IT WAS past my eight-year-old son’s bedtime and I could see a familiar glow coming from under his duvet covers.
No, he wasn’t sneakily looking at a smartphone or iPad, scrolling through YouTube when he thought my back was turned.
Secretly reading a few extra pages of a story has been usurped by scrolling on social media for many children[/caption]
Parents need to stop being lazy and swap kids’ screens for real books if they want them to love reading[/caption]
He had his head torch on and was enjoying a few extra pages of his latest Tom Gates book, in the same way I’d stayed up late devouring Roald Dahl at his age.
So I turned a blind eye because my kids know that while I’m strict on bedtimes on school nights, I don’t mind a sneaky bit of reading after lights out.
In fact, I encourage it with a stack of novels and non-fiction next to their pillows – and absolutely no devices.
My lad isn’t some kind of geeky bookworm though.
He’s like the other boys at school – obsessed with football and cricket, computer games, Spiderman movies and recreating Red Light Green Light from Squid Games (which he absolutely hasn’t seen) in the playground.
But from the moment he was born, we’ve prioritised literacy and reading in the same way we’ve tried to ensure he gets lots of fresh air and exercise, looks after his personal hygiene, has good manners and eats a varied diet with not too many sweets.
It’s just basic parenting, as far as I’m concerned – and reading a book with my two sons is certainly a far more enjoyable part of the parenting to-do list than persuading them to brush their teeth.
Yet a new study by McDonald’s to mark World Book Day has found that four in ten parents say kids are put off reading because of online distractions, particularly TikTok and YouTube.
A fifth also say “the words are too hard”, while some think children’s books lack variety.
Now I’m not immune to the power of a social media scroll and the easy dopamine hit of online videos – parents find it hard to put the screens down, so no wonder kids do too.
But aren’t we supposed to be the grown-ups here?
If they aren’t reading because they’re too engrossed with watching MrBeast and his elaborate challenges, the solution is simple – switch it off.
It’s like saying kids are too busy eating sweets to brush their teeth.
Yes, there will be tears and tantrums – some of the worst arguments in our house stem from Fortnite time limits – but your job as a parent is to suck it up and set boundaries.
Saying they won’t read because they’d rather scroll TikTok is a lazy cop out.
In this world of instant gratification, one of the most important gifts you can give your children is the love of books and reading.
Take TikTok away and foster that love of stories that will give them far more than just literacy[/caption]
Not just to foster the skill of literacy that will help them to both navigate the basics of life and get the best out of their education.
Reading is a nourishing escape from daily life, a way to step off the treadmill, to spark the imagination, to learn about worlds outside of our own, to ponder moral and ethical questions.
It’s an emotional journey as much as an intellectual one.
Part of the problem is too many parents are addicted to their own phones and spend their leisure time mindlessly doomscrolling, rather than picking up a book themselves and investing time in a less instant reward.
No wonder their offspring aspire to do the same.
Even reading novels on devices or news on phones sends the wrong message – that tech is king.
There’s something much more fulfilling about holding a physical copy of a book or newspaper in your hand and turning the pages.
It signals that it is time to read, free from other distractions, your focus solely on the page and the words within.
It also demonstrates to children that adults like reading for pleasure and it’s a mature thing to do.
At a time when we’ve got ourselves in a lather about the dangers of the online world, the solution is right there on the bookshelf.
Alex Lloyd, writer and mum
As for a lack of variety in books, have you browsed the shelves of Waterstones recently?
Modern kids are spoilt for choice when it comes to creative and innovative stories.
There’s something for every taste, from the rich back catalogue of classic through to modern titans like Julia Donaldson and JK Rowling – and everything in between.
If cost is a barrier, head to your local library, raid the charity shop or do a swap with friends.
Let your kids take the lead on what they read – if they pick it, they will be more likely to enjoy it.
My sons’ school require a minimum of 15 minutes reading, three times a week – essential practice that means those tricky words become less so.
It isn’t a big ask given how much time they spend watching telly.
Kids need to see their parents putting down the phones and picking up a book too[/caption]
Mum-of-two Alex says parents need to step up and stop kids picking screens over books[/caption]
I’ll admit my youngest, who is five, is tricky to pin down for this, as he’s still learning and is also wiped out after school.
Instead, I get him to do a few pages in the morning, either over his toast or reading to me while I have a shower.
Then I return the favour at bedtime by reading his favourite picture books, like Oi Frog and the You Choose series, which his big brother likes to listen in on.
We encourage the eldest’s passion with a Beano subscription – a Christmas gift from his grandparents.
At a time when we’ve got ourselves in a lather about the dangers of the online world, the solution is right there on the bookshelf.
Do your job as a parent, flick the off switch and hand them a safer alternative universe within a book jacket instead.
