Understanding the Emotions Behind Reading for Children with Dyslexia

The Hidden Weight Behind the Words

If you're parenting a child who struggles with dyslexia, you know that reading isn't just about recognizing letters and decoding words. It's emotional. It's daily battles, slow progress, and sometimes, heartbreaking frustration. Your child may dread reading aloud in class, burst into tears over homework, or slam the book shut, declaring, "I'm just stupid." None of this is about laziness — it's all rooted in how reading makes them feel.

Dyslexia is far more complex than a learning difficulty. For many children, especially between the ages of 6 and 12, it feels like a personal failure, even when they’re trying their absolute best. To truly help them grow — and to prevent shame from taking root where pride should live — we need to first understand the emotional terrain they’re navigating every time they open a book.

The Emotional Impact of Struggling to Read

Children begin learning to read with feelings of curiosity and excitement. But when reading doesn't come easily, joy can give way to self-doubt. Your child might notice their classmates reading smoothly while they're still stumbling through words. This sense of difference can lead to:

• Frustration: The brain is working hard, but the results don’t match the effort.
• Embarrassment: Especially when asked to read aloud in front of peers.
• Anxiety: Regular reading assignments can trigger avoidance or meltdowns.
• Low self-esteem: A belief that “I’m bad at reading” can morph into “I’m not smart.”

Research and lived experience both suggest these feelings are common among readers with dyslexia. And they matter deeply — emotions influence motivation, and motivation is a key part of learning. Left unaddressed, emotional distress around reading can widen the learning gap even further.

What Your Child Might Wish They Could Tell You

Children with dyslexia often don’t know how to express what’s difficult for them. They might not say, “The letters move when I try to read,” or “I can’t remember what this word sounds like today.” Instead, you might hear them say:

• "Can’t we skip reading tonight?" (They're tired — emotionally and mentally.)
• "I hate school." (Maybe not all of school — just the parts that hurt.)
• "I’m dumb." (A heartbreaking conclusion after repeated struggles.)

When responsive adults hear these things and respond with compassion, something powerful happens: your child feels seen. No, you can’t fix the struggle overnight, but showing up with empathy can be a turning point.

Creating a Safe Space Around Reading

Rather than pressing harder on traditional approaches, gently reframe reading at home into something open, low-pressure, and — yes — still enjoyable. Here’s how:

1. Validate, Don’t Dismiss: When your child shares how hard it felt to read aloud in school or cries over a book, resist the urge to brush it off with "You’re fine!" Instead, say something like, "I can see that really frustrated you. That would be so hard. But I’m proud you tried."

2. Separate Intelligence from Reading: Let them know that how well they read does not determine their intelligence. Reading is a skill, not a measure of worth.

3. Offer Enjoyable Alternatives: Your child can still love stories even if reading them is hard. Listening to audiobooks can bring the magic of narrative back into their lives. The LISN Kids App (also available on Android) offers immersive, age-appropriate audio stories designed specifically for ages 3 to 12. It’s a way for kids to engage with language and stories at their own pace.

Cultivating a Relationship with Books Outside of Reading

One powerful way to reduce emotional stress around reading is to disconnect the joy of story from the mechanics of text. Keeping the love of stories alive — through storytelling, podcasts, family read-alouds, or audio formats — helps protect a sense of identity and confidence.

Reading and listening can be complementary, not competitive. In fact, listening strengthens vocabulary and comprehension, laying a strong groundwork for reading to become easier over time.

Understanding What Help Looks Like

Your child may need specific interventions — structured literacy programs or multisensory learning approaches — to build reading skills. But emotional support is just as critical. When school becomes a daily battlefield, consider:

• Attending parent-teacher meetings focused on emotional well-being, not just grades
• Exploring multisensory strategies to reduce stress around reading tasks
• Spotting early red flags — even in preschool — that could lead to better support down the line

It’s Okay to Slow Down

In a world full of reading challenges, learning delays, and inevitable comparisons, perhaps the most radical thing you can do is move at your child’s pace. Slow down the rush. Make space for their emotions. Sometimes, peace doesn’t come from fixing the problem instantly — it comes from meeting your child exactly where they are, today.

They don’t need to be rescued. They need to be believed in.