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Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
No time for tales: Gen Z parents find reading 'boring,' worsening US literacy crisis
Reading, once a favourite pastime for children, a cornerstone of growing up, is now meeting its end in the United States, a nation that champions academic excellence. The era when children ostentatiously boasted about the books read has faded into memory. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While screens take over the bookshelf, the conventional practise waits for its obituary in dismal. For Generation Z parents, the bedtime story is no longer a shared ritual, but a chore often dismissed as 'boring,' inconvenient, or simply unnecessary. And this quiet abandonment is a prelude to a literacy crisis that already prevails in the Silicon Valley, whose roots not only lie in classrooms, but living rooms. If the seeds of literacy are no longer sown at home, can the education system alone shoulder the weight of an eroding reading culture? A generation raised by screens, now raising with them Unlike previous generations, Generation Z is a generation who have grown up in a world dominated by devices. Now, as young parents, they are dealing with the challenges of raising children under the constant glow of screens. Bedtime stories have become obsolete. There was a time when reading captivated the maximum time of children, currently substituted by the hum of devices. Children can sit entranced for hours by YouTube or 'Bluey,' but flinch at the stillness of a printed page. A recent HarperCollins UK survey unearthed that fewer than half of Gen Z parents described reading to their children as 'fun,' while nearly one in three saw it as merely academic, a task rather than a pleasure. It is in a glaring contrast to what was observed in Gen X parents, who were more likely to label reading as a significant activity, pivotal for their children's growth. The impact does not speak in whispers, but screams in the next generation. The report highlights that only one-third of children aged five to ten now read for fun, compared to over half in 2012. That decline aligns with another worrying statistic: just 41% of parents today report regularly reading to their children before age five, a sharp fall from 64% little more than a decade ago. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now As the habit meets its last line, it simultaneously weakens the foundation of literacy itself. The situation reeks of a glaring paradox. According to experts, screen time is rapidly replacing crucial parent-child relationships. Worse, it is impairing early cognitive, emotional, and linguistic expertise. Pediatricians recommend no more than an hour of non-educational screen time per weekday for toddlers. In reality, screens fill the silence where once stories lived. The home is the first classroom The ramifications are stark. Children not read to at home arrive at school already disadvantaged. Their vocabulary is smaller. Their attention span is shorter. Their engagement with language is often shallow. Only 41% of parents today regularly read to their children under five, down from 64% in 2012. The ripple effects are evident: fewer children now read for fun, and a growing number struggle with reading even in high school and beyond. The repercussions are stark. Children not read to at home arrive at school are already disadvantaged. Their lexicon is restricted. The attention span is shorter. Their engagement with language is often shallow and superficial. The HarperCollins UK survey revealed that only 41% of parents today regularly read to their children under five, down from 64% in 2012. How the decline in parental reading deepens America's literacy crisis The nation synonymous with growth is grappling with a literacy crisis. A scenario that echoes a brimming paradox. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) revealed that 21% of adults in the U.S. are functionally illiterate, with over half reading below a sixth-grade level. From 2017 to 2023, adult low-literacy rates surged by 9%, underscoring systemic cracks. The economic toll is staggering, estimated at $2.2 trillion annually. Here's how not reading to children can further fan the flames of the crisis: Overreliance on passive content consumption: With storytime replaced by passive screen exposure, children are deprived of interactive language development. Unlike reading, which invites questioning and imagination, screen content is typically one-directional, limiting cognitive engagement. Devaluation of storytelling traditions: The decline in reading aloud erodes oral storytelling culture within families, weakening a child's connection to language, cultural narratives, and the art of expression. Delayed print literacy fluency: Without routine exposure to books and printed text, children may struggle to recognize sentence structure, punctuation, and grammar patterns—skills essential for fluent reading and writing