Learning to read for pleasure; is technology making this more of a challenge?

It turns out that a few weeks ago was World Book Day (March 7), and in recognition of that day the (online) Guardian had a somewhat disturbing article reporting that children feel they are being discouraged from reading what they’d really like to read. Possibly even more disturbing from my point of view, children are reporting that their parents don’t read books, they spend all their time scrolling their phones.

The article, World Book Day finds children are put off reading books for pleasure, is based on research done in Britain, so perhaps this isn’t true elsewhere, but somehow I doubt it. And to think that the next generation(s) of our countries aren’t finding joy in reading is sad indeed.

The thing is that, for nearly all of us of every generation, our world now revolves around our phones more than paper, both because there’s so much we can – and have to – do online, and because things we used to read on paper, like newspapers, are now read on our phones. So, when children see their parents scrolling their phones, they might be communicating with someone regarding work, texting with a friend, ordering supper to be delivered, looking up when the ball game is on tonight, reading the news, paying their bills, or even reading a book. Or they could be playing a game or placing a bet. But to their kids, they’re not reading a book, even though they’re being pressured to do so. And apparently, the kids who were part of this study also felt strongly that they keep being pushed to read books they don’t want to read instead of being allowed or encouraged to read books they’re interested in.

I know that our world has changed irrevocably with respect to everything being online. We’re not going back to newspapers that are actually printed on paper (sigh). We’re not going to put down our phones. Certainly, I’m hardly ever off my phone when I’m home. It’s my encyclopedia, my source of news every day, my means of communicating with my friends and family, and for reading posts of other bloggers. It’s my go-to for searching out new ideas, doing genealogy digging, finding the weather forecast, looking up curious stats, you name it. Its reach is astounding. But … the fact that we as parents (and grandparents) are observed by our small children as spending more time on our phones than doing things with them, and certainly spending more time on our phones than reading books ourselves, is concerning.  The Guardian article reported that one 11-year-old ‘non-reader’ told researchers, “Adults usually tell you to read, but then they go on their phones. My teachers and my dad do that!” That’s not good. We need to recognize this as a real issue and take steps to ensure that our kids get the message that reading for pleasure is one of life’s greatest treasures. Reading for pleasure – and knowledge – sustains us at every phase of life. Helping your children develop good reading habits is one of the greatest gifts you can give them, even if it means you may need to put down your phone a bit more often and join your kid in picking up a book!

For a number of years, we had a Christmas tradition with our younger son’s family (who had kids first) whereby we gave each other gift cards for our favourite bookstore, then when we were in their city over Christmas we’d all go to the bookstore together on Boxing Day, grandparents, parents, and two small children, split off to our favourite sections of the store, and each choose our books. It was great fun to see what everyone chose, and very rare that any of the four adults chose the same books. Since COVID we’ve stayed home for Christmas, so we do our Boxing Day book selections virtually. This is the picture our son sent us of the books two adults and two teenagers chose with their gift cards this past year; of course, we sent them a picture of our selections in return.

My daughter-in-law and I did in fact both choose Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead this year. Excellent choice!

Our older son has the younger family, and they have done a stellar job of instilling their small children with a love of reading. They’ve got the recipe down pat.

1. Read to your children from a very early age. Make it a ritual.
2. Choose books you know they will like.
3. And presto, you’ll have kids who’d rather read just a little more, please, before doing anything else.

Maybe we should all get out our library cards and start new traditions of family library trips as well.

Image sources: Moderately Confused, Adam Fritz, Irene Kim Fritz, Kevin Fritz