My Child Hates Reading: What Parents Should Do First

That 2 AM Google search—"my child hates reading"—brought you here for a reason. You're watching your kid dodge homework, insist on graphic novels, or dissolve into tears when asked to read aloud. Your heart breaks a little more each time. 

Here's what you need to know: your child doesn't hate stories. They hate feeling defeated. 

When reading becomes synonymous with failure, kids build walls. They'd rather be seen as defiant than incapable. That meltdown over a simple paragraph? It's not stubbornness—it's self-preservation. 

What's Really Behind the Reading Struggle? 

Reading resistance is rarely about motivation. More often, it's rooted in:

• Poor early instruction that skipped crucial building blocks 

• Weak phonemic awareness that turns words into puzzles with missing pieces 

• Undiagnosed learning differences like dyslexia

• Years of accumulated shame from being the last one to finish, the one who stumbles, the one who "just doesn't get it" 

The good news? These walls can be torn down.

With the right instruction and support, children who once hid books under their bed turn into kids who beg for "just one more chapter" at bedtime.

The solution exists. Your child's love of stories is still there, waiting. 

Step 1: Get Clarity with a Reading Assessment

If your child is struggling, the first thing to do is get curious, not critical. That means scheduling a reading screening or comprehensive assessment.

Reading and spelling screeners help identify whether your struggling reader is dealing with:

• Gaps in phonological awareness

• Missing phonics skills

• Weaknesses in decoding and spelling

If your child is struggling in multiple areas, look for an assessment that also tests math skills, attention, processing speed, memory and other factors.

A quality assessment gives you answers and a clear roadmap for what to do next. This is especially important for families who value targeted, expert help rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.

Step 2: Choose High-Quality, Evidence-Based Instruction

Generic tutoring often fails struggling readers. Why? Because it focuses on homework help or content review, not the underlying reading skills your child may have missed.

If your child or teen is struggling with reading, they need

• explicit, structured literacy instruction

• a science-backed approach like Orton-Gillingham for teaching phonics

• instruction in phonological kills using proven methods (e.g. Kilpatrick or Heggerty)

• a highly-trained tutor who customizes each lesson to the skills your student needs to learn

Why Orton-Gillingham?

The Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach is the gold standard for teaching students the many phonics patterns we use in reading and spelling the English language. It's particularly useful for students with dyslexia or significant reading gaps.

It's:

• Sequential and cumulative

• Multi-sensory

• Designed to make the rules of reading and spelling explicit

When combined with good instruction in phonological skills, it helps struggling readers finally understand how our language works, and build true confidence and fluency.

Step 3: Support Confidence at Home

While expert help is critical, your role as a parent is just as powerful. Here’s how to help at home:

• Avoid labels like “lazy” or “not trying”

• Celebrate effort, not just achievement

• Read aloud to your child. Yes, even older kids!

• Embrace audiobooks, which keep language and reading rich and engaging as kids' decoding skills catch up.

When kids feel emotionally safe and supported they engage more, even with what feels hard.

Why Families Choose Kids Up Reading Tutors

At Kids Up Reading Tutors, LLC (formerly Kids Up Reading Coaches, LLC), we work with families who want real results, not just homework help. We specialize in helping students in grades 1-12 close reading and spelling gaps in months, not years, with:

• 1-on-1 private tutoring that targets the root cause of reading difficulties

• Evidence-based instruction using Orton-Gillingham and Kilpatrick

• Customized 45- or 60-minute sessions tailored to your child's specific learning gaps

• Clear progress tracking with weekly updates for parents

• Flexible scheduling to work with your family's school-year or summer activities

• Online sessions via Zoom for more frequent tutoring and faster results

  
  

Our Goal: To give your child the tools they need to catch up, gain confidence and move on; not to keep them in tutoring forever.

Our Guarantee: Try it for a week. Love it, or it's on us!

If your child or teen is struggling with reading or writing, don't wait. Reach out today and discover how we can help them become a fluent reader, good speller, and confident student.