Why Your Child Is Struggling with Reading (And It Might Not Be What You Think)

If your child is struggling with reading, you’ve probably asked yourself:

• Why is this so hard for them?

• Are they behind?

• What am I missing?

You’re not alone—and more importantly, your child is not alone either.

But here’s something many parents don’t hear often enough:

 Reading struggles are not always just about reading skills.

The Real Reason Many Children Struggle

When we think about reading, we often think about:

• Phonics (sounding out words)

• Fluency (reading smoothly)

• Comprehension (understanding text)

And yes—those are important.

But there’s something else happening underneath the surface.

Many children struggle with reading because of:

• Difficulty staying focused

• Feeling overwhelmed by too much information

• Lack of confidence

• Frustration after repeated challenges

In other words…

Reading is not just a skill—it’s an experience.

And that experience is deeply connected to how a child feels.

Reading Is Emotional (Whether We Realize It or Not)

Think about what happens when a child sits down to read:

If they’ve struggled before, they might already be thinking:

• “I can’t do this.”

• “This is too hard.”

• “I’m not good at reading.”

That feeling shows up as:

• Avoidance

• Distraction

• Rushing

• Shutting down

So even if they can read some of the words…

Their brain isn’t fully available to understand them.

 Why Traditional Reading Help Sometimes Falls Short

Many reading programs focus on one piece at a time:

• More phonics practice

• More reading time

• More worksheets

But if a child:

• Isn’t focused

• Doesn’t feel confident

• Doesn’t understand how to think about what they’re reading

Then more practice alone doesn’t solve the problem.

It often leads to: More frustration - Less confidence - More resistance

❤️ A Different Way to Think About Reading

What if reading support looked different?

What if we didn’t just ask: “Can they read it?”

But instead:

• Can they focus on what matters?

• Can they connect to what they’re reading?

• Can they explain their thinking?

• Do they feel confident trying?

Because when those pieces come together…

That’s when real progress happens.

 What I See in My Work with Students

In my work with students, I’ve seen something powerful:

When children are supported in both skills and confidence, they begin to:

• Stay engaged longer

• Take more risks

• Understand what they’re reading

• Feel proud of themselves

And that’s when everything starts to change.

A Simple Truth

Your child doesn’t just need more reading practice.

They need an approach that helps them:

• Focus

• Think

• Connect

• And believe they can do it

✨ What Comes Next

In my next post, I’ll walk you through a simple framework I use with students that helps bring all of these pieces together—so reading becomes something that finally clicks.

If You’re Feeling This Right Now…

If your child is struggling with reading—or starting to lose confidence—you don’t have to figure it out alone.

I work with students of all ages through personalized virtual sessions designed to build both reading skills and confidence.

Jessica Giambrone

Early Literacy Educator

📞 518-321-4896