Kids Are Struggling to Read

by Alexander Tidd

Kids are having a tougher time than ever when it comes to reading comprehension. According to The Atlantic, recent data reveals that 33 percent of U.S. eighth-graders are reading at a “below basic” level—meaning they struggle to follow even the order of events in a passage. Meanwhile 40 percent of fourth-graders are similarly behind. Those numbers are alarming, but they also offer a clear wake-up call for parents: reading problems are real, and parental involvement still matters more than ever.

If your child is facing frustration with reading, it helps to know you’re not alone. It also helps to have a plan for how you can help them improve their comprehension and maybe even enjoy reading. Here are some insights on what’s going on, and practical ways to help at home.

Why Kids Struggle

Reading isn’t just about doing the assignment. It’s about making sense of text, connecting it to what you know, and imagining what happens next. When students lack background knowledge, struggle with attention or are reading material that feels distant from their lives, comprehension falls apart.

One famous experiment called The Baseball Study found that even kids who could decode words understood texts better if they already had knowledge on the topic. That means when a child reads about a topic they’re unfamiliar with, they’re working harder on decoding and context than on enjoying or understanding the story.

And then there are the distractions: screens, shorter attention spans, and an environment that often pushes doing over thinking. When kids aren’t reading for pleasure, they miss hours of self-guided reading practice—the very thing that builds stamina and deeper understanding.

What Parents Can Do

Here are effective, realistic ways you can help your child boost reading comprehension and develop a love for reading—not just because it’s homework, but because it opens doors.

1. Build background knowledge.
Before your child dives into a book or passage, talk about the context. “This story is about life on a farm in the 1800s. We’ll see what it was like before electricity became common.” That little setup gives them a frame for what they’re about to read, and helps them link new ideas to what they already know.

2. Let them choose some of what they read.
A forced book becomes a chore. Give your child some control. Whether it’s comic books, magazines, graphic novels, or short stories—reading for pleasure counts. If they choose it, they’re more likely to stick with it.

3. Discuss what you’re reading together.
Keep the conversation simple but meaningful. Ask questions like: “What surprised you in this chapter?” or “If you were that character, what would you do next?” That helps them practice making inferences, summarizing, and imagining outcomes—all essential for comprehension.

4. Mix reading aloud and independent reading.
Read together—parents and child taking turns. Hearing expressive reading helps build fluency, tone, and comprehension. Then encourage independent reading with a comfortable place and time carved out. The combination works.

5. Limit screen distractions around reading time.
That doesn’t mean banning screens entirely. It means helping kids shift from mindless scrolling to at-least partially focused reading. Even reducing background noise or visual clutter when reading helps attention—and attention is what comprehension needs.

Turning Reading Into Joy, Not Just Work

When reading becomes a routine chore, enthusiasm drops. But when reading becomes part of fun and discovery, kids will stick with it.

Try these ideas:

• Start a family reading hour. Lights dimmed, comfy spot, favorite snacks, and everyone reads their own book—or you read together.

• Let your child act out the story, or draw a scene from what they read.

• Create a little “book club” at home: you read a short chapter, then talk about it over dinner.

• Explore “read-what-your-child-loves” months: dinosaurs, space, animals, sports—even if it’s non-fiction or picture books.

When kids see reading as something joyful instead of strictly academic, they’ll begin to pick up books on their own. That extra voluntary reading time translates into improved comprehension and stamina.

Why It’s Still Worth It

The stakes are high. The more a child struggles with reading early on, the harder it becomes to catch up because reading is the gateway for all learning. If your child can’t read well, every other subject becomes a tougher climb. But you as a parent have tremendous influence.

You may not control what happens at school, but you do control the reading environment at home, the message you send about reading’s value, and the habits you form together. Your involvement doesn’t guarantee perfection—but it dramatically increases the odds your child will move from “below basic” to “basic” or better.

Reading struggles can feel overwhelming, but they do not define a child’s future. With consistent, joyful support and practical habits, kids can build comprehension, stamina, and the sort of reading life that extends beyond worksheets.

If you’re facing nightly fights over reading or worried your child “just doesn’t like books,” you’re not alone. Identify one small change today—letting them pick a book, reading a few pages together, discussing one idea—and build from there. The progress won’t always be dramatic overnight, but piece by piece, those pages add up.