Throughout time, countless books, articles, and other written materials have been written about a plethora of experiences and fantasies. If you have voluntarily read even one of those books (or fantastic articles that the Odyessy team has created), you're doing more than just under half of the kids today. "Only 51 percent of children said they love or like reading books for fun, compared to 58 percent in 2012 and 60 percent in 2010, and reading enjoyment declines sharply after age eight, according to Scholastic’s The State of Kids & Reading " (Wilson, Paula. “Reading Is in Decline: If Not You, Then Who?” ).
So why are children today not reading for fun? Some suggest that electronics and television are partly to blame due to the new age of electronics and (whether we appreciate them or not) great programs. With great mobility comes great responsibility, which many of us abuse. Of course, kids and teens can read on most of the electronics available to them, but that is hard to track. Plus with things like Hulu and Netflix, one can continue their shows from anywhere.
While books are arguably portable as well, a lot of people already have their phone or tablet on them. Whether its due to a hectic schedule, school, or for keeping in touch in general, 77% of Americans own a smartphone. "The vast majority of Americans — 95% — now own a cellphone of some kind. The share of Americans that own smartphones is now 77%, up from just 35% in Pew Research Center’s first survey of smartphone ownership conducted in 2011" (Smith, Aaron. "Record shares of Americans now own smartphones, have home broadband").
If we already have these devices that hold so much entertainment, why carry a book around? One can also argue that while you can pay five dollars a month for a large number of movies and tv shows, one online book can cost over ten dollars. As much as I love to read, even I hate the strain that books put on my wallet. It is also hard to find age-appropriate reading material online.
Even if cost is no burden and the perfect reading material presents itself to you, will you have time to read it? With the pressure of being accepted into schools, jobs, and clubs, time for extra hobbies can be scarce. Children are pressured now to excel in academics now more than ever, and parents compete for top spots in prestigious preschools or private schools. Academics aren't even the only thing to be worried about because no one cares about that 4.0 GPA if you don't have any volunteer work or extracurriculars (take it from the girl who was in honors, dual credit, color guard, almost every club at her high school, and graduated with a 4.132 GPA). So with all of the work that we place on ourselves, reading is only deemed necessary when it is part of this chaos.
Reading and literacy itself is a beautiful thing. It encourages us to use our imagination, whisks us away to another time or place, and lets us unwind. It's not to say that electronics or academics are horrid things out to get us, but reading can be a magical thing that lets us escape our current situation.
Besides, reading is very important to be able to thrive in academics or work, and it is the basis for being able to even use electronics. So, encourage yourselves to read more, and encourage your children because you never know what adventure you could be missing out on.
