Why taking the time to to read a book still matters for our children in a world of shortcuts
The reality is that not many high school students are reading books anymore.
Why should they spend hours or even days reading a book when they have access to countless shortcuts?
Audiobooks instead of reading for a couple of hours, summary apps that condense books into minutes, chatGPT that generates key ideas instantly.
However, teaching children to take their time to read books and instilling a love of reading is still important in this day and age.
Here’s why:
When your child reads
- They slow down and process ideas at their own pace .
- They pause to reflect on meaning, language, and word usage .
- They make an effort to understand the author’s world and perspective.
- They wander through their thoughts and imagination—this is important for creativity.
- They connect what they read to their own life and even laugh at moments in the text .
- They are in control of how they read—what to reread, skip, or question.
They use their own voice tone and emotions to interpret the book.
Most importantly, this is where “aha” moments happen—those powerful sparks of understanding that cannot be rushed or replaced by shortcuts. That’s why in a fast-moving world, the ability to take time and ready deeply is a skill that will set them apart.
