Most parents mistake reading struggles for laziness - but it could be a sign your child needs extra support 6 May 2026 Your child avoids books, seems to guess the words instead of reading them, or suddenly gets upset when you ask them to read something aloud. At first, it's easy to brush off these reading problems as laziness, stubbornness, or a lack of interest, especially when they say things like "This is boring" or "I don't want to." Childrens reading problems But sometimes, what looks like laziness or even attitude may actually be a quiet sign of something deeper.