Sad my children won’t read anymore

[Clarebear89]

They’re 14 and 11 and always loved books when they were small. We have a huge collection of all the classics and lots of new ones too some never read, they always get books for birthdays and Christmas and my eldest would read a whole book in a day. Now it’s all about phones and if I put my foot down and try to limit use they kick up a fuss that they’re being left out of group chats and socialising with their friends. Their friends spend their entire free time on their phones so my dc want to aswell so they don’t miss out on anything. Youngest says reading is boring and doesn’t enjoy it. I know they’re growing up now but it’s such a shame that paper books seem forgotten over technology these days. Any one else feel the same and managed to get their dc into reading again or do I just accept they’re not interested and leave them be?

Have a light touch and they'll come back to it. Both of mine (now aged 25 and 23) went through a few years without seemingly picking up a book to my absolute dismay. But they are both now avid readers again and I couldn't be happier.

Have you tried reading to or with them? My 13 year old is also not a great reader but a couple of nights a week I read aloud to him and we really enjoy it. He's perfectly capable of reading very complex words so it's not like he needs to practice reading himself like he did when he was till learning, but he is still getting the benefit of being exposed to new vocabulary, which is really important at his age. And it's also a really nice thing for us to do together.

Morrowind is a classic! I always read all the lore when I (get the time to) play an Elder Scrolls game.

You have no idea what you're talking about.

I used to be an avid reader but spend too much time on Mumsnet these days .

However I love listening to books on Audible as I walk the dog - is book listening an option for them ?

Do they ever see you and/or their dad reading? This can be really helpful to normalise it. Not easy though!

Leave them. My son turned from a voracious reader to someone who never read at about the same age. He rediscovered his love of books in his mid 20s and reads three or four a week now.

Here's my three step plan.

1. no phones in bedroom
2. surround them with diverse reading options
3. put them to bed at 9 pm

Two DSs ages 12 and 9.

Level of success: zero.

But boredom will drive them to it one day I think.....

I also read to them every night. I know this might sound mad for a 12 yr old but he loves it. And one day he won't.

Its strange but he used to read all sorts, and read every day. He stared secondary school and just stopped. I wonder if Lord of the Rings put him off. That's the last book he started and never finished.

My children (13 and 12) aren’t readers. One has a kindle, other is keener on sports. I read constantly. In any downtime I have, I’ll be found with my kindle so my kids see me reading a lot. I’ve tried all sorts of books but just can’t get them into it.

Same here, I have teens who dont care about books any more. The time and money I spent in the library and Waterstones in their primary years is all wasted.

Once their phones are locked they go to sleep any suggestion of reading is eye rolled at.

I don't know much about it apart from DH who knows much more about the game than I do😂 have watched DS play Morrowind on PC though. Looks like an interesting game for his age.

I go through long periods of not reading and then read book after book.

There wasn't much out there for 10-14 year olds when ds was that age, he read everything that was aimed at that age group by about 11. He loved the Top Gear magazine though 😉

He now reads Dostoevsky so give it time, plenty of time in their lives to read when they're ready.

They may again in the future. DS20 has started reading again. He buys physical books to read on trains/flights.

I think you did a good job when they were young of buying them books and encouraging them to read. I was shocked to find out via school that some children never even see a book at home.

The book club idea is good one. Would your DC be interested in a book club/pizza night being held at your house once a month?

it’s normal!
Mine were the same (well TBF DD was an avid reader, DS less so!) and by secondary, sport and socials won.

However, both have done an enormous amount of reading for their Humanities degrees - you never lose your skills 😉

DD is 15 now and is a bookworm. She got into reading around age 12/13 and the habit has grown. The rule of no tech in her bedroom after 8pm (9 pm now) helped to nudge her towards reading. Also the ban on social media at that age. Her school work has also improved. In the holidays she has been known to stay up reading in bed until 3 am so I have to keep an eye on her. Nice problem to have. She completely owns the odd, bookworm/nerd uncool reputation at school but lately some of the older girls have been recommending YA trilogy book series to her so it’s all good. She prefers real books to her kindle which is unused and reads some classics but more of the latest best sellers such as Sarah J Mass and Stephanie Garber.

Same rules for DS (now 18) did not turn him into a bookworm however, he reads magazines like Stuff but that’s about it.

I was a bookworm as a child so I get the wanting to share the pleasure reading gives. You can’t make them read but you can remove tech from bedrooms at nighttime and see what happens a few months down the line. I should say they were allowed CD players with stories and for years fell asleep listening to Terry Pratchetts Carpet People, Just William and Paddington.

I'm a passionate reader and read nightly to me DD until she was 14. She loved it but never really took to reading herself. That disappointed me a bit. But recently aged 25 she's self-diagnosed as ADD (awaiting an appointment for assessment) and thinks this is why she can rarely give the attention to reading that it needs.

I'm sorry she can't get the pleasure I do, but I guess there are other pleasures out there.