Do today's teens read less or more?

DATo · Post by **DATo** » 04 Mar 2012, 17:54

Fran, I don't think you are wrong. Your comment makes a lot of sense to me. During those early, formative years we establish patterns of thinking which remain for the rest of our lives. I think you are entirely correct in the statements you make concerning the psychological relationship between the child and the caregiver. It is so sad that more parents don't take the time to inculcate their children with positive learning, behavioral, and moral traits during this important period of the child's life. Children instinctively look to us for guidance, and we often let them down. I've always thought it interesting that one must must be tested to have a license to drive a car but not to raise a child.

Va_treehugger · Post by **Va_treehugger** » 05 Mar 2012, 01:57

I have proudly raised 3 readers. My teenagers seemed to peter out in reading during High School. With school workload and extra curricular activities, reading seems like the one thing that falls off their plate. Fortunately, my eldest has started reading again. I think they will all fall back into it. I heartily agree with what Fran said (a couple of posts up) about reading to one's child and establishing a connection.

Hedonism · Post by **Hedonism** » 06 Mar 2012, 00:57

In my opinion, teenagers aren't reading for pleasure as much because teenagers are constantly bombarded with ceaseless activities (i.e. homework, chores, social gatherings, etc.) that takes up most of their time. Nowadays, teenagers are unable to spare some time to read for fun, but instead they would rather read for the sake of a class assignment or the pleasure to gossip about the latest popular book among their friends and family.

Skill-Guru · Post by **Skill-Guru** » 06 Mar 2012, 05:33

Great Post!

matt_d · Post by **matt_d** » 06 Mar 2012, 08:07

I never read through middle school or high school, just Harry Potter. Now, (age 20) I read all the time, I got a job at a cafe and a ton of people read a lot there and talked about books, so I started reading. I don't think teenagers have the attention span to read, raised on tv they (we) expect instant gratification, and sitting down to read a book doesn't do that for most teens. I think there are some things that teens are reading more, graffic novels and comic books are both on the rise.

Marbles · Post by **Marbles** » 06 Mar 2012, 12:29

My grandaughter is not a teen yet but read alot. She does have an ereader but likes both it and paper. She is always asking me for books. Since her mother is a single mother the Iphone and such may be a ways off and will keep her reading.

Ant · Post by **Ant** » 06 Mar 2012, 13:31

I tend to agree with the post of Hedonism, there is so much going on in the life of teenagers nowadays, technology and social networks have made them more "global",so their spare time is taken up online.

Dreamer27 · Post by **Dreamer27** » 06 Mar 2012, 15:22

It does not depend on century.
It depends on person.
My daughter read almost all books at home and in local school library which were available for her age (9 y.o),so now she started with more serious literature.I saw people in past who were reading only yellow pages or calendars or public magazines and did not have any interest and wish to read anything else.Also in my time there were audio books available on vinyl and though not too much people were using them.However now kids do have possibility to reach any book they want via IPhone, IPAD at any moment and anywhere.
So I think teens read even more in present .

Marbles · Post by **Marbles** » 06 Mar 2012, 15:45

Dreamer27 wrote:It does not depend on century.
It depends on person.
My daughter read almost all books at home and in local school library which were available for her age (9 y.o),so now she started with more serious literature.I saw people in past who were reading only yellow pages or calendars or public magazines and did not have any interest and wish to read anything else.Also in my time there were audio books available on vinyl and though not too much people were using them.However now kids do have possibility to reach any book they want via IPhone, IPAD at any moment and anywhere.
So I think teens read even more in present .

I would agree with you. The other thing I find is if a parent reads alot so usually do the children. All the electronics have made it much easier to get books. Ereaders have made life easier for people who do not live in large centers to access lots of books. As well since I have my grandaughters login for Kobo I can go on and buy her a book and then just let her know it is there to download. Both my daughters (age 33 & 27) are avid readers and there again ereaders have made it easy for me to get a book to them since neither lives close by.

Maud Fitch · Post by **Maud Fitch** » 07 Mar 2012, 01:49

Dreamer27 wrote:.....However now kids do have possibility to reach any book they want via IPhone, IPAD at any moment and anywhere. So I think teens read even more in present .

There are more ways to access reading but is the quality there? Are they fully reading the content or skimming?
Often comprehension is low because other electronic devices are competing for their attention at the same time.

To answer the question, I think it is about the same. It isn't on the decline. The book readers, the sports players, the music lovers, the ones who tinker with their cars, they're all still out there (and never the twain shall meet) balancing up the figures so that nothing really changes. If you desire to read, you will do so at any age.

Erinmikkelsen · Post by **Erinmikkelsen** » 21 Mar 2012, 11:03

I can only speak from my own experiences but my teenage and preteens read frequently they love it as well as most of their friends but I have noticed if they are allowed nonstop access to digital entertainment (Netflix, Hulu, video games) their reading comes to a quick stand still. I think it's just easier to get their entertainment digitally so it's important to remind them they enjoy the written versions so much more. My opinion is that reading is slightly less prominent on a whole because of this fact. It's the same kind of thbing with dinner more families eat out more than they did 50 years ago because it's easier and there are so many more things to do in a day.

mrcrazyjake451 · Post by **mrcrazyjake451** » 22 Mar 2012, 20:30

I am 14 and can proudly say that I read all the time. Books are the only thing I spend money on. Just last month I spent 70 dollars on a set of 54 books titled GREAT BOOKS OF THE WESTERN WORLD. It includes the greatest works from the time of Euripides and Homer all the way to Melville and Darwin. It was The Rise and Fall of Rome by Gibbon, Divine Comedy by Dante, complete works of shakespere, essays from Francis Bacon and much much more... even the story of Faust. In the past five months I have read A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, Under the Dome, The Stand, Bag of Bones, Misery, Thinner, The Long Walk, Rage, Roadwork, and The Running Man. The Divine Comedy by Dante Aligheri, On Man in the Universe by Aristotle, The Golden Ratio by Mario Livio, Tunnel in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Quicker Than the Eye by Ray Bradbury, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kasey, Michale Vey: Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evens, The OVertone Window by Glenn Beck. Last but most certainly not least I have discovered the greatest book I have ever read in my opinion. ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand. It was just a great book. None of these books have been assigned. I read them all by my own choice. I generally read 1,200 minutes per week incase you were wondering.

Some people call me a relic now because I buy actual books. As a matter of fact I collect books so I go out of my way to get first editions even if they are a bit pricy. Also becuase I am trying to write a novel on an old KHM Typewriter, or because I can my own food, or make things from scratch, or dont have a facebook, or only listen to Rock and Roll Blues Jazz Country and Classic. But I like living like this. Ive tried video games I find that I spend more time playing Galaga or Asteroids than GTA or Call of Duty. But no. Teens dont read squat these days. In my 8th class of 120 only 3-4 people that I know actually like to read or read for "fun". Most others just pretend to read when assigned to and look up the book on the internet afterwards. If you wish to see some of my book reviews, typewriter tutorials, canning tutorials or baking tutorials just look up MrCrazyJake451 on youtube (I havnt made enough posts yet to post a link)

Fran · Post by **Fran** » 23 Mar 2012, 09:35

@mrcrazyjake451
Wow and you are 14 ... I am impressed. Those of us who worry about the future of books & reading need have no fear while there are young people like you around. Glad you have joined us on the forums & I look forward to reading your posts.