Social media has stolen children’s reading time
Azzah Al-Ghamdi
local@kuwaittimes.com
When we were children, before social media appeared and technology developed, the time to read a story was sacred to us. Wonderful stories published by wellknown publishing companies occupied our time, and we eagerly anticipated the new editions of the series we followed. This led to the strengthening of children’s language skills all over the world, enhancing their spelling and eloquence.
Today, with the emergence of social media, children around the world have become enamored with these applications and programs, which have stolen their time for reading and engaging with stories that once played a prominent role in teaching language, eloquence, and good morals. As a result, we are now witnessing a language deficiency among children, who often reach advanced stages of life without mastering their mother tongue. This is a serious issue that must be addressed by educational ministries and families worldwide.
In the past, children would spend their free time either watching an episode of a TV program or reading short stories that benefited them. These stories were captivating and imparted important moral values. There were stories tailored for boys and others for girls, ensuring everyone could find something suitable.
However, today, social media has taken over children’s time and attention. Most of their time is spent watching social media, with parents struggling to control or guide them. The purposeful stories that children used to read helped produce a generation that was more mature and dependable. In contrast, today’s children, despite being ten years old, often lack the maturity and responsibility seen in previous generations.
Reading is far more beneficial than social media programs, which have numerous negatives. Reading builds the reader’s personality, imparts wisdom, and develops imagination. In the past, many brilliant authors, such as the French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery and the Egyptian writer Kamel Kilani Ibrahim (known as the pioneer of children’s literature in the Arab world), produced wonderful children’s stories. From my childhood, I remember reading “Cinderella” and “The Little Mermaid,” which left a lasting impression with their moral values and excitement.
Today, every country is keen on book fairs. Schools often organize trips for students to these fairs, encouraging them to shop and buy stories that interest them. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of the state and educational ministries to promote reading, children remain captivated by social media. Even if they buy stories at book fairs, they often do not read them, preferring to spend their free time on social media.
It would be beneficial if the ministry of education coordinated with social media celebrities to promote reading. Advertisements for stories by social media influencers could reignite children’s desire to read. Social media celebrities have a significant influence on children today, often more so than parents.
We cannot remain silent about the weakness in language skills that students suffer from. The solution lies in encouraging children to read stories again. A new generation of employees, upon whom the state will rely for various types of correspondence and report writing, will emerge. Whether in medical, engineering, administrative, or legal fields, strong language skills are essential. By encouraging early reading, we can ensure that writing correspondence and reports does not become a rare profession, which would pose a serious risk to the future of countries.