Teaching my perfectionist child to read is impossible he melts down at every mistake
My 5yo is a perfectionist and it's making teaching him to read impossible. He wants to get everything right on the first try and when he doesn't he just falls apart. Full tears, says he's stupid, refuses to keep going. We've had to stop lessons early more times than I can count.
I've tried being extra patient. I've tried making it silly. I've tried taking breaks when he gets frustrated. Nothing helps once he's decided he failed at something. Other subjects are fine because there's less obvious right and wrong. But with reading either you know the sound or you don't and he can't handle not knowing yet.
Posted Feb 26, 2026, 1:53 PM UTC
2148