later in life. Growing emotional disengagement from literature: Reading aloud often fosters emotional bonding through shared narratives. When this is absent, children may grow up viewing books as emotionally sterile or disconnected from real life. Reduced attention span training: Regular reading helps stretch a child's attention span and develop patience. In its absence, children are more likely to seek instant gratification, which can hinder long-form reading and comprehension later. Weakened parent-child communication pathways: Storytime often opens up moments for discussion and empathy. Without it, parent-child interactions may become more transactional, limiting opportunities for language-rich dialogue. Failure to instill narrative logic: Stories help children understand cause and effect, sequencing, and character development. These are not just literary tools but critical thinking frameworks that aid academic learning across subjects. A future written in silence The long-term repercussions can be startling. The land of opportunity has not yet recovered from the pandemic-era learning less, and then comes the apathy of Generation Z parents. College students now enter the doors without being able or unwilling to read full books. Teachers, alarmed, are turning to social media to urge parents to return to basics. This is not restricted to bedtime stories. It is about who gets to thrive in the decades to come. Literacy is not a school subject; it is the very foundation through which young people decode the world, address problems, and engage with others. When children are not read to, they do not learn to read, and their potential for empathy, critical thinking, and imagination slowly withers. While it is agreeable that Gen Z parents are stretched thin between economic demands and other overwhelming pressures. However, not neglecting storytime means overlooking someone far greater: The chance to mould a generation that listens, questions, dreams, and understands. Because in a world full of noise, the quiet act of reading may be the most radical, and most necessary, thing a parent can do.
NDTV
3 days ago
- General
- NDTV
Study Shows Gen Z Parents Don't Want To Read To Their Children
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. A study reveals Gen Z parents find reading aloud less enjoyable than previous generations, leading to a decline in children reading for pleasure. In 2024, only 32% of kids read for fun, while screen time increasingly replaces quality parent-child interactions. Gen Z parents, born in the late 1990s and early 2000s, don't enjoy reading aloud to their children as much as their millennial and Gen X counterparts, a new study has revealed. The generations prior to Gen Z viewed reading as a fun and meaningful bonding activity and not just an educational task. A HarperCollins UK report reveals a sharp decline in children reading for pleasure, with fewer of them opting to choose books in their free time. The report shows that in 2012, more than 55 per cent of children aged 5 to 10 often chose to read for fun, but by 2024, that number dropped to just 32 per cent. The study also shows that many parents don't find reading aloud enjoyable. Only 40 per cent of parents say reading to their children is fun. In 2012, about 64 per cent of parents regularly read aloud to children aged 0 to 4, as compared to 2024, when only 41 per cent do it. Only 36 per cent of children aged 5 to 7 are read to regularly, while just 22 per cent of 8 to 10-year-olds are read to at home, according to the study. Only 29 per cent of boys aged 0-2 are read to daily as compared to 44 per cent of girls in the same age group, it said. The percentage of parents who say their children have too much schoolwork to read books has also sharply increased since 2012. In 2024, 49 per cent of parents of children aged 5 to 13 reported this, up from 25 per cent in 2012. About 28 per cent of Gen Z parents think reading is a more effective way to learn, as compared to 21 per cent of Gen X parents. The report reveals that Gen Z parents, who grew up with phones and digital media, are more likely to turn to screens for entertainment instead of books. Reading is "more a subject to learn than a fun thing to do," according to nearly one in three youngsters aged 5 to 13 in 2024, up significantly from one in four (25 per cent) in 2012. Spencer Russell, a former elementary school teacher and Founder of Toddlers CAN Read, asked parents last week, "Why aren't you reading aloud to your kids?" One parent said, "It's so boring," while another said, "I don't have time." According to The Guardian, some parents reported that it was difficult for them to get their children to sit still for long periods. One parent said, "He's always interrupting," while another said, "My son just wants to skip all the pages." Mr Russell said, "We see children who can sit still and focus for hours on YouTube or Miss Rachel, but when you sit them down with a book, they move, wiggle, or scream and run away. Screen time is replacing one-on-one, quality interactions between parent and child."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
