Boston University Survey of Parents Reveals Books and Television Coexist in an Active Child's Life

Today's children are involved in more activities than ever before. New research from Boston University shows how kids fit reading in among the chores, music lessons and watching television. The news is good -- kids find as much time for books as they do for TV.

Boston, MA (PRWEB) January 17, 2005 --- American children love to watch TV, much to the consternation of educators and parents across the country. Yet new research conducted by students at Boston Universitys College of Communication suggests that TV has not displaced books in kids lives. The study, completed by parents of over 500 children ages 12 and under in the Fall of 2004 and commissioned by the Childrens Book Council, found that 73% of children are likely to read a book after school, compared to 81% of them who are also likely to watch television -- even on the same day.

Reading is not fading away as children turn to television," said Cynthia Pflaum, a student researcher at Boston University. Contrary to popular belief, reading is still a stable force in childrens lives. The fact is, todays readers effectively balance reading, television and other after school activities. They do it all."

Perhaps the most telling result of the survey is the fact that todays kids are emulating their overprogrammed parents. Fifty-seven of percent of active readers are involved in five or more extracurricular activities per week. According to the study, they are three times more likely to participate in the Girl or Boy Scouts, and twice as likely to participate in sports and the arts. Active readers involvement in academics, athletics and the cultural arts confirm literatures role in a highly productive lifestyle.

The children who read more do more of everything else, from sports to community programs. Were raising a generation of highly-involved children," explains Professor James McQuivey, who oversaw the student survey project, adding, It's a case of child-see, child-do."

Parents with highly active children are 52% more likely to be involved in a parent-teacher organization, 76% more likely to be involved in community service, and 66% more likely to participate in sports than parents whose children are also less involved. Reading is one of many items on the weekly to-do list in these industrious homes.

Though comforting for households where reading is a well-established part of daily life, this signals that homes where reading has not been made a priority are not just lacking in literature, but in other important social opportunities. Our results suggest that reading in the home should be considered a bellwether for other types of social involvement and development," explains McQuivey, underscoring the importance of efforts to increase child involvement with literature."

About the Survey
The survey was conducted from October 28 to November 2, 2004 and was completed by parents of 536 children ages 12 and under. The sample was randomly drawn from Survey Sampling Internationals online panel. As such, the results are only descriptive of children whose parents have Internet access. The results of a randomly drawn sample this size are accurate within +/- 5 percentage points.

About The Childrens Book Council, Inc.
The Childrens Book Council is a nonprofit trade association that promotes the use and enjoyment of childrens trade books and related literacy materials for young people, and is the official sponsor of Young Peoples Poetry Week and Childrens Book Week. The Councils membership is made up of U.S. publishers and packagers of trade books for children and young adults and producers of related literacy materials. Proceeds from the sale of CBC materials help support the Councils literacy efforts.

About the College of Communication at Boston University
The College of Communication at Boston University is home to the Communication Research Center where professors train undergraduate and graduate students in the science of consumer research and analysis. This project was designed by students under the supervision of Professor James McQuivey.

For more information:
James McQuivey
Assistant Professor
College of Communication
Boston University
640 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
617.803.6209 p
617.507.7892 f

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