As your teenager becomes more independent, socially-connected online and absorbed in the demands of their high school programmes, one of the first things that can be lost is a regular reading habit.

There are numerous reasons why we need to work at continuing to develop a reading culture. The article below was published in the online journal Corpus, and it discusses in detail the many ways reading is so necessary to the mental development and mental health of our teens today. 

Here are some tips to ensure your teen is still engaging with their personal reading at home:

● Create ‘screen-free’ time where there is an expectation to read

● Keep a pile of engaging books around the house on topics your student is interested in

● Bedtime reading is still a good thing to promote - it is also a well-documented key step in sleep-promoting routines

● Embrace what they are reading without being judgmental - listen to what they tell you about the stories that engage them 

● Talk about books - often!

● Model reading at home - create a family reading time where you all read at the same time

● Use the library - The South Dunedin Library has super helpful librarians who will help you source books to hook in readers (199 Hillside Road, a block down from ‘Pak and Save’)