‘It's so boring': Gen Z parents don't like reading to their kids - and educators are worried
Last week, former elementary school teacher Spencer Russell posed a question to parents who follow his Instagram account, Toddlers Can Read: 'Why aren't you reading aloud to your kids?' The responses, which Russell shared with the Guardian, ranged from embarrassed to annoyed to angry. 'It's so boring,' said one parent. 'I don't have time,' said another. One mother wrote in: 'I don't enjoy reading myself.' Others reported difficulty getting their children to sit still long enough for a full dose of Goodnight Moon or Mother Goose: 'He's always interrupting,' or 'my son just wants to skip all the pages.' They noted the monotony of story time, with one saying: 'I love reading with my kids, but they request the same book over and over.' Screen time is replacing one-on-one, quality interactions between parent and child Spencer Russell Parents who struggle to read to their children tend to be younger themselves, according to a recent survey from HarperCollins UK. Fewer than half of gen Z parents called reading to their children 'fun for me', and almost one in three saw reading as 'more of a subject to learn' than something to be enjoyed – significantly more than their gen X counterparts. This mindset undoubtedly trickles down to their kids: the survey also found that only a third of five-to-10 year olds frequently read for fun, compared to over half in 2012. This could be because their parents are less likely to read to them before they turn five: 41% of parents of all ages reported doing so, a steep drop from the 64% in 2012. If parents are reading out loud to their children less, US educators can tell. Russell, who offers courses to teach literacy skills to kids as young as 18 months, regularly gets inquiries from parents of older children – some as old as 14 – who still struggle to crack open a book. There are other tell-tale signs. 'We see children who can sit still and focus for hours on YouTube or Miss Rachel, but when you sit them down with a book, they move, wiggle, or scream and run away,' said Russell, who lives in Houston. Gen Z parents inherited an economy racked by inequity and instability that makes child rearing all the more stressful. The cost of childcare in the US – roughly $11,000 a year on average – has skyrocketed since the 90s. It's no wonder they might be too tired or stressed to read to their kids at night, even if they realize it's important to do so. At the same time, screens are inescapable – notably, gen Z parents were the first generation to grow up with them. 'I don't think we can divorce the role of technology influencing gen Z parents and their kids with the decline in reading out loud,' Russell said. 'Screen time is replacing one-on-one, quality interactions between parent and child.' One of the most helpful ways to read books is by having a conversation with children about what they're interested in Dawna Duff Loads of evidence shows that excessive screen time can harm a child's cognitive, linguistic and social-emotional growth, and doctors recommend that parents limit 'non-educational screen time' for children ages two to five to about one hour per weekday, and three on the weekends. But you try getting a toddler to settle into story time without giving in to her demands to watch Bluey. Most parents see the iPad as a necessary evil. America's so-called 'literacy crises' is well-documented; an Atlantic report from last fall found that many elite college students fail to complete English assignments, as they never had to read a full book in high school. The pandemic wreaked havoc on students' performance in both math and reading, with scores in both subjects dropping to the lowest margin in over 30 years. On TikTok, teachers have taken to posting PSAs urging parents to read to their children with the caption: 'I bet you I can't tell who was breast-fed vs formula-fed, but I can tell you who has grown ups that read to them every night.' Kids who don't get a head start reading at home often have trouble catching up to those who do, says Dawna Duff, an associate professor of speech language pathology at Suny's Binghamton University. 'Books are a really rich source of learning new words, and if kids don't have that experience reading at home, they're likely to come to school knowing less vocabulary – and that makes a big difference in how successful you're going to be throughout school,' she said. But kids don't just learn to read at school. Becky Calzada, president of the American Association of School Librarians, stresses the importance of parents as 'reading role models'. Reading out loud to children not only helps them learn vocabulary, but it builds emotional intelligence, such as the ability to empathize and connect, Caldaza says. According to the HarperCollins report, more than one in five boys aged zero to two are rarely or never read to, while 44% of girls in that age group are read to every day. This comes as boys continue to fall behind girls in school – they are more likely to enter kindergarten behind girls, earn lower GPAs and not graduate high school. Russell acknowledges that books are 'never going to compete with YouTube', and that the pressures of parenthood in 2025 are immense. As one parent told him: 'I just don't have the energy to read to my kid. Me and my wife don't 'have a village', so it's hard to rest.' But there are ways to wean kids away from their phones. 