Set a Good Example for Kids
Many blame smartphones and the Internet for people’s declining interest in reading, but they mean convenience to me. Before, if I wanted to read a book, I had to place an order online, wait for the courier to deliver it, and then savour it in weekends. It was pleasant experience, but as I have grown older, I don’t have such long periods of leisure time for reading. I only have some fragmented time when I wait in line, have meals, get caught in a traffic jam, or take a bus or subway. That’s how I recently finished reading the three-volume science fiction The Three-Body Problem.
I found that reading on a mobile APP is better than with paper books. It is easy to carry
a phone and I can read a short paragraph at any time. I can easily search for terms or anything else that I don’t understand. E-book also provides more detailed annotations. In addition, I can exchange my experiences with other readers of the book from all over the country. With these benefits, I would not hesitate to choose e-books even if I have more free time to read in the future. Therefore, I don’t think modern technologies like smartphones and the Internet are responsible for any reduced interest in reading. For people who don’t like reading, they will find other ways to entertain themselves even without smartphones or computers. For those who like reading, they will find a way to keep reading in the fast-paced modern life.
But I do worry about my fouryear-old son, who is growing up in an environment with increasing exposure to digital distractions. I hope he can develop the habit of reading and a love for reading. I count on reading to broaden his horizons, improve his knowledge, and cultivate his thinking ability and creativity. Therefore, as a parent, I have to set a good example, reading more paper books and looking less at my phone when at home. I read with him every day before going to bed. I would choose interesting books, such as picture books, fairy tales, and popular science books. I would discuss with him the content in the books and encourage him to ask questions and share his feelings.