It is so hard to watch a child struggle, making it especially tempting to step in and “help”—aka do the work for them. While well-meaning, that’s actually one of the worst things you can do. “Parents who do the homework and the planning and the things the student should be doing are just keeping the frontal lobe small for the student,” Dr. Linzey explains. “Let your child fail. Mistakes are a huge part of success.”That’s not to say you can’t help them, though. “Parents can be a study buddy as long as they are asking the questions and letting the student write or talk through the answers,” Dr. Linzey adds.
Homework Hacks for Kids With Dyslexia: Research-Based Tips
CONNECT THEM WITH SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS.
Another great option is considering peer mentoring. “Our team’s 2026 study on the Superpower Mentors program found that caregivers reported significant improvements across anxiety, depression, self-esteem, exec- utive function, and even sleep difficulties af- ter kids with learning differences were paired with a young-adult mentor who shared the same learning difference,” Dr. Richter says. “At home, this could translate to connecting your child with an older sibling, cousin, or family friend who has navigated dyslexia success- fully, someone who can model routines like breaking down assignments or organizing a homework schedule.” Sometimes, all it takes is talking to someone who has also navigat- ed the same hurdles and overcome them to encourage your child to keep fighting!
BY: JULIANNA STEEN
A 20-minute homework assignment doesn’t always take 20 minutes— especially for a child with a specific learning disability (SLD) like dyslexia. For many kids with dyslexia, the school day doesn’t really end when they come home. Reading, writing, and organizing assignments can turn homework into a second round of the hardest parts of their day. As a parent, you want to help—but know- ing how to help isn’t always obvious. Why does homework take so long? How much should you step in? When does your child need a break? And do tools like audiobooks and text-to-speech actually help? We asked Dr. Caroline G. Richter, assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and director of STARS (Science of Child DevelopmenT And NeuRodiverSity), for 10 research-backed ways parents can make homework less stressful and more manage- able for kids with dyslexia. Don’t rush—make home a safe, low-stigma space where they can learn at their own pace. “Many students with dyslexia have slow visu- al processing speed, so their ability to take in visual information is limited,” states educa- tional psychologist Dr. Tere Linzey. “It can feel like breathing through a straw all day: You can do it, but how exhausted would you be?” While there are some options out there, like brain training classes or Brain Cardz, that may help speed up their visual processing and attention, on a regular Tuesday night, you’re just going to have to practice patience. Reframe dyslexia and teach them to give grace to themselves for the different way their brain processes language. You may be surprised at just how import- ant it is for home to be a safe place for your child to struggle, mess up, and try again. Dr. Richter explains, “[K]ids with specific learning disabilities (SLD) [like] dyslexia experience chronic stigma and stereotype pressure at
school (being labeled ‘lazy’ or ‘slow’), which raises stress and worsens anxiety and depres- sion over time.” Don’t be afraid to ask your child how they feel and remind them their learning struggles do not define them. Prioritize your child’s emotional and cogni- tive well-being over “perfect” homework. Don’t just focus on their academic perfor- mance—consider your child’s mental health as well. The study “Stress, resilience, and emo- tional well-being in children and adolescents with specific learning disabilities” by Brianna Stein, Fumiko Hoeft, and Caroline G. Richter highlights how your family can really foster your child’s level of resilience: “[E]motional and cognitive support provided in the home environment is particularly important for psychological resilience.” In essence, the more you speak life into your kid, the more they will believe it, fortify- ing their mental health. Don’t let them spiral down into a negative self-fulfilling prophecy: Help them build their self-esteem, self-con- cept, grit, and self-efficacy, all important factors found by the study!
DON’T TAKE YOUR STRESS OUT ON YOUR KID.
There are few things more frustrating than not being able to fix your child’s “problem,” especially when you’ve explained something 12 times already. (Why are 4th grade math problems so hard?!) It’s easy for that frus- tration to build and build until it reaches a tipping point. Whether it leaks out as anger or stress, your child can sense and be negatively affected by your emotions. “Findings from our review show that when mothers develop positive coping strategies and lower their own stress, their children with SLD show fewer internalizing and externalizing behavior problems,” Dr. Richter says. She recommends easing homework-time tension by using a calm tone, taking breaks, and practicing patience. TAKE HOMEWORK BREAKS. While it may feel like it’s more effective for your child to sit down and knock all of their homework out at once, that is not necessar- ily true. “Studies our team reviewed found that longer homework time is associated with more perceived stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in kids with dyslexia, while shorter homework sessions and regular
USE TECHNOLOGY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.
According to Dr. Linzey, audiobooks, text-to- speech, or speech-to-text are always appro- priate when the student feels they are useful. It’s not “cheating”—it’s using the resources available to your child to help their brains process the information. Research has also shown that using artificial intelligence-as- sisted tools to support learning can prove beneficial to those with SLDs. Bonus: For younger children, Dr. Richter encourages parents to integrate fun into learning in unique ways, like playing board games, counting items at the grocery store, and pretending to budget. Let your child make mistakes. Don’t do their homework for them.
32 OCTOBER 2026 | BRPARENTS.COM
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