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Can kids read too much?

Scaramanga said:
So long as they don't read under the covers at night, in the dark, then no I don't think kids can read too much - reading is certainly better for them than watching TV or playing computer games.
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I used to read under the covers at night! Nancy Drew was never more exciting than when read surreptitiously by flashlight. :D
 
As a kid I read a lot, would read a book within a day. I read fiction and non fiction. I read my fathers book, ended knowing more than a kid my age should have known.

I turned out alright.

Well I'm not a very social person but that's not because of me reading a lot but more a personality trait. Reading is a symptom for a person like me, I'm knowledge hunger always gathering whatever information I can get.

As long the kid eats well, moves a bit around and does his school task he should be alright.
 
it is possible but at least they are reading most kids dont read at all not even when it is required as long as it doesnt affect grades it should be fine
 
It's possible to do anything too much. When I was nine or ten, and completely hooked on Roald Dah and Harry Potter, I preferred to read than to play football. While it made me very literate, it also prevented me from becoming fit, and being active at a young age is very important in the long run. You can learn how to read at any age really, but becoming fit after years of being inactive is substantially harder. You never regain lost bone density.
 
Yes, but everything in moderation. If socialising and playing sports are at an expense to your time spent reading, I'd cut down on reading a bit. It's important to get the balance right. This is as someone who did the exact opposite when he was that age.
 
While I'm still too young to have any kids of my own, what I observe is that young children like my cousin can be very focused on what they read and their IQ seems to be much higher. Maybe it is a coincidence but definitely there is no harm in reading too much or being a bookworm. Unlike movies, books let them play around with their imagination and develop their thoughts.
 
Your gifted child may read alot because grade 3 in his soon-to-be-former school is boring. Reading challenges him. Perhaps when he is in his new school he will become more involved in activities.

But if not, consider this, he's not sitting around watching T.V. or playing violent video games. He's reading, which is wonderful. It builds his imagination and language skills. If you are concerned about his lack of friends I would ask him what sport he might be interested in (and he has to pick one) and enroll him in that activity. Children need exercise. If your child doesn't like swarms of kids around him try tennis. That was my sport when I was young and had energy. (Now I garden and walk the dog, unless it's winter. Then guess what I do? I read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
 
You can do any activity to excess. I'm quite sure it is rare for a child to read too much, but certainly possible. I think if other important aspects of a child's life are suffering perhaps they are reading too much. For example does the child communicate well with others? Can the child distinguish reality from fantasy? Is the child too sedentary?

Again, most kids read far too little, but still...everything in moderation.
 
Some video games are ok, it's just that a lot of them are a bit addictive. I personally love role playing games because of the intricate detail to the stories.
 
I'm with abecedarius... everything to moderation. Especially if the child is of the right age for a good game of badminton! :)
 
When it comes to something being done in excess, I'd def prefer a kid overread rather than over watch tv or something.
 
Reading sure beats just watching TV. Especially all that MTV I watched back when I was a teenager. In hindsight, watching MTV seems so much wasted time.
 
Well, you could think about the story of "Don Quijote", He read a lot of stories about knights and then he went crazy ,thinking he WAS a knight himself ^^''
 
beer good said:
So you agree that reading is dangerous?
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Well, in my experience, reading CAN give kids ideas. For instance, there was the morning I woke up and found my 7 and 8 year old daughters had been busy baking a cake from their Mandie's Cookbook. The recipe and book were fine, but the girls improvised when they couldn't find certain ingredients. The icing was to be cooked, and they used a pyrex mixing bowl on the burner and tried to make purple icing(it actually was taupe, with sprinkles). When they took the bowl off the burner and set it in the sink, the glass shattered. Thankfully nobody was injured, and we were able to laugh about it. It was one of those moments where I didn't know whether to scold them for not waiting for some supervision(oldest daughter's MO did NOT include waiting for any of that nonsense) or to applaud them for using a book and trying something new...

BTW-Both girls went on to become pretty good cooks.
 
I read the title to your thread and smiled! How can anyone EVER read too much! I must agree with the amazing quote from lao tzu below:

brolie said:
NO

"after three days without reading conversation becomes flavorless" - lao tzu

I really believe that reading books broadens our childrens' minds and stops them from turning into boring adults who spend their days having fruitless conversations with each other!
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I think like anything in life it requires balance. I love reading and I could probably read myself into a cave but kids need to explore through books and social interaction. It's fun to escape into a fantasy world it expands your imagination but its good to make your own real adventures to. :)
 
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