Survey: Children reading less, 31% say they'd "rather do other things."

[TheMightyFavog]

http://www.stevenspointjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080615/CWS0101/806150470&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

Many kids in the U.S. are too busy, too distracted and, in some cases, too tired to read books for fun, according to a new survey.

(snip)

In the survey of 501 children and their parents, which took place last winter in 25 major cities, kids give several reasons why they don't read for fun, including:

• 31 percent "would rather do other things."

• 27 percent "have too much schoolwork and homework."

• 18 percent "don't have time to read."

• 14 percent say "I'm often too tired."

[JCMach1]

1. I always hated homework, it kept me from reading the interesting stuff!

At least Middle-School and HS version of HW.

[Runcible Spoon]

2. I think it's time we realize that computers have won...but kids should still read!

Time to to make better entertainment applications heavy on reading components, such as learning structured computer games.

Either that or restrict ALL leisure activities on the computer. Once most kids has seen World of Warcraft, reading Lord of the Rings is not going to compete. :evilfrown: I know there are exceptional kids who love to read AND play on the computer, but kids these days have so much stress and time restrictions. Gone are the days of sitting for hours in the grass after school with a book...

[LWolf]

3. True.

And a source of grief to this teacher, librarian, grandmother, and bibliophile.

[ulysses]

4. we have a policy now -

If Chris asks to read a book, we drop whatever else we're doing (within reason) and read. We've always read to him, but that's one way he knows he can get time with us with no problem.

The last three mornings, he's asked me if I want to read a book with him first thing when he's woken up. And I have. :)

[LWolf]

6. My grandson won't read

unless someone is reading with him; he's 8.

He doesn't need help with reading, just with attention span.

I should correct that to say that he won't read fiction. He will get engrossed in books about dinosaurs, rocks, planets, etc..

He loves movies, and loves books on tape. He has little patience for reading a story, though, unless it involves one-on-one attention from an adult. So he gets that every day. ;)

[ulysses]

7. y'know, it's taken me some effort to get into fiction.

I'm doing better with it this year, but I just lost my appetite for it after college. Of course, I have a whole bookcase of history from the last several years...

[LWolf]

8. I keep reminding myself

that not everyone loves fiction. I can tell that the grandboy is more of a non-fiction type; he also has a couple of conditions that don't lend themselves to lots of time spent reading: ADHD and ODD.

He learned to read easily and early. As long as it's something he does WITH people, he's fine. He just doesn't like to read alone. These days, I read awhile, then have him read to me. He likes reading aloud, and "performing" stories. It takes a long time to get through the books he thinks he wants to read, though. He's not that interested in short books these days.

[seabeyond]

14. my oldest didnt read fiction until past the fourth grade, i am remembering

he read encyclopedias at the youngest of age and the other books you talk about. but refused to read fiction. i started getting the fictions here and there and encouraging during summer. now he is good with fiction four years later and still maintains the educational reading

[LWolf]

22. Coming from a family of bibliophiles,

people who value books over tv, movies, etc., it's been frustrating for us as he's getting old enough to do more independent reading. Frustrating because he wants me to read "The Deathly Hallows" aloud with him, along with "Inkheart" and "The Dark is Rising." The number of hours that will take aloud overwhelms me. At this point, he reads the non-fiction independently, and the fiction WITH us, and that's working. He has little interest in shorter, easier fiction selections these days.

I've noticed over the years with my students that readers tend to lean toward one or the other. In reality, both kinds of reading are essential, and they serve different purposes. It's good to hear that your oldest developed a capacity for both!

[MountainLaurel]

18. That's a good point

I have always been a nonfiction kind of girl, partly because our public library never had anyone to direct me to fiction I might like beyond the ancient, outdated pap on its shelves and partly because I knew if I was ever going to get the hell out of WV I was going to have to work my ass off and start early. Hence, as a 10-year-old I read everything on the Mediterranean I could for my intended career as an underwater archaeologist, even trying to memorize topographical illustrations of the sea floor.

Yeah, I was a weird kid.

I still have issues getting through most fiction. I just want to know what happens in the storyline. Yeah, I know that I should be reading for the enjoyment of beautiful language, but subconsciously once I know the story the rest seems like a waste of time when I could be out there learning something.

