Hans Christian Anderson was an artist in his own right, creating stories that have helped generations of children to conjure up wonderful dreams after being read his books. We have all imagined the beautiful, colourful clothes the Emperor wore in The Emperor’s New Clothes, right?
However, the traditional bedtime story is sadly dying out according to a new study carried out by Littlewoods, which shows that one third of parents never read their children a story and only 64%, of those with children under the age of seven actually read to them at all.
Despite 91% of parents saying they regularly read stories as a child, 13% of parents blamed a lack of time for not reading to their children while 9% claimed they were ‘too stressed’. The average child gets three bedtime stories a week, but 5% stated that they do not own even a single book. We don’t like the sound of this one bit.
The study also claims that nearly half of kids would rather watch TV or play with computers than read, while one in three parents feel that they could and should spend more time reading with their kids.
Children develop their attitudes and personalities from playing with their peers and reading and writing in school. Endless hours spent in front of computers and televisions will – in the long run limit their capacity to develop and explore their imagination.
According to James Clements, a leading school advisor on reading in the UK:
“Between the ages of 7 and 9, parents can make a huge impact. This age provides an opportunity for them to support their child with developing a love of reading. The difference that enjoying reading regularly can make in children’s achievements extends right across the curriculum”.
There are many ways to address this problem but we think the simplest solution is the best. Take a little time out each evening to read to your children - ten minutes is better than nothing and reading with your child will help you relax too! check out our Family Reading Tips for more inspiration.