Gen Z parents aren’t reading to their kids as often as other generations because they feel like it isn’t fun, raising concerns about the lack of early exposure to books.
The number of parents reading to their children is at an all-time low, with fewer than half (41%) of kids four years old and younger being read to frequently. In 2012, that number was 64%, according to a study published last month by HarperCollins UK.
Gen Z – typically those born between 1997 and 2012 – are “significantly more likely than Millennials or Gen X to view reading as ‘more a subject to learn’ rather than a fun or enriching activity,” the study said.
It's the first generation to grow up in the age of technology, whereas Millennials, who came before them, remember a world before the internet.
This attitude toward reading is seemingly being passed on to their children, with the number of 5 to 10-year-olds who frequently choose to read for enjoyment being at 32%, down from 55% in 2012, according to the study.
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That number is even lower for boys, even when they are too young to read on their own.
The study said more than one in five boys (22%) aged 0-2 are rarely or never read to, compared to 44% of girls.
Most of the parents in the study said reading to their kids isn’t fun for them or that they wish they had more time.
Another possible factor, according to the study, is that parents claimed their children have too much schoolwork to have time for leisure reading.
Previous studies have shown that reading to children has a positive impact on their perception and enjoyment of reading.
“Being read to makes reading fun for children. So, it’s very concerning that many children are growing up without a happy reading culture at home,” said Alison David, Consumer Insight Director at Farshore and HarperCollins Children’s Books, in a statement. “The good news is when children are read to frequently, they very quickly come to love it and become motivated to read themselves. Children who are read to daily are almost three times as likely to choose to read independently compared to children who are only read to weekly at home. It’s never too late to start, or resume, reading with children.”
