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Teen Reading Decline

Teen Reading Decline

July 8, 2010 Updated Jul 8, 2010 at 4:03 PM EDT

Some say it's thanks to Harry Potter that more, younger kids are reading today than years ago. But a new study from the U.S. Department of Education has troubling news: that older kids, teenagers, are reading much less than in years past. It seems as kids get older, books are losing out to cell phones, instant messaging, and social networks like myspace and facebook. Eddie Reece, M.S., L.P.C., a Psychotherapist says "In general, any person does something because that's the best thing they can find to do at the time. So, if a child is sitting isolated in a room, tapping away at the computer…they are talking to their friends in chatrooms…its because they don't have anything better in their repertoire to do. "
What could be better, experts say, is a book that's exciting and fun and at or slightly below their reading level. Experts say parents should also carve out a part of each day when the tv and computers are off and the books are open.

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