My Child Is Ashamed to Read: How to Help Them Overcome Dyslexia-Related Blocks

Understanding the Quiet Struggle Behind the Shame

When a child feels ashamed of reading, it’s rarely about just stumbling over words or missing lines on the page. Often, there’s a deeper emotional weight they’re carrying—especially for children with dyslexia. Maybe your child lowers their eyes during classroom reading sessions, or gives up quickly when homework involves too much text. As a parent, witnessing this kind of struggle can leave you feeling helpless, frustrated, even heartbroken.

Dyslexia isn’t about intelligence or effort—it’s a lifelong difference in how the brain processes language. But the shame that can stem from those reading challenges grows quietly unless it's acknowledged with care. So how do you support a child who’s not only navigating dyslexia, but also internalizing the fear that they’re not 'good enough' readers?

Start With Empathy—And Then Keep Going

First things first: your child isn’t lazy or unmotivated. They’re dealing with a genuine learning difference that requires understanding and the right tools. But what makes the biggest difference isn’t just what you do, it’s how you connect. When a child feels safe and accepted, they’re more likely to take healthy risks—like attempting to read out loud, ask for help, or try again after a misstep.

Watch for signs of hidden distress: avoidance, anger toward schoolwork, or even physical symptoms like headaches or stomachaches before reading-related tasks. These can be ways your child expresses what they can’t yet say: “I’m afraid I’ll fail again.”

A helpful place to begin is by reading how to support a dyslexic child's emotions about school. Many parents are surprised to learn how much emotional validation can improve a child’s learning resilience.

Shift Expectations—And Celebrate Small Wins

It’s natural to want your child to progress, especially when they’re falling behind peers. But constantly pushing for improvement without pausing to recognize their effort can reinforce their shame. Instead of focusing on perfection, celebrate progress. Did they attempt a tricky word? Sit longer with a book today than yesterday? These are victories worth naming.

Consider looking at their reading journey through a different lens. Some children read more slowly as part of their normal development, while others show early signs of dyslexia. This guide on slow reading in children can help you understand where your child falls on that spectrum.

Let Listening Become Literacy

Reading doesn’t have to mean silently decoding black-and-white text. Listening is just as valuable, especially for children with dyslexia who might find text visually daunting. In fact, listening to well-crafted stories can build vocabulary, deepen comprehension, and increase a child’s love of literature—even if they aren’t reading the words themselves yet.

There are incredible resources designed specifically with this in mind. The LISN Kids App, for example, offers a rich library of original audiobooks and audio series created for kids aged 3–12. It’s available on iOS and Android, and provides a gentle, engaging way for children to fall (and stay) in love with storytelling without the stress of decoding.

It’s not about replacing reading—it’s about building confidence, emotional connection, and a lifelong appreciation for stories, regardless of format.

For more on this, explore how listening to stories can support a dyslexic child’s reading comprehension.

Create Safe and Predictable Reading Moments

If reading feels like a battlefield, your child will build up defenses: refusal, distractions, or outright meltdowns. But if reading is woven into moments of closeness—cuddled on the couch, under cozy blankets at bedtime—that relationship to books can shift dramatically.

You might try pairing short texts with familiar audio versions, letting your child follow along with their finger while the story plays. Or let them choose a book that’s way below their reading level just for ease and fun. Turning reading from an obligation into a shared, comforting ritual can rewire their emotional response to it.

This article on bedtime stories and dyslexia explores how evening routines can redesign your child’s relationship to books—and to their own capabilities.

Lean Into Imagination, Not Just Instruction

Children with dyslexia can feel like school is the place they only ever fall short. That’s why it’s so vital to give them outlets where they can thrive. Role-play, drawing a character from a story, inventing plot twists aloud—these imaginative activities support language skills without triggering reading anxiety.

Creative time matters just as much as tutoring. If you’re looking for ideas, here’s a guide on choosing calm, imaginative activities for your child to help bring joy — and confidence — back into their evenings.

You Are Not Alone

Helping a child with dyslexia move past shame isn’t a quick fix. It requires patience, flexibility, and a lot of emotional energy on your part. But each time you offer understanding over correction, empathy over pressure, you’re building something solid: your child’s sense that they are capable, supported, and deeply loved.

And that belief, over time, is often what makes all the difference.