Decline in number of children being read to before starting school.

[CrocusesFlowering]

This is just depressing to read.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/children-reading-school-laureate-phillipson-b2938529.html
Although it's a similar pattern in other countries. Finland is taking action to try to foster reading.
https://chytomo.com/en/helsinki-takes-action-to-reverse-the-reading-decline/

Its unsurprising in that people are not doing that and we know they're not doing that. I think thats due to people being engrossed in phones and given their kids screens rather than books

There was a thread recently, I think it was about relationships actually and the OP was complaining about her partner not engaging with the child and being very very fixed about wht he would or wouldnt do with him.

during the discussion she mentioned that he wont read to the child, I think the child was very young, 10 months or something. Someone else mentioned that this really wasnt necessary that it was something OP had decided was important but its not that important

I was surprised at that but it says a lot about modern parenting.

Well you know what, if I’d de-prioritised healthy home cooked food or bathing to religiously reading every night I’d be judged for dumping those things instead.

Parents CBA. Involves effort eg buying books, going to a library etc. They would rather give their children screen time and snacks rather than parenting. The parents may well have had a similar upbringing

Both my parents read to me every night. As I got older and they separated I have some special memories of the older books mum read to me. Thursdays children by runner Godden was one.
I read to my DDs until dd2 was about 10 I think and the magicians nephew was the final book. Dd2 would always creep down to listen.
dd1 was reading Harry Potter length books when she was 7 and will have up to 30 books on the go at a time. Dd2 isn’t a big reader by choice but the work is done she is very articulate and an increasingly deep thinker.

both my DDs have special memories of traditional family books which are the snow queen, narnia and The Dolls House. Any creepy old doll in the chazza is Marchpane and a little shudder.

it’s not just the reading it’s the conversation, traditions, in jokes and all sorts really. It’s a family culture. I wish every kid this realit.

“it’s not just the reading it’s the conversation, traditions, in jokes and all sorts really. It’s a family culture. I wish every kid this realit”

I recognise this- we get it from the theatre though. I think it would probably be a bit wanky yo wish every kid got that 🤣

@MrsEmmelineLucas

Where have I said I don’t read to my dc?

Where did I say it’s not sad that dc are reading less/not experiencing the joy of reading?

It’s interesting that you have inferred the above from my posts on a thread about reading! 😆

As you say it is a discussion about reading to children and I’m just not sure how helpful it is to the discussion to blame it all on lazy parenting.

It’s just easy to blame it to lazy parenting- means you don’t have to engage your brain, you can just parrot out the first thing you think of

Such a shame. I used to work in publishing and even a few years ago a uk printers would be 1000 copies and in Poland the same book would be 5000 copies print runs even though the population is smaller. I’m not sure what the answer is as it’s a cultural thing.

dd is reception age and uses words she has heard in books all the time but barely remember the “words of the week” she learns at school. It really is the best way to give your children a head start in learning.

Of course you would & don’t forget squeezing in some exercise for yourself, a chat with friends & maybe some volunteering. Tmw just get up earlier 😉

Funny. I was writing, not reading! 😂
I wasn't being personal, I was using the term "you" in it's broader sense about parenting. I should perhaps have substituted "they".
I have no idea what you do in terms of reading. I was challenging your points that it's too hard for some parents to fit in. "Tis all.

How do you work that out?!?!

I'm not saying it IS lazy parenting, but I don't see how other countries are evidence of what you say?

(Incidentally, since reversing introducing tech to reading teaching, Sweden have reversed their declining reading rates...)

@MrsEmmelineLucas sorry I hit a nerve there! 😆

It's surely not lazy parenting, but we need to work out why it's not happening for some children, as it's beneficial. I love reading with children, mine are adults! Anyone nearby and want a volunteer reader?. 😊

😂no problem! It's an interesting topic and it's a shame that some children aren't having a bedtime story, or storytime generally. Makes me a bit sad! I'm going to do volunteer reading though, put my money where my mouth is 😊!

@TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis I already explained it upthread. I just don’t think there is a growing cohort of lazy parents globally. Some posters on the thread are saying it’s simply bad parenting, I think there is more nuance.

@MrsEmmelineLucas I agree, it is a real shame. Enjoy the volunteering, I have done it at dcs school, it’s very rewarding.

❤️

Of course it’s unsurprising. Well known fact reading in general has declined with the advent of the internet and portable devices. Natural extension of that is people will read less to their children.

Do you have to read in phonics?

A family full of teachers who never read to their kids? Surely you can’t be serious. My grandfather was a teacher, my aunt and uncle, a couple of cousins and one of my siblings. Every generation the parents have read to their children at bedtime. When my mum used to visit my kids would run to their bookshelves to get books for grandma to read to them. DH and I can still recite passages from some kids books and our children are 18 & 19!

I think the lack of reading these days is due to our worship of being ‘busy’. Parents want to shove kids in bed and get back to their laptop to put in a few more work hours. Or go to the gym. Something quiet and relaxing like reading books doesn’t have any value attached to it. Parents find it boring and won’t do it. We read to our kids every day from birth until they were well into primary school. Even after they could read fluently themselves they still loved to have a chapter read aloud to them before they went to sleep.

My 3.5 year old has never been interested in books. I'm a massive reader so loved the thought of reading to him everyday. However, when he's more interested in grabbing the book and chewing on it what can I do. He's still non verbal and awaiting an assessment. Not all children want to be read to, no matter how much the parents want to.

Theres always time to read, it doesn’t take long. If there’s not time for even one book then there’s a problem and they need support to parent.

What support do you think I could’ve accessed?

I just think a lot of parents are too blimming busy.
Employers want people to work like they don’t have kids and parent like they don’t have a job.
Life is fast and full on.

some parents are useless. But most parents are tired. There are very little childcare incentives or help, especially with free childcare hours and there is a shortage of early years and nursery staff, and therefore childcare places.

when looking at the numbers of people having children as well, I feel a lot of people are prioritising living their life childfree because they are finding that the sheer number of hours they need to work and also running a house is just full on.

It’s very sad that the number of parents reading to their children is on the decline, but my view is that it’s symptomatic of what I mentioned above.

I jut don’t understand it either.

I loved reading as a kid but never do it now. That being said, I have read to my daughter multiple times a day every day for the last 4 years of her life. It’s literally the easiest thing to do with her. Even in the peak of post natal depression with a husband the other side of the world and working full time, reading to her was a calm, happy thing for both of us that I always made time for. I didn’t have to think or worry, just snuggle up and read to her. I love it. I love taking her to book shops, I love taking her to the library even more (seriously, they’re a blessing!).

And it obviously does them so much good. I’m not a preachy parent. She definitely has too much screen time, but that also doesn’t stop us from loving reading together.