More than anytime before, reading to kids is still important. Television, video games and computers have replaced the time parents used to spend with their children reading. Math and science are pushed in the schools, and by the state of writing on the internet, it’s obvious that spelling and grammar are not considered as important as they should be. Children who read and write well have a whole set of skill sets that will place them above the average worker in the next generation.
At some point, our society decided that a well read person, who can write as well as he reads, was not as necessary as someone who could navigate a technical device, like a computer. As a result, communication skills and social understanding are lacking, not only in the work force, but in society as a whole. It is reported that the next generation will mostly be a generation of skilled laborers, like carpenters and welders. Although those people are needed, what happened to the creative spirit that got us where we are today? Anyone who understands the importance of reading is very much aware of it’s relationship with creativity.
We are a society of people who love to share ideas, but those who do are fast becoming an elite class because the masses seem to lack the skill or desire to be much more than a simple worker. There is more to reading and writing than the creative arts. There is a great deal of critical thinking involved in comprehending and discussing what has been read. This is a valuable asset in a fast moving world. On a simpler note, parents who read to their children are creating positive social bonds that will carry the child long and far in his relationships in life.