Illiterate and Selfish – Gen Z Parents Read to Children 33% Less, Say They Don’t Enjoy it

A new study finds that members of Generation Z are reading to their children less than earlier generations, largely because they don’t find the activity enjoyable. This trend has sparked concern about the long-term consequences for children’s literacy and relationship with books.

According to a recent report from HarperCollins UK, the percentage of parents who regularly read to children aged four and under has dropped to just 41%, compared to 64% in 2012 — the lowest rate on record.

The study notes that Gen Z, people born between 1997 and 2012, are “significantly more likely than Millennials or Gen X to view reading as ‘more a subject to learn’ rather than a fun or enriching activity.”

Unlike Millennials, who experienced life before the internet, Gen Z grew up surrounded by absorption in the virtual world.

In children, reading has also dropped significantly. The number of 5 to 10-year-olds who regularly read for pleasure has declined to 32%, a steep decline from 55% in 2012, the report found.

Boys appear to be impacted the most. Even among toddlers who cannot yet read independently, the disparity is clear: 22% of boys aged 0–2 are rarely or never read to, compared to 44% of girls who are read to more frequently.

The study also points to academic pressures. Some parents cited their children’s heavy schoolwork load as a barrier to making time for recreational reading at home.

Research consistently shows that early exposure to books through being read to has a profound effect on children’s relationship with reading.