for you, and that’s okay. I love how you keep trying.”

For a deeper understanding of this connection between dyslexia and emotional response, this article on motivation and discouragement may offer comforting insights.

Building Confidence While Giving Their Brain What It Needs

One of the biggest gifts you can offer your child is validation. Acknowledge that reading is hard -- but that hard doesn’t mean bad, or broken, or dumb. It just means that their brain takes a different path to get to the same destination. And with supportive tools and strategies, they can get there.

Help them understand dyslexia in an age-appropriate way. If you haven’t yet, consider this helpful guide for explaining dyslexia to a 7-year-old. When kids understand what they’re experiencing, it removes shame and fear — and gives them a clear narrative they can carry into school and life.

Moving Forward With Hope and Creativity

If you’re reading this, you’re already doing the most important part: showing up with love, curiosity, and a willingness to support your child beyond traditional expectations.

Dyslexia may change the route your child takes to literacy, but it doesn’t close any doors. With alternative methods, accessible tools, and encouragement from home, they can develop a rich relationship with language — just on their own terms.

For more guidance on how dyslexia impacts your child’s school life — and what you can do — consider reading this helpful piece on navigating school challenges together.