The number of parents reading to their children is at an all-time low, according to a Scripps-Howard article. Fewer than half (41%) of kids four years old and younger are being read to frequently, according to a study published last month by HarperCollins UK. In 2012, that number was 64%
Gen Z – typically those born between 1997 and 2012 – are “significantly more likely than Millennials or Gen X to view reading as ‘more a subject to learn’ rather than a fun or enriching activity,” the study said.
Gen Z is the first generation to grow up surrounded by technology. Millennials, who came before them, remember a world before the internet.
This “no fun” attitude toward reading seems to be adopted by children. The number of 5 to 10-year-olds who frequently choose to read for enjoyment (32%) is down from 55% in 2012, according to the study.
Most parents in the study said reading to their kids isn’t fun for them or that they wish they had more time. Another possible factor: parents claimed their children have too much schoolwork to have time for leisure reading, according to the survey.
“Being read to makes reading fun for children. So, it’s very concerning that many children are growing up without a happy reading culture at home,” says Alison David, Consumer Insight Director at Farshore and HarperCollins Children’s Books. “The good news is when children are read to frequently, they very quickly come to love it and become motivated to read themselves. Children who are read to daily are almost three times as likely to choose to read independently compared to children who are only read to weekly at home. It’s never too late to start, or resume, reading with children.”
Scripps-Howard
