Why don you think that kids don't read a lot today?

Question

We all know that kids don't read a lot today. A lot of the people here do enjoy reading, but I have to admit, a lot of you here are only here because they "forgot" (Didn't want to read it) to read their book and need help for writing their book report. The only time the kids around me read is when they are forced to do it at school. They don't take advantage of their ability to read and simply lie down and watch TV all day. I mean, it's not like you have to read all the time, but you still should read often. One example is that the kids on my bus simply don't read books because they are too long. Still, they only read the books because they have to have a book to read in Language Arts. So, why do you think they don't read as much and what do you think we can do to solve this problem?

Thank you!

Answer 1

It's hard.

We have a almost 9 year old who will read and actually reads at a middle school level.

Yet, she seems unfocused and distracted by tv, movies, game boy, spider solitare, & everything else out there.

Reading isn't even a strong focus anymore at school, the kids know they have to read every night for my kid's school for 20 minutes. Getting them to read seems more like a punishment to them.

So the one thing I try VERY hard to do, is get her the books that she is interesting in. Chapter books with another book to follow, so she stays interested.

Even though her school has a celelbration every quarter for 100% and reading it seems that parents don't force their kids to read, they just sign the slip and make the argument easy.

I think it's sad.

Very good question.

Answer 2

I think you are generalizing in a way that really isn't accurate. Girls tend to read more than boys, and better too. My daughter, for example reads constantly, to the point where I have to limit how much time she can spend reading because she won't do her chores if I don't. My son on the other hand doesn't care as much for books and only reads if it's something he's really really interested in, ie anything about sports, video games and science based books.
I think the problem isn't so much that kids don't want to read, they just haven't found the kind of things they like to read. I know even in my school days, a lot of people, boys especially didn't want to read the book. Most would pick up the Cole's notes (like sparks notes in the U.S.) on the book or play instead and use it to figure out the story lines. The kinds of books that are chosen as part of school curriculums don't really appeal to kids.
Having said that, if you give them a video game manual, they'll read it. If you give them a comic book, they'll read it. They may not choose to read books, but they are still reading and some is better than none.

Answer 3

Most of my friends read for recreation, myself included. But the reason that most kids don't read would probably because it's harder than the easiness of just watching some thing on the TV. I do both, watch TV and read. Some are just to lazy to crack open a book. But, some people just don't enjoy reading. My friend Marnie absolutely hates reading. Another friend and I made her read the Harry Potter books and it took her 1 year to read it because she doesn't like to read, but she also doesn't watch TV except Greys Anatomy. Same with my brother. Hates reading but doesn't just lay around all day watching TV. I'm not sure the problem can be solved, because I don't consider it a problem.

Answer 4

I think the biggest problem is that there are too many alternatives. You can read, play on the computer, play video games, watch TV etc. Also, so many choices have left kids with a shortened attention span, and you need to be able to pay attention in order to read, and you need to be able to read large chunks at a time in order to really be absorbed in a book.

I also think part of it is that fewer parents read. If parents don't read, children won't read. I know several people with kids, and the pattern is repeated - the kids whose parents are readers are also readers. The kids whose parents watch TV, watch TV. It's kind of sad that parents would sabotage their kids like that, but it happens.

Answer 5

I'm a 13 and I LOVE to read. I have over 300 books and I've read most of them in the past few years.

However, many of my friends don't like to read. They say its because they are so busy with sports and homework to read. Another thing is that they like T.V and video games too much. I really think its because they were never read to when they were little. You have to start early. Maybe if they realized how wonderful books are they would read?

Answer 6

Your perspective is strange: "...should read often." May I ask why?
If reading can be replaced, let's do it! Books are just a very old form of media ...etc
"when they are forced to do it..." If anyone did not need informations impossible to obtain from TV, let them be! They are happy.
The others, able to understand that written words are more than stories, they are usually capable to use ON\OFF button and close the most important window in our times -TV

Answer 7

I examine 1984 in 1981 and protection and issues have been getting greater technical and greater of a certainty for us love that's interior the e book. It became variety of frightening analyzing it so close to to 1984. i think of that that's this style of great novel and it has basically what instructors could desire to coach the basics of English; and that's what's significant.

Answer 8

We need more interesting books that we can relate to and aren't overwhelming in length. I think teen girls read a lot these days, just check out the questions on teen books and you'll find that we do read as long as the book is good (especially twilight). I have a lot of friends who read a lot.

Answer 9

I honestly think it is because of TV, video games and phones. Why read it if they can watch it. That is just what our world has come to. And I do think it is SAD!!

Answer 10

yah they do !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they really do read alot !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!they have no time for other things cause they are so attatched!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!