Reading. Everyone knows it’s imnportant, especially for children and young people. But we are doing less and less of it.
I’m as guilty as anyone. I’ve always been a keen reader, but in 2025 there are so many distractions, and so many ways to fill my spare time with less effort than picking up a book. I can scroll on social media, which seems to be less about what my contacts are doing and more about ads and clickbait every year. I can choose from a number of streaming services and watch movies, TV series and videos of any length. None of those things require the effort, thought and concentration that reading demands.
In the past few weeks, I’ve had time off recovering from surgery, and I’m delighted to say that I’ve spent more time reading. I enjoyed Michael Rosen’s Getting Better; I re-read Jonathan Livingston Seagull; I am in the middle of The Life of Pi. I noticed how, when we read, we need to sit still, have a quiet environment, and take time.
Parents and carers often ask me how they can encourage their children to read. Over the years, I’ve worked out some of the things that help. Here are five of them:
- Set an example. This may not be what you want to hear, but the best way to get your child to read is to read yourself. This goes for lots of things. I used to teach meditation and people would ask me if I ran workshops for children. My reply was always that the best way to get your child to meditate is to meditate yourself. It also works in negative ways. Many years ago, I was a Brownie. For some event or other one day, Brown Owl and Tawny Owl were using sellotape (sticky tape). They were both tearing the tape with their teeth and saw me watching. One of them said, ‘You should never do this.’ I was about seven at the time, and I have to say that from that very day to this, I have always torn sellotape with my teeth. Children do what they see adults do, rather than what they are told!
If you want to encourage a young person in your care to read more, then the best way to do that is by reading more yourself. You could use the following four tips to encourage yourself. - Fix the environment. Light is very important. I live in a very old, dark house. There are some well-lit spots, but I prefer reading in the garden when the weather is good enough. I do have a handy book light, which clips right on to the book I am reading and charges via USB. It makes a fantastic difference. Look at furniture as well. Squashy sofas might be great for watching screens, but are probably not supportive enough for reading. Anyone who wants to read sitting up in bed needs extra pillows or cushions to support their head and neck. I am sure that there are plenty of people who don’t enjoy reading simply because they are uncomfortable or the light is not good enough.
- Read what you like. Reading for pleasure is important. Everyone should read what they like in their spare time. Parents and carers often worry that their young person is not reading ‘the classics.’ However, if they are reading something they find interesting or enjoyable, this is hugely beneficial. There is plenty of research which shows that reading for pleasure is valuable in all sorts of ways. If young people aren’t sure what they will enjoy reading, one way to start is to think about the kind of films they enjoy. Or, if they like sport, how about a biography or autobiography of a famous sports personality?
- Routine. Routine helps us to do things we know we should do, but would somehow never get around to otherwise. We need to build good habits. We all clean our teeth because we were encouraged to develop this habit when we were very young. Reading before going to sleep is fantastic because it helps us to wind down and put screens aside. I’ve had several students tell me they sleep better when they read at bedtime.
- Discuss your reading. This doesn’t mean you have to read the same book as the other person. Think of a conversation that begins, ‘In this book I’m reading…’ The other person just has to listen to what the reader is telling them, be interested and ask questions. And they can share something about the book they are reading, as well.
If you look after a young person who should be reading more, why not try some of these strategies? Let me know how it goes.
Happy reading!
