“Readers are lucky. They will never be bored or be lonely”.
This holds true because I have grown up listening to the proverb “Books are a man’s (also a woman’s) best friend. They never leave you. They are always there to share a whole world of information, entertainment and knowledge. There is always so much more to read.
This, however, is not really a scenario today with children. Especially with children in their early teens. There are several distractions and down the line, several life skills such as reading, creative writing, analytical thinking and other skills seem to be reduced in their prominence.
But all is not lost! One habit that brings with it several answers is READING. Being in constant touch with books helps you stay ahead of most of the people around you. Reading is a one-stop solution to having enough relevant content for conversations and discussions.
The medium of reading is not important, but reading is. The new age teenagers prefer gadgets. So reading on e-books or any other platform is irrelevant. Then there are audiobooks. the ones that I am myself getting hooked on. The children must discover their choice of genre and then pursue reading. Once the liking for reading develops, it becomes easier to explore more options.
There is a lot of good reading material available. Some books that are being recommended today for teens are “What if Earth stopped spinning?” and Ready!: 99 Must-Have Skills for the World-Conquering Teenager by Roopa Pai and The Secret to Teen Power by Paul Harrington. Self-help books help in deep dive into self and figure out questions and solutions to them. Fictional works help in widening creative imagination and expanding vocabulary.
Talking about books like – Ready!: 99 Must-Have Skills for the World-Conquering Teenager, emphasize having skills such as being curious, aware, responsible, brave, disciplined, loyal, open-minded, kind, resourceful, cheerful and others that make you prepared for the future.
It is time that you take your binge into reading and do it soon. Find a book that piques your curiosity, tickles your thought process and makes you ask questions and discover their answers.
Happy reading!