'Just scale it back a little, as much as you can at first.' Related: She compared motherhood in four countries. The US isn't looking good Calzada encourages parents who don't like reading to their children to start slowly. 'You don't have to sit there for 20 minutes to an hour,' she said. 'A two-year-old doesn't have much reading stamina, but you can read them something that has maybe five pages, that's mostly 'the cow says moo, the pink says oink,' and you gradually build up from there.' Nor should parents give up if their children aren't paying full attention during story time. According to Duff, 'you shouldn't feel like you need to read every word on the page, or even any words on the page.' Talking about the book's pictures, or asking kids to tell the story in their own words counts, too. 'We know one of the most helpful ways to read books is by having a conversation with children about what they're interested in,' she added. 'Follow their lead.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Reading aloud is losing its magic—but it's not too late to bring it back
New research by HarperCollins UK and Farshore reveals a worrying trend—and an opportunity for change. Reading bedtime stories was one of the most cherished parts of our childhood for many of us. It was the sound of a parent's voice, the comfort of cuddling up close, the magic of getting lost in a world far beyond our own. But for many children today, that moment of magic is quietly fading. In a new study released by HarperCollins UK and Farshore in December 2024, fewer than half of parents with children aged 0–13 say reading aloud is 'fun for me.' And when it comes to the youngest readers, just 41% of 0–4-year-olds are read to frequently, down sharply from 64% in 2012. The research, part of the 2024 Understanding the Children's Book Consumer survey conducted with NielsenIQ BookData, reveals that our cultural relationship with reading is shifting. Gen Z parents—those who grew up with screens—are more likely than previous generations to see reading as 'more a subject to learn' rather than a joyful activity. Their kids are absorbing that same message: almost one in three children aged 5–13 now see reading as something to study, not something to love. Even more troubling? This perception is growing. In 2012, only 25% of children felt this way. In 2024, it's 29%—and among 11–13-year-olds, it jumps to 35%. Related: Eye-opening viral video shows difference between effective and ineffective ways to handle bedtime Perhaps most heartbreaking is how early the disparity sets in. Among toddlers aged 0–2, just 29% of boys are read to daily, compared to 44% of girls. More than 1 in 5 boys are rarely or never read to at all. And by age 13, only 12% of boys read for fun every day. Alison David, Consumer Insight Director at Farshore and HarperCollins Children's Books, says, '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…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.' Related: The scientific benefits of dads reading bedtime stories But there's also hope—real, inspiring hope. In a powerful pilot study called 'Social Reading Spaces,' HarperCollins UK partnered with the School Library Association to reimagine how we help reluctant adolescent readers reconnect with books. Over 10 weeks, 17 school libraries across the UK created pressure-free book clubs that emphasized connection, conversation, and community over reading assignments. The results were nothing short of transformational. More than 400 students aged 12–13 took part. Afterward, 60% said they were more interested in reading, and 84% said it was a worthwhile experience. In one school, boys who joined the club saw their reading ages grow by an average of 1 year and 3 months—compared to just 5 months in their wider year group. 'You can—like—express your emotions and your feelings here,' one boy said. Another shared, 'It's just a fun way of communicating and getting to read more books and become friends at the same time.' Yes, life is busier than ever. Yes, the pressures of modern parenting are real. But this research offers a gentle but urgent reminder: our kids need stories—not just for literacy, but for joy, connection, and emotional growth. Even five minutes a day can change the story of a child's life. Let's bring back the magic of reading aloud. Let's make story time a space of comfort and laughter, and imagination. And let's do it not out of guilt, but out of love. Because the truth is: we don't have to be perfect parents. But we can be the ones who say, 'Let's read together.' Sources: HarperCollins UK & Farshore (2024). New research reveals that parents are losing the love of reading aloud. 'PDF via HarperCollins Press Release'
