My kids don’t /won’t read

[Bobsledgirl]

13 and 16. Apart from the bare minimum for school they just don’t read. They had books as little children and I read to them but even with lots of encouragement from me, they have zero interest in books. They can of course spend hours on phones and x boxes.

How can I change this? Do I need to?

Are they meeting age related expectations?

Some people just don't enjoy reading. Kids these days have tech and often find it more interesting than a book. If they are reading what they need to in order to get by at school I'd be happy enough.

Do you read for pleasure yourself?

All you can try is to encourage them to try and have books round the house, but you can't force them.

My 19 year old has never enjoyed reading. He's probably read 15 "proper" books for pleasure in his entire life. I always read to/with him when he was small. We used to read multiple picture books per day. He just doesn't like reading them himself.

Mine doesn't read much. Or at all.
Probably read about 10 books in her life.
Mostly trash. Only read 1 classic book.
She's predicted mostly 7's and 8's in all GCSE's.
So ... if they love TV and games. They won't read.

1. Do you and their other parent read a lot?
2. it's probably late to start now but I hide all the tech in the house on weekend mornings to encourage my DC to do something else?

I can't get ds2 to. Ds1 reads a lot. I can't force it, I don't see the point.

Exactly the same here.

Elder dc 16 and 13. Past the age of...I don't know 8-10 I suppose...I could count on one hand the number of books they've read for pleasure.

I always read to them regularly. They loved stories when younger. It's hard to put an exact time on when it stopped but it just did...petered out.

I'm a voracious reader. Always have a book on the go so they've had a 'good example' in me. Dh is not...never reads for pleasure.

Dc3 is 6 and I'm sincerely hoping he bucks the trend because I am a bit sad the elder two don't enjoy it.

My kids aren't readers either but they are both doing well at school so I let it go. My husband has never read a book for pleasure and he's very successful in his career so it's not been a problem for him in terms of achieving academically or professionally. I used to read a lot but find myself increasingly less interested nowadays, much prefer to listen to a podcast. I think nowadays information can be sought through other mediums so reading isn't the be all and end all.

my Sons range from non readers to read comics (beano/simpsons/manga) to only read a certain author (16 yo lives for Rick Riordan, had never read a full book before him now has read all his series bar one) to read anything. I’m an author and worked in a book shop and being able to enjoy a book is so enriching BUT in everyday life I know a lot more people who don’t read a lot of books than do and it changes nothing.

My Ds was a bookworm when younger . A pile of books would be a delightful birthday/ Christmas present .
I bought him now 16 you tube world records this Christmas in the hope he read something .

had school put them off?
eldest ds - won’t read a book if he can help it. Voraciously reads news and current affairs and research how to do stuff.
middle ds at age 13 wasn’t interested , then turned 16 and reads everything.
youngest ds was an avid reader but school has somewhat ruined the love of reading at the moment. He might rediscover the love in the future.
I think all you can do is gently encourage them but not make an issue of it. Hopefully you’ve done the ground work when they were younger.

When my DC were young we had a reading half hour after lunch every day in the holidays. Could you try introducing that at weekends? Maybe they need to seek out something they would enjoy. Perhaps a graphic novel? that said, the highest achiever in our family is DiL who never reads at all. I get so much pleasure from reading that I just find it sad when people don’t read something.

I never enjoyed reading as a child. Far too many other things to do. Didn't cause any problems in my education. Once I finished my A'levels and I had the freedom to read what I wanted, I could not get my head out of books. I'm still the same 30 years later! As long as they read what they need to I would not worry too much about it, there is little you can do to change it.

Are they reading on their phones?

It is important to be reading regularly. I mark GCSEs and more marks are lost through misreading the questions than anything else. it doesn't matter what though. If they are reading phones and Xbox games, then they are reading

It might still change. DSis never willing read a book until about 15, I was the unashamed bookworm. She then had a Damascene conversion and has an English Lit degree and is much better read than I am.

DC are not allowed gadgets in their bedrooms chez moi, so when they go to bed they have books around that they can read for 10-15 mins. Younger preteen loves reading will regularly have several books on the go, open to different genres/authors although has their favourite, not so much about the classics yet though.
Older just teen I was desperate to get them reading for pleasure so found an author that they had enjoyed at primary and this author writes for all age ranges, so got a series of books that DC really got into, so have bought more by same author, I do try and mix it up with different genre/authors with mixed results, but at least they are reading something.

Both on track at school.

I read a lot. Books all over house.

DS does research a lot of stuff he’s interested in on internet. He likes football so spends a lot of time reading about the game on line and watching videos. So that’s something I suppose.

DS has not interest in reading. He has aphantasia so fiction is as interesting to him as reading the dictionary.

My 11yo ds is the same. Never ever liked to read. He is an average ability reader. I read all the time, not so much DH. Hoping dd will be more into reading but so far she still prefers the quick fix of the iPad or telly. Trying to Introduce reading together time with hot chocolates but she still seems to prefer the telly 🙈she’s not allowed it all day or anything but when her screen time is up she’ll go and dance in her room or play Barbies as opposed to read

If they are in track I wouldn't worry too much and if your ds is independently broadening his knowledge about his subjects of interest that's very encouraging.

As long as they can actually read and understand what they are reading then does it matter?
In order to function in society you need to know how to read and understand instructions, paperwork and the big sign that says "Danger of Crocodiles. Do Not Swim Here".
If they don't enjoy reading fiction - then it doesn't matter.

If they don't enjoy reading fiction - then it doesn't matter.

There's some evidence that reading fiction makes people behave more altruistically. Stories are something humans have always done for pleasure, which suggests it's pretty important for us to function. While there are other ways to tell stories I think only novels give you such an insight into someone else's mind. So I do think reading fiction is important, even for adults.

@JaninaDuszejko I don't think my Dad (age 80) has read a fiction book since he left school age 15.
He has plenty of other hobbies and talents.

Two eldest were avid readers ,youngest we were lucky if he read sports section of the newspaper! Academically all have done extremely well . Can remember youngest son’s teacher saying that he would struggle at Grammar School because of his lack of reading…he got 3As at A level!
I think that as long as they can read ,have good comprehension and vocabulary then it really isn’t a problem.