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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

They have stopped reading books

36 replies

Thesunisshining888 · 09/09/2023 20:47

My teen dons (aged 15 and 13) have stopped reading books. I am so gutted. They stopped during covid when they were doing homeschooling and they haven’t started again.
I have tried so many times, showing that I read books as well but nothing. I am so gutted.
what can I do to convince them to read?

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 09/09/2023 20:53

Does it matter?
As long as they can actually read enough to function in society it doesn't matter if they aren't reading books.
Some people like books, some just aren't fussed.
Edit : obviously books required for school need to be read. Ironically that's what puts some people off reading for life.

Missingmyusername · 09/09/2023 20:56

I’d be gutted too OP. I bloody love a book. Not sure what you can do though- it’s the future I guess. Are they reading using a kindle or just doom scrolling?

Original poster
Thesunisshining888 · 09/09/2023 21:25

Just doom scrolling 😭

OP posts:
Ohhelpicantthinkofaname · 10/09/2023 16:57

Of my two the one who read a lot as a child only reads on holiday as a teen and the one who never finished a book all through primary reads quite a lot. They can both read absolutely fine.

as long as they read the required books for English it doesn’t really matter.

titchy · 10/09/2023 17:03

Both of mine dropped reading during teens from having been avid readers at primary.

Now early 20s one is now back to being a voracious reader. The other hasn't though I live in hope!

SeaToSki · 10/09/2023 17:06

I had to bribe mine to keep going at one point..which felt really wrong. But I paid per book read (or excused them from dishwasher duty for a week) and i gave them books from lots of different genres to ‘broaden their horizons’ and then they each found a new genre they loved and are back to being voracious readers again. They have subsequently told me that I was sneaky and underhand…but are grateful for the push as otherwise they might not have found the fantasy/sci fi stuff they love.

Anjelika · 10/09/2023 17:23

Same here. DS1 used to rip through an entire series at a time - Percy Jackson, Alex Rider etc and now reads nothing. He has just done GCSE's and got a 9 for English Lit but he rarely if ever reads for pleasure. He read Jeremy Clarkson's Diddly Squat book on holiday one year and reads the odd autobiography but that's about it.

DS2 used to devour David Walliams books but has outgrown those and has no interest whatsoever in reading.

It saddens me as I love reading!

ErrolTheDragon · 10/09/2023 18:10

My dd never liked reading much. I read to her a lot, into her early teens.
Now she's a young adult she seems to quite like detective stories - Sherlock Holmes, Morse (i tried one of those... sooo dated and sexist!) ... each to their own, maybe I can lend her some Dorothy L Sayers as an upgrade.Grin

Tumty · 10/09/2023 18:15

It’s important they have something they want to read. Have you tried providing lots of different potential books to get them interested? I pick a load up from Library that are along their line of interest and occasionally I get it right and they read one. Also switch off wifi after 10 so they can no longer go on screens

WhyHasAllTheRumGone · 10/09/2023 18:25

My DD had a phase of not reading. Amazingly it was the dreaded tik tok, or rather book tok that got her back in to it.

Covetthee · 10/09/2023 18:29

I wouldnt try and force or worry, i stopped reading during my teenage years as there was so much more that got my attention and then i naturally gravitated back towards books in my mid-late 20’s again when i was done with school and studying and wanted to read for pleasure

Even if they don’t, its fine. Reading should be an enjoyable hobby and if its forced upon them or if we try too much to get them to read then it wont be enjoyable.

redteapot · 10/09/2023 18:29

Would they enjoy reading non-fiction at all? Could be biographies of people they are interested in, etc? (I teach secondary and when students bring their own books in it always makes me smile to see that some bring books about YouTubers, etc.).
You could also see if they are interested in magazines - perhaps take them food shopping and let them choose one to try?

birdglasspen · 10/09/2023 18:36

As a child I read a lot but as a young adult 18….onwards I didn’t read for a few years. Back reading now, how much depends on children and time! Although when I started again I had no smartphone or laptop! Take them on a holiday somewhere remote with no 4g/WiFi and a pile of books! If they use to enjoy reading it may come back in time!

megletthesecond · 10/09/2023 18:37

Same.
Somehow DS managed 6/6 in English so it wasn't a total disaster.
He's going to have a big shock having to read more for A-levels.

Original poster
Thesunisshining888 · 10/09/2023 21:53

That’s interesting. But which magazines are good for a 15 and a 13 year old? They love football but they can get everything on social media and internet in general

OP posts:
waterrat · 10/09/2023 21:56

I try to cheer myself up by remembering that humans managed to achieve many incredible things before the invention of the written word

And popular novels are barely 200 years old if that

Needmorelego · 10/09/2023 22:04

@Thesunisshining888 yes magazines are a dying trade as like you said it's all online.
I used to buy lots of magazines - I now just read the online version. I am on my phone - but still reading.
My 15 year old reads loads of books online via some kind of kindle style app (I think). Have you actually looked at what your boys are reading online? It might surprise you. They could actually be reading novels or articles.
But as I said at the beginning of the thread as long as they can actually read and are reading school assigned books - does it matter?
Reading novels or autobiographies or whatever is a hobby. Not everyone is interested.

Needmorelego · 10/09/2023 22:06

@megletthesecond is your son doing A-level English Literature? Because if not he doesn't "have" to read another novel in his life if he doesn't want to. So what "shock" is he going to get?

Guiltyfeethavegotnorhythm0 · 10/09/2023 22:16

Every time you are going to the library make sure you tell them you are going , just in case they want to go with you .

megletthesecond · 11/09/2023 08:16

need no, but he's doing politics and law and I assume they'll be some reading involved.

Needmorelego · 11/09/2023 08:25

@megletthesecond yes but academic text books for information is different to reading a novel for fun - which I think is what the OP wants for her boys.

Proudgypsy · 11/09/2023 08:28

So what? Not everyone enjoys reading.

I've never read a single book as an adult.

CupOfCoffeePlease · 11/09/2023 08:31

I am shocked at how little I read now. Used to read every evening and lots of books. Now I doom scroll 🙄.

LusaBatoosa · 11/09/2023 08:33

Needmorelego · 11/09/2023 08:25

@megletthesecond yes but academic text books for information is different to reading a novel for fun - which I think is what the OP wants for her boys.

The required (and desired) reading will involve ideas, philosophy, schools of thought. So, big novels, but also not ‘textbooks for information’. It’ll be pretty hard going for someone who doesn’t actively enjoy reading.

EmmaPaella · 11/09/2023 08:34

SeaToSki · 10/09/2023 17:06

I had to bribe mine to keep going at one point..which felt really wrong. But I paid per book read (or excused them from dishwasher duty for a week) and i gave them books from lots of different genres to ‘broaden their horizons’ and then they each found a new genre they loved and are back to being voracious readers again. They have subsequently told me that I was sneaky and underhand…but are grateful for the push as otherwise they might not have found the fantasy/sci fi stuff they love.

@SeaToSki how much did you pay them?!

My teen has also stopped reading. It really bothers me.