New York Post
30-04-2025
- General
- New York Post
This parenting tradition is dying with Gen Z — and it's harming their kids
Gen Zzzzs want to put this precious parenting pastime to bed. Snuggling up under a kiddo's comforter to read the little one a bedtime story is a total snooze-fest for moms and dads in their early 20s, according to a new study on the steep decline of children's interest in books. Zoomers simply don't consider reading fairy tales and nursery rhymes a 'fun' time. 5 Younger parents feel that reading aloud to their kids is more laborious than pleasurable, per new data. Marco – Sorry, 'Snow White' — hi-ho, hi-ho, back on the shelf you go. 'Despite reading aloud to children being a proven way to boost their enjoyment of reading, the number of parents reading aloud to children is at an all-time low,' wrote researchers for publishing company HarperCollins UK, in collaboration with NielsenIQ BookData, a consumer intelligence firm. 'This is particularly pronounced among Gen Z parents, where almost one in three (28%) see reading as [more of a] 'subject to learn,'' said study authors, who polled approximately 2,000 adults across all age demographics for their findings. 'As the first generation to grow up with technology, Gen Z parents may turn to digital entertainment for fun rather than books.' But instead of defaulting to their devices, it might be time for mothers and fathers to read the writing on the wall. 5 Researchers found that Gen Z parents prefer their phones, tablets and computers to books. Marco – Recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) — a test administered to fourth and eighth graders — showed at least a third of America's students failed to demonstrate 'basic' reading skills expected for their age group. Experts blame the 'heartbreaking' slump on the post-pandemic shift away from foundational learning — fundamental concepts such as literacy and numeracy — both in schools and at home. But Gen Zers aren't the only guys guilty of skipping story-time. The HarperCollins UK report revealed that only 40% of all parents, including millennials and Gen Xers, said reading aloud to kids is 'fun for me.' It's not that modern moms and dads are lazy. They're just too busy. 'Parents face increasing pressures, with 34% of parents of 0 to 13s wishing they had more time to read to their children,' researchers determined, adding that 49% of folks feel their broods 'have too much schoolwork to read books.' 5 Parents of all ages are reading to their little boys far less frequently than they're reading tot their little girls. memento_jpeg – Still, shelving bedtime books is taking a toll on infants, tikes and tweens — especially little lads. 'Fewer than half (41%) of 0 to 4-year-olds are read to frequently, a steep decline from 64% in 2012,' investigators warned. 'Boys and girls are treated differently, with only 29% of 0 to 2-year-old boys read to 'every day/nearly every day', compared to 44% of girls in the same age group,' noted the insiders. 'The crisis in boys reading for pleasure continues from infancy to adolescence, as only 12% of 12 to 13-year-old boys read for fun.' However, across both genders, 29% of children ages 5 to 13 find reading to be educational rather than enjoyable. It's a slight, yet disrupting an uptick from the 25% of youngsters who felt the same way in 2022. 'This growing association of reading with pressure rather than pleasure is contributing to disengagement,' the analysts said. But all hope isn't lost, says lead study author Allison David. 5 Experts claims kids who are often read to by their parents are happier, more physically active and have strong desires to continue reading on their own. Irina Schmidt – '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,' David, the consumer insight director at HarperCollins Children's Books, said in a statement. 'It means they are more likely to associate reading with schoolwork, something they are tested on and can do well or badly, not something they could enjoy,' she continued. 'The good news is when children are read to frequently, they very quickly come to love it and become motivated to read themselves,' David noted. '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.' 5 David assures parents that it's 'never too late' to institute a reading regimen with their children. Jacob Lund – A previous poll via digital reading platform, Epic, found that kids who read a lot are happier, more physically active, and have a more active imaginations and even problem-solving skills than their peers who rarely read. So, put down that iPhone and pick up that 'Pinocchio' pop-up book, mom. 'It's never too late to start, or resume, reading with children,' said David.
