A growing wave of research signals a global shift: Gen Z parents are reading to their children less, raising concerns about early literacy and emotional development. A HarperCollins UK survey, highlighted by The Guardian, shows fewer than half of Gen Z parents find reading aloud enjoyable, while about one in three treat reading as a learning task rather than a shared activity. This trend contrasts with earlier generations and raises questions about long-term language growth for Thai families as well.
Reading aloud has long been recognized as a cornerstone of language development, emotional understanding, and future academic success. But fatigue, economic pressures, and the omnipresence of screens are making storytelling less appealing for many parents. The effect spans socioeconomic backgrounds, prompting discussions on how families can restore the joy of reading in a digital age.
For Thai households, these findings resonate with existing local research. Studies conducted over the past decade correlate daily parental reading with higher vocabulary and literacy scores in primary school. Yet urban Thai parents often report work fatigue and screen reliance as reasons to skip nightly storytime, particularly in Bangkok and surrounding provinces. In contrast, rural communities still uphold traditional storytelling practices, though these too face modernization pressures.
The HarperCollins data are sobering: only 41% of parents report reading to children before age five, down from 64% in 2012. Fewer than one-third of five- to ten-year-olds now read for fun, a drop that aligns with Thai Ministry of Education observations linking reduced literacy engagement to lower performance on assessments. In Thailand, ongoing education reports emphasize the importance of home literacy as a predictor of classroom readiness.
Educators observe similar consequences worldwide. A literacy instructor in North America notes that children can spend hours on video platforms yet struggle to engage with print for even short periods. The same challenge appears in many Thai classrooms, where teachers report gaps in vocabulary, listening, and early reading, particularly in areas with heavy screen use.
The causes are multifaceted. Gen Z grew up amid ubiquitous digital technology, accompanied by economic instability and high childcare costs. After demanding workdays, many parents lack energy for bedtime stories, especially when children request the same book repeatedly. Some parents did not experience reading as a valued activity in their own youth, further dampening motivation.
Thai context adds nuance. Urban families in Bangkok are more likely to rely on smartphones or television to entertain children than those in rural settings, where oral storytelling and folk songs endure but face erosion from urban migration and digital media. Thailand’s national literacy framework supports early literacy, but teachers report widening disparities in vocabulary and reading readiness among first-graders in media-rich communities.
Why care? Research from speech-language professionals shows that limited home reading can lead to smaller vocabularies at school entry, affecting ongoing learning. Reading aloud models emotional expression, empathy, and a love of reading. The push for families to become “reading role models” is echoed in Thai educational policy, which has promoted Family Reading Hours across national media since 2020.
Gender gaps add another challenge. The HarperCollins findings indicate boys receive less early exposure to reading than girls, a pattern mirrored in Thai data showing lower reading comprehension among boys by early elementary years. Rising screen time compounds these concerns, with pediatric guidelines recommending limited non-educational screen time for young children. Many Thai parents report treating devices as a practical tool to manage daily routines, underscoring the need for balanced strategies.
Experts advocate practical, incremental steps. Begin with very short, interactive sessions—often just a few minutes—and emphasize high-quality engagement over duration. Talking about illustrations, inviting children to describe pictures, or letting them tell parts of the story in their own words counts as meaningful interaction. This aligns with Thailand’s preschool curricula, which incorporate picture-book conversations and peer storytelling as core development activities.
Historically, Thailand has strong oral traditions that support language and cultural education. While urban life emphasizes digital media, rural communities continue to rely on communal reading circles and temple libraries as literacy lifelines. The challenge now is to blend modern access with traditional practices, ensuring all children can grow through reading.
Looking ahead, maintaining or increasing regular reading at home is essential for vocabulary growth, attention, and social skills. The Covid-19 pivot to remote learning underscored that families with established home reading routines could better sustain progress. In Thailand, authorities are promoting new approaches, including free illustrated books during holidays, app-based reading challenges, and intergenerational storytelling events with community elders and local poets serving as role models.
For parents seeking practical guidance, experts suggest: dedicate five minutes of story time, let the child choose the book, and seize everyday moments—on commutes or mealtimes—to share rhymes and stories. Even if fluency is imperfect, describing pictures or narrating simple tales helps build connection and language. The Thai Early Childhood Education Department encourages these gradual practices as part of a broader move to make reading a positive family activity.
In conclusion, while economic pressures and digital culture challenge traditional reading routines, evidence across regions indicates that language-rich, interactive experiences with caring adults support children’s development. Thai families can blend modern tools with timeless storytelling to foster literacy. Small changes—reducing screen time, selecting age-appropriate books, and sharing stories in multiple languages—can yield meaningful gains in classroom readiness and lifelong learning.