Do you still enjoy reading?
How often do you read these days—every day, once a week, or only when you really have time?
Honestly, this question often makes me pause too. In a world full of short videos, endless scrolling, and instant information, reading sometimes feels like a slow activity. But maybe that’s exactly why it still matters.
My Reading Habit
When I was younger, reading felt natural. I didn’t need reminders or goals. Books were part of my daily life—school books, storybooks, magazines, anything I could get my hands on. Reading was not about productivity; it was about curiosity.
As time passed, my reading habit changed. Life became busier. Responsibilities grew. Reading was no longer something I did effortlessly. Sometimes I realized that I could spend hours scrolling on my phone, but struggle to finish just a few pages of a book.
Recently, though, I’ve been trying to rebuild my relationship with reading—but in a different way. Instead of reading only for myself, I now read more often for my children. Reading aloud has become part of our daily routine, and through that habit, I slowly found my way back to books.
My book collection has changed too. The novels that once filled my shelves are now slowly replaced by self-improvement books and children’s books. Stories with colorful illustrations, simple words, and meaningful messages now sit next to books about parenting, mental health, and personal growth.
Read Aloud: Small Activity, Big Impact
Reading is more than collecting information. It trains our focus in a world that constantly tries to distract us. When we read, we slow down. We learn to sit with ideas, emotions, and perspectives that are not our own.
Reading also improves empathy. Through stories, we step into other people’s lives, cultures, and struggles. We learn to understand without judging too quickly. For adults, reading can be a form of self-care—quiet, reflective, and grounding. And for children, the impact of reading is even deeper.
One of the simplest but most powerful literacy activities for children is read aloud.
Reading aloud is not just about teaching children how to read words. It builds emotional connection, listening skills, vocabulary, and imagination. When adults read aloud to children, they are also sending a message: books are important, and so are you.
Children who are read to regularly tend to:
- Develop better language skills
- Have stronger emotional bonds with caregivers
- Feel more confident expressing themselves
- Associate reading with warmth and joy
Read aloud doesn’t require expensive books or perfect pronunciation. What matters most is presence, consistency, and intention.
Literacy Is a Collective Effort
Reading is often seen as an individual activity, but literacy grows stronger when supported by communities.
Around the world, many literacy organizations actively promote reading as a human right. One of them is LitWorld, a global literacy movement that believes every child deserves access to books, stories, and education. LitWorld works across countries, cultures, and languages to empower children through literacy and storytelling.
Their work reminds us that reading is not just about skills—it’s about voice, dignity, and opportunity.
Read Aloud Movement in Indonesia
In Indonesia, literacy movements continue to grow at the grassroots level. One of the most inspiring is Read Aloud Indonesia, a nationwide movement with branches in many regions across the country. Each local community represents its own area and works closely with families and educators in their surroundings.
These communities actively encourage parents, teachers, and volunteers to read aloud to children—at home, in schools, libraries, and public spaces. They show that reading doesn’t have to be complicated or exclusive.
One of these active branches is RAMA (Read Aloud Malang Raya), which represents the Malang and surrounding areas. RAMA consistently voices the importance of reading, including reading in English. Through regular activities, collaborations, and social media content, RAMA Malang Raya helps families see reading as something joyful and achievable, not intimidating.
Their work proves that literacy movements don’t always start in big institutions—sometimes they grow from people who simply love books and care deeply about children.
So, Do You Still Like Reading?
We live in a digital era, and reading no longer exists only in printed books. We read articles, blogs, captions, and digital stories every day. The challenge is not the lack of reading material, but the lack of deep, intentional reading.
This is where awareness matters. Choosing to read—even for 10 or 15 minutes a day—is a small act of resistance against constant distraction. Reading becomes a way to reclaim focus, curiosity, and connection.
Maybe you don’t read as often as you used to. Maybe your reading looks different now. And that’s okay.
Reading doesn’t have to be perfect, long, or impressive. It just needs to be meaningful—for you, and for the children watching you read.
Because when adults read, children notice. And when children grow up surrounded by stories, they grow up believing their own stories matter too.
