Navigating the Challenges of Children and Reading

Should children force themselves to read if they don't like reading?

The answer is not straightforward and mainly depends on the specific situation and the child's age. Not with punishment and not like forced-feeding. However, children go through phases where their interests and abilities fluctuate.

One personal experience reminds me of the phase a child might go through. At one point, I remember not doing well with reading. I started off strongly, then hit a plateau and I hated it. I had to take remedial reading, and it was a tough journey. My grades eventually improved, and my folks were proud of my hard work. I went on to become a professional writer. Sometimes, the things we dislike the most are something we don't understand or just don't like at the time, but we outgrow it.

Reading is an essential skill in today's society. Children who don't enjoy reading might be at a lifelong disadvantage. It's worth exploring the reasons behind their dislike for reading, as it can be due to several factors such as a vision problem, uninteresting reading material, or a lack of early exposure to reading.

Understanding the Reasons Behind Reading Dislike

Here are some questions to consider:

How old are these children? Why don't they like reading? How did it get to be such a problem? Is it that the books they are being made to read are not interesting? Has reading always been part of their lives? Were they read to in infancy, toddlerhood, and preschool years?

All of these factors can impact a child's enjoyment and attitude toward reading.

The Importance of Reading in Children's Lives

Reading is not just about improving literacy; it also changes the chemicals in your brain and exercises your mind. It counteracts the constant bombardment of mind-numbing content from television and computer screens. Reading allows you to take control of what enters your mind and think critically about what you read.

A child who dislikes reading could be at a disadvantage in terms of life success in Western societies, where literacy is a major predictor of life success.

Moreover, reading offers unique benefits:

It gives you a chance to stop and think about what you have just read. Find a form of writing that you like. I do not waste my time reading long novels that seem to be paid by the word to write. My favorite form of writing is Kawabata's short stories, which are no more than 4 pages long. In those few pages, there is beauty, insight, and substance.

These stories are also known as "Palm Of The Hand Stories," by Yasunari Kawabata, the Japanese Nobel Prize winner for Literature. Reading these can be a profound and enjoyable experience.