Is there such thing as Too Much Reading? Do you read all the time?

I hate to discourage someone from reading since I love it myself. I think it might depend on what his other interests are. If he is avoiding the outside world, it could be a sign of lack of self confidence. He might be trying to escape some real-world situation. It might also depend on what types of material he is reading. It might be a harmless phase he is going through. I am sure that the doctors have invented some kind of "syndrome" for this behavior..lol. But, I would look at his reading in the context of other activites he engages in. If all he does is read, more balance in life activities would be healthier , I think.

I think that is awesome that he loves to read......It is better than him watching TV, and playing video games. Take him out for walks though so he can get some exercise, but let him read.....It is the best thing for him and introduce him to literature! I wish my boys read more......

This is tough. I love reading and will do it anytime and anywhere. But, I suppose too much of anything is bad. I do wear glasses. Started at 8, and my eyesight isn't great. I can't say for sure that it's connected to reading. But, I think one thing to do is try to get your son to look up from his book every so often. I know they say when you're on the computer you should blink every so often or look away from the screen. Also, make sure he reads in good light. Also, have you tried audio books? Don't let him think he's not supposed to read, but he could use audio books, too, which will give his eyes a break. I know some libraries carry audio books.

You could have been writing about my son. :) You don't mention how old your son is but I think there are worse things he could be that engrossed in. However, depending on how old he is and what the books look like that he is reading, you are right to be concerned. I remember reading somewhere that for young developing eyes and kids that are reading books intended for older eyes, is not necessarily good. As the books are intended for kids a bit older, the print is smaller and there is not as much white space on the pages. Yes, this can lead to eye strain during prolonged reading periods. But what does one do? So many kids have trouble reading or dislike it that it is hard to discourage a child that loves it. Strong reading abilities are definately an open door to so much in life. So what to do? 1. Be sure he has plenty of good light when reading. So I guess it's better to let him read where you know he has good light rather than hide in the closet with poor light. 2. Whenever possible, choose books with bigger print and good white space. I know this isn't always possible but I have run into situations with my son where we saw a hardcover that was bigger in size than the paperback of the same title. A quick glance on the inside proved that there was a big difference in the print size and white space. Of course we chose the bigger option. 3. Encourage taking at least a 10 minute break about every hour. This gives time for the eye muscles to be used for distance as well. These things will help minimize the strain but of course, not eliminate it. My son is 10yo and just got glasses although the doc said he probably has been needing them for a while. He is far sighted in one eye and near sighted in the other which is why we probably didn't notice the problem sooner. He's been over working one eye or the other depending on whether he was looking close up or far away. Would he not need glasses if we had not let him read so much? Who knows. Both me and my husband (as well as our parents and grandparents) have needed glasses since we were teens. So perhaps bad eyes are in his genes and he would have needed them anyways no matter what precautions we took to minimize the risk.

Reading is the best thing that can happen to a human being.Reading expands one's thought process,widens the horizon of what one thinks. For eg: Currently i am reading this book called "Iran Awakening" by Shirin Ebadi- The Nobel Peace prize winner of 2003. She is a lawyer(an ex judge in the period of the Shah) but the revolution in Iran has snatched such privileges during the early part. For me this book gave a clear picture of the Iran through a period of around 50 odd years. Descriptive, objective and telling to the world of the pains that woman face and in general the public faced during the period of the revolution and there after. So the reason for talking on this book is simple.I, being an Indian didnt have much idea on Iran...till i got hold of this book..thanks to a friend's gift. So there is nothing as too much reading...its what u read is what matters not how much...keep on reading..cos ...thats how u evolve...u explore and u live ur life. regards narayanan

I am in my late 50's and have been reading books all my life. My mother tells me that I learned to read at the age of 3. As I do not remember actually learning to read, I have to take her word for it. I have heard it said that reading is bad for the eyesight, but I don't wear reading glasses and I still read several hours every day. Here is a link to a website that discusses the many myths about the affect on eyesight of reading in dim light or reading at length. http://www.grandtimes.com/eyes.html As a parent, I believe that the concern should focus on the type of material that your child is reading, rather than the actual length of time that he is reading. If his choice of material is healthy, it will only improve his knowledge.

I don't think there can ever be such a thing as too much reading. When I was in school I was reading hundreds of books in a year. And it's made me a better person. I'm articulate and well read. Which is a wonderful thing. And as long as he's reading in a well lit environment, it's not going to do anything to his eyes.