[LWolf]

23. Do you like movies?

If so, you probably get the "condensed" version of the pleasure fiction-lovers get by seeing it on the screen, rather than reading it. At least, you do if it's a good story, well-done.

[electron_blue]

5. That's a shame. As a separate question, I wonder how many families put limits

on the daily time spent on computer games, wii, and/or tv?

We have a limit of no more than an hour/day of tv, computer and my daughter still reads gangbusters this summer vacation. Hours and hours. During the school year, she still read every night at bedtime. You do have to read a lot to get the 'bug' to read in the first place. I wonder how many people never cross that first important threshold.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

9. that's about the right percentage...of my 4 children 3 are avid readers, 1 would rather eat glass

then read a book

[LSdemocrat]

10. I suspect, if you have to read large amounts for school, you're less likely to find reading relaxing

The more we inundate kids in forced reading for school, the less likely, I'd suspect, that kids are going to find non-required reading relaxing, especially compared to other activities. In other words, if homework is forcing you to spend 2-3 hours with your head in books, how eager could you possibly be to spend more time reading, when you have so many other options for entertainment.

[janx]

16. The love of reading starts way before a kid goes to school.

It starts when parents read to their small children. If they catch it then, they'll learn how to read and continue to read for enjoyment, not just for homework.

[MountainLaurel]

19. Yep

My niece likes to "read," and she can't even read yet. (She's 3-1/2.) I was so proud to hear about my mom coming around a corner in a store to see my niece plopped in the aisle with a book open.

[LSdemocrat]

20. But if school work takes away large amounts of free time, recreational reading can take a big hit

If school work, after school activities, meal times, etc. leave kids with very little free time, recreational reading can easily become just a once a week activity rather than a daily one, even with a well-developed enjoyment of reading.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

11. Sign of the times

Well, I was recently working with a 16 year-old on some history, and in the same room her grown up cousin was playing the newest installment of Grand Theft Auto. With his 1 year-old sitting on his lap. Video games are a big part of the problem - instant gratification and all.

[seabeyond]

12. plenty of children reading per mess in kid part of library since school has been out

both my kids read... lots. huge readers. and some of their friends dont and are proud of it.

seems like the same when i was a kids and a huge reader then, a huge reader now.

not selling all kids out cause of this stupid survey

[MadinMo]

13. My 15 year old twins will be in Honors English this fall

and they were assigned to read "To Kill a Mockingbird" this summer. My son finished it over the weekend, and my daughter is close to being done. I was pleased with their interest in the assignment as my son had not read a book in some time, although he loves reading. He has been into "other things".

Now to wrestle a copy away from one of them so I can re-read it and discuss it intelligently with them. They were horrified that Scout's teacher scolded her for reading with her daddy.

[LibertyLover]

15. We try to read to our 5 year old several times a day

She loves to be read to - fiction, non-fiction - it's all fine with her. She is also reading a little herself and loves to read the words she knows when we come to them in a book. Both my husband and I encourage that. I'm the reader in the family - to the point where it bothers my husband that I would prefer to read a book than watch tv with him most evenings. So I am reading less than I'd like and suffering. At least I can read on the metro ride to and from the office. We've enrolled the kidlet in a 3 week program this summer where she will get some reading and math work at her grade level to keep her up to speed during the summer.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. I have been asking this question for 20 years:

Why can't the video game makers put a few math problems in a video game? Do they have to focus on violence?

I know a few games have come out recently with some math problems but when my kids were little, there wasn't one video game that had any educational merits at all. It upset me so much I wrote Nintendo. And of course, they didn't write back. :(

[kestrel91316]

21. As a child, and even now, I'd rather read than "do other stuff".

Which reminds me, I need stop reading long enough to get to OSH and pick up shelving so I can get my books off the living room floor in piles, where they have sat since I moved last fall, lol.

[RedCappedBandit]

24. What percentage of their parents read for fun?

How many people actually think of reading as something that *can* be fun?
Text books are shoved down kids' throats; it's no surprise people no longer think reading is a form of entertainment.

It's a shame, really.

[otherlander]

25. Some people aren't book people.

That's okay.