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/

That's lovely ❤️

Blaming busy lives is just an excuse. It takes 5 minutes to sit and read a story to a toddler. It’s not some massively time consuming task, it’s spending a bit of time snuggled with your child.

Unsurprising, they’re too busy watching their iPads

I think it’s definitely a socio-economic thing. I remember with my two (8 and 6) health visitors banging on about reading to kids, emails about 10 mins a day reading and our local authority gives a book at the two year check. I thought it was mad- I read to them every day since they were newborn and had loads of books at home so we didn’t need a tiny free book.
However when I went back to work as a nurse I saw so may parents who never read to their kids at all. Their 8 month old would come into my clinic with their mum watching YouTube on their mum’s phone and eating a family bag of Doritos. Another woman was moaning to me that she’s been referred to social services for having no toys in the house. She has 4 kids- 8,6,5 and 1 and not a single toy or book they just had an iPad each.
It’s so depressing. Reading in general in the UK is abysmal but most parents can read Peepo or the hungry caterpillar. It’s not lack of education it’s laziness.

I know that sounds judgemental and I was always outwardly supportive I promise. But I’m still human and still judge inside- sorry!

The article (assuming it’s accurate) makes it clear that is not the case

“Close now to 50% of our children are arriving at school without having been read to, and that means they’re arriving at school at a massive disadvantage," Mr Cottrell-Boyce stated. "They’re basically arriving at school as second-class citizens”

I’ve worked full time since my son was a year old. I never once missed reading to him and with him. When he got a bit older and we were reading chapter books, if he ever stayed out at either of his grandparents houses, the book went with him and they would read a chapter with him. If a parent hasn’t got time to spend half an hour reading with their child each day, what do they have time for?

Because parents can be so lazy I guess, I have a 3 and 5 year old I can honestly say that the majority of their friends already have their own tablet. Why? Why does a 3 year old need their own personal tablet/ipad? It just baffles my brain to be honest. I’m not a perfect parent and my children watch tv but I draw the line at portable screens being necessary at this age. We read books every single day and I try really hard to get them out and about so they aren’t reliant on screens but it seems the norm to give children a screen instead, which is a real shame!

One of the saddest things I find is mine at 12 just does not enjoy reading. My family were avid readers and so was I until she was born. However, now she’s older I’m beginning to read and have a lot more time.

She was read to as a baby and child before bed and in the day. She can read but she just doesn’t enjoy it. No devices yet but she just doesn’t want to read.

Now we both read our books together side by side but she sees it as a chore.

Jeez are you AI or real, cos that a full run down of every lame excuse going. Parents have always been busy. I was 20 years go. But cooking a bit of tea followed by bath time followed by reading happened every day. Then adult dinner, clear up, collapse in front of tv. What didn’t happen was insta profiles, social media, likes and clicks.

Going off my previous job as a KS1 teacher, I am not surprised. A vast chunk of my class could not read before coming to school. I had everything from children who couldn't recognise the letters in their own name to ones who found short chapter books too easy! In some cases, I understood, because their parents didn't understand English, or because they (the parents) had learning difficulties. In the latter case, I was touched when the older primary-aged sibling would listen to the one in my class read, and fill in their reading log, as their parents were illiterate. The parent was thrilled that their small child was so good at writing by the age of 5.

In other cases, I was a bit at a loss, e.g. with one parent who thought it more important that her child looked nice than did well academically (the child was pretty, but also very bright), so they didn't get read to/listened to while reading unless they were with their grandparents. Some children seemed to spend most of their time at home looking at screens. Some had parents who rejected any interaction with school, because they didn't see the point in it, and nor did their KS1 children. Others had such difficult lives (think: parents with drug/alcohol/severe mental health issues) that they were trying their best to care for their younger siblings, or were bouncing between foster care and parent(s). At times, it was school that provided stability and a warm meal for them, and anything extra was a bonus, which was heart-breaking at times.

I would listen to all of them read as many times a week as I could, and read a story to them at the end of every day, but there is so little time to do this in the curriculum that it always felt like something had to give way for it.

She might. Not my role. I can guarantee she spends hours scrolling ticktock which is the link between all the kids who can't concentrate on the books long enough to read effectively.

I also don’t understand much about Tonies… are these good for children? Are these why people aren’t being read to? Is this impacting the stats?

@Hellohelga no. I am not AI.

Thats fine that you think my view is crap. Still my view though.

No idea but it should exist. But along with the things you listed in your earlier post, like baths, home cooked meals, nursery runs, I would class reading as an essential too. I have 2 DCs, one at school, one at nursery and I work 4 days a week (often with extra on the 5th day), DH 5 days. My dd is on the pathway to ASD and ADHD diagnosis, and has always struggled to sit down and concentrate on reading. I’m diagnosed with both and struggle with overwhelm and burn out from busy life. I still read to them both and always have, even during bath time if there’s no other time.

I think it’s different. Story telling is amazing and can happen through different mediums- audiobooks, tv and film, theatre and art.

the skill of reading accesses story telling but also, you know, everything else.

I guess it depends whether you read to your children for storytelling (i would say this is most peoples priority) or to encourage recognising sounds and letters, which being read to supports. Tonies can do the first but obv not the second.

God, my nicest memories of little DS is our pre-bed read and cuddle time. Sometimes I read 3 or 4 books to him before sleep. It didn't take long. I can still recite some bits from memory and he's driving now! 😀

That’s not an answer. I don’t want you to arrange a schedule for me. It wouldnt work, because I was too exhausted. Anyone with half a brain can keep scheduling tasks into time. The issue is whether they are achieved.

so parents should be support to be less exhausted and overwhelmed but you don’t know what it would loook like?

It’s 9:15pm and you’re using your energy to reply to people on Mumsnet. That energy would be better placed reading to your kids

Thanks for clarifying - they were after my time. I imagine they are probably something to use in addition to reading rather than to replace night time reading. I used to enjoy audio books as a child. They are very expensive though and with audio books the great thing is you could get them from the library so had lots of options.

They’re not here. And they’re secondary school age.

have you always been such a nasty bastard?

The answer is not thinking reading with your most prized possessions is akin to cooking tea or hoovering up. What’s tiring about spending 15 minutes reading with your child? What else would you be doing in that 15 minutes that is more important than that? We’re all busy, we all have chores, errands and tasks.

I don’t really understand why you’re arguing with me. If I say I was too exhausted, that’s that. It’s not for you to deny. You just can’t imagine how exhausting some people’s lives can be.

Okay.

I really don't think this is because of a decline in libraries. There's not a parent in this country who can't buy a second-hand children's book on Amazon or in a charity shop. It's just that parents are increasingly allowing children to watch YouTube on a loop.