How to Help Your Dyslexic Child When You're Parenting Alone

Understanding Dyslexia When You're the Only One at Home

When you’re raising a child alone, there are no extra hands to pass the baton. You end the workday already stretched thin, then dive straight into laundry, quick dinners, maybe chasing down a stray sock. And amid the chaos, you're met with one more overwhelming challenge: your child is dyslexic and needs learning support—and you're their only consistent source of help.

First, breathe. Having a dyslexic child doesn’t mean you have to be an expert teacher. You just need to be a steady guide, a safe place. Your love and advocacy already count for more than you likely realize.

But it’s also true that the school system isn’t always equipped to meet every child's needs, and some days you might feel like you're barely making it through. You're not alone in that feeling. Many single parents are navigating the same maze and finding creative ways to support their children despite the odds.

Reimagining Homework as Connection Time

When dyslexia makes reading a page feel like climbing a mountain, homework can turn into a battlefield. Add to that the emotional toll on you as a parent who wants to help but isn’t always sure how, and the tension can build fast.

But what if we reimagined homework not as a test of endurance, but as a small nightly ritual for connection?

For example, one parent I spoke to—Ana, who works evenings as a nurse—had to come up with a way to review schoolwork with her 8-year-old without causing tears. So she turned to using voice recordings. On their car rides before school, they’d listen together to the day's key points, recorded in simple, friendly language. Her child responded not just with better comprehension, but less stress—even some laughter.

Tools like the Skuli App offer options like transforming written lessons into personalized audio adventures—where your child becomes the hero of the story. For auditory learners (as many dyslexic children are), listening to lessons during car rides or before bed can reduce the visual barrier textbooks often present. And when the story speaks directly to them—using their name, their daily struggles, their age—the concepts often stick more.

Staying Patient Through Setbacks

Your child will have great days and hard ones. There will be progress, and there will absolutely be tears. But one of the most powerful gifts you can give is the unwavering message: “I don’t expect you to be perfect—but I see how hard you try.”

Focus on doable, short bursts of learning. Ten minutes of reading with your child each evening, without pressure, can go a long way. If reading aloud seems daunting, you can alternate: you read a sentence, they read the next—or let an audio assistant read part of it instead.

And when they really can’t face the page, that’s okay. That’s not a failure of your teaching—it’s a signal they need a break, a new strategy, or just time. You can always come back to it tomorrow. Learning doesn’t stop when the lesson ends. Every conversation, walk to the park, or bedtime story is still helping their brain grow.

Becoming an Advocate Without Burning Out

Many single parents find themselves in a double role—loving parent and relentless advocate. That can be exhausting. Maybe you’ve already had to explain dyslexia to nine different teachers. Or maybe you’re just starting to realize the school doesn’t fully get what your child needs.

One strategy is to keep simple notes each week on what seems to help your child—what kinds of instructions they follow best, how long they concentrate, what frustrates them quickly. That way, when you're in an IEP meeting or talking to a teacher, you have real, caring insights—not just test scores.

Also, remember: you don’t need to do it all alone. There are local advocacy groups, online communities, and free services that offer tutoring or guidance. Here's a list of free and low-cost educational support options you might not know about.

If you ever feel stuck, there’s also value in reaching out to other parents in the same boat. They often become your best allies—not just for emotional support but sharing what resources actually helped.

Building a Learning Journey That Works for Your Family

No two families are the same. And what works for your child may not be what works for anyone else’s. That’s okay.

The real question is: what rhythms, tools, and supports allow your child to thrive—and allow you not to drown?

That may mean using tech that adapts lessons at their level. Or skipping traditional assignments once in a while to focus on hands-on learning—cooking, building things, or storytelling. Personalization is key, especially for kids with learning differences.

Trust your instincts. You know your child better than anyone. If something doesn’t work, you can change it. And each small win—finishing a book, remembering a spelling word later, smiling through a quiz—deserves real celebration.

You're doing so much more than just “helping with homework.” You’re teaching resilience, advocacy, love. And that kind of support outweighs any worksheet, every time.

For more insight into navigating school struggles solo, here's what to do when your child is falling behind.