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Is the bedtime story in decline?
Author: Jonathan Warren
Many of us grow up with fond memories of our parents reading exciting tales to us before we drift off to sleep - but a new survey suggests that the tradition of the bedtime story may be in danger. Education publishers Pearson polled 2,000 parents about their habits, revealing that one in ten don't read to their children more than once every six months, while almost a third read them a bedtime story once a week or less.
While the figures are concerning, there was better news: almost half of respondents read their child a story every day, with four in five saying they started reading to their children before the age of two. Book enthusiasts may also be comforted to find that children on average spend around the same time reading as they do playing computer games, although they spend twice as long watching TV.
"As parents we can encourage our children to develop a love of reading from an early age but it can be challenging when there are so many demands on all of our attention," said broadcaster Mariella Frostrup, who is supporting Pearson's Enjoy Reading campaign.
