What to Do If My Child Refuses to Reread Their Lessons

When rereading becomes a battle

You’ve finally finished dinner, the house is more or less in order, and it's time for homework. You sit down next to your child, open the notebook, and suggest, as you always do, “Let’s reread the lesson together.” And that’s when it happens—the sighing, the fidgeting, or that dreaded “Nooo, I already read it once!” Maybe your child stares blankly at the page. Maybe they shut the book entirely. Either way, you’re left feeling frustrated and helpless.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many parents of children between 6 and 12 face this difficult moment where something that feels so simple—rereading a lesson—becomes a daily struggle. But the issue often runs deeper than simple laziness or resistance.

Why children resist rereading

To us, rereading a lesson feels like a no-brainer. Reinforce the learning, improve comprehension, fix knowledge in memory. But to kids? It often feels boring, pointless, and repetitive. And if your child is struggling with reading fluency, attention, or memory, rereading can even feel like punishment.

In fact, memory challenges are a common hidden reason behind the resistance. If a child feels like they’re rereading for the third time... and still don’t get it, it chips away at their confidence. They start to think, “What’s the point?” Other times, they may read quickly but miss the meaning entirely—something we explore more in this related article.

Start by rethinking your goal

Before diving into tactics, pause and ask yourself: What’s the goal of rereading? Chances are, you want your child to understand, remember, and apply what they’ve learned. That goal doesn’t always require reading the text again in the same way. In fact, sometimes the best way to support learning is to step away from the text entirely.

So how can we get there—without the misery of forced repetition?

Make the content feel personal and active

One powerful strategy is to move from passive to active learning. Instead of asking your child to read again, try framing it like a challenge, a game, or even a story. Many kids thrive when the material feels connected to them personally or when it's part of an experience.

For example, instead of saying, “Reread the science lesson,” say, “Hey, imagine you’re a detective trying to solve why plants need sunlight. Want to figure out the clues from your lesson?” Sound silly? For a 10-year-old, it can be the spark that makes all the difference.

Apps like Skuli can support this kind of creative approach without adding screen time. One feature turns any written lesson into a personalized audio adventure, placing your child as the main character. Suddenly, they’re not rereading—they’re living the story, and learning becomes something they want to hear again, not avoid.

Reconnect with the subject through different formats

If your child tunes out when reading, it might be time to explore other channels. Children are not all visual-verbal learners. Some need to hear things. Others need to talk things through. Some need to do something with their hands.

Here are some real examples parents have used:

• While driving to school, a mom played audio versions of lessons, helping her son digest tricky topics during car rides without pressure.
• Before bed, a dad told his daughter a story based loosely on her history text—with dragons and all. The test the next week? No anxiety, and she remembered everything.
• After homework, a parent used clay and built a model of a volcano, reinforcing a geography lesson hands-on. The rereading happened naturally, as they discussed it while working.

If you're not sure how to start, this article on how to turn lessons into games might give you the creative nudge you need.

Let your child take the lead

When your child feels forced, they push back. But when they lead, even boring tasks can become bearable—or even fun. Start by asking them, “What would help you remember this better?” You might be surprised. Some kids might want to act out the lesson. Others might want to play teacher. Some might even enjoy quizzes—especially when they’re tailored.

One mom shared how her son loved turning his history notes into mini trivia games. She used a tool to transform a snapshot of his textbook into a quiz with 20 customized questions—and suddenly, reviewing wasn’t about rereading, it was about winning against Dad!

If you’re curious about non-digital options that work just as well, here are some game-based review ideas that don’t require any app or screen.

Small wins, not perfect sessions

Finally, try to let go of the perfect study session. It’s okay if your child doesn’t reread the full page. If they recall just one key idea today, that’s a win. If they smile or laugh while learning, that’s a win. If they tell you something they actually understood, that’s a win—even if they didn’t reread a word.

Learning is a long journey, and with the right mindset and tools, you can get there together.