Reading is Good - it feeds your mind and soul. There is no such thing as ENOUGH!!! Now, just make sure that he is reading the right kind of books. Throw away the trashy novels(eg. romance,fantancy etc). I recommend biography, history, current affairs, inspirational books. Good Luck!

Personally, I used to read much more than this when I was young. I do not feel that there is such a thing as 'too much' reading. I feel that I may have gotten more of an education about language and the use of words through books than I ever received through schooling. Of course, I wouldn't have understood the basics without school! ^_^ But I would never discourage a child from reading. So many kids today don't even pick up one book a year! I would be thrilled to have a child who was so invested in books and reading! ^_^

you're right to think that reading for hours on end is not good for his eyes.. by focusing on something at short range for a long period of time,eye muscles get affected.. i am a voracious reader and i read book for hours and hours on end, even at the cost of my sleep and i know how bad it can be, luckily my eyesight is still excellant, but am still trying to break that habit now.... if your kid reads for a long time and if u cant discourage him, tell him to take breaks between reading if his eyes hurt, tell him to focus on some other object from time to time while reading, it changes the focal length of the lens and reduces the strain and damage to the eye..

It is awesome that he loves to read so much. The only thing that could cause his eyes to be harmed is if he is reading in poor light like at dusk or in a room on a rainy day without light or in direct sunlight where the light would reflect into his eyes and cause them to strain. Furthermore, the reading he does can broaden his language capabilities and start preparing him to do far superior work on the SATs in comparison with his counterparts. What my parents did with me when I read all the time was to say, that I couldn't finish reading whatever book it was until I had finished all my homework and whatever household chores I had. I also had to participate in a sport 2x a week with a local recreational club. However, I was homeschooled, so if your son is going to school, he may already have as much socialization as he can take. Reading all the time when you are a kid is awesome, cause soon enough he'll have to grow up and find a job and work all the time, so enjoy paradise while he has it.

Hey, it him read all he wants. I never liked reading, even at 45. I'll read a book, but it will take me ages to get through it. But my husband and I both encourage our son by reading to him all the time. He loves it and he loves books. Even though I hate reading, I do it for our son so he won't be like me. So that he'll cultivate a love for reading.

Some of the most well-rounded people that you can meet are voracious readers. I like to spend at least an hour or two a night reading.

Please don't stop him reading. There are so few kids these days who enjoy reading, and who would rather be playing computer games. I can understand that you might want him to be outside getting some exercise, so maybe you could reward him - if he comes out for an hour-long walk or a game, then he gets a new book or one he's wanted for ages. If you take him for regular eye tests and there are no signs of any deterioration, then it shouldn't be a problem. Unless he is reading nothing but total dross, then a healthy interest in books can only be a good thing.

I love to read. My father would buy me any book that I wanted. My eye's are not too bad, I do need glasses, but I love to read. Please don't discourage him, I would rather my children to read then to be playing video game's or worse. Count your blessing's that reading is his vice and not something else. Good luck

I read all the time as a kid and I still read. I wasn't a geek--far from it. I still had a well rounded social life. I f it is something he loves, don't take it away from him. Limits are good. I was reading another discussion where someone was concerned because kids spend too much time playing on PC's and game systems. Like anything, it has to be done in moderation. He could be addicted to the PC, or playstation instead of books. If you are that concerned, try limiting it how much you allow him to read. It would be hard. But there are so many worse things he could be doing right now.

i have heared some cases, that due to heavy study load, ppl get mad (really mad) and then take their long time to recover with lesser IQ level and intelligence, ask some medial specialist so that it can tell u exactyly what number of hours is good enough for reading

First of all, I have to ask how old your son is and what he is reading, because they do make a difference in how much he reads. I read a lot myself, and have for a very long time. When I was younger, my mother would always tell me that I read too much and sometimes she would take my books from me. Sometimes, I would be reading a really good book and not be able to put it down, so I would probably be reading late into the night (even though I was always afraid of getting caught). Reading, and reading for several hours a day, is not considered harmful, as long as he is active outside and inside the home also. I am a very energetic person, so reading helps me relax my body and my mind...and slow down from my hectic pace. Also, my eye doctor told my mom when I was a kid to make sure that I had plenty of light, because that is the only thing that effects your eyesight (not necessarily how much you read). So, I would recommend that he does not read in his closet, because there is not a lot of light there. You need to get him the white lights, not the everyday yellow ones. We updated our lighting a long time ago, when I was a kid in almost all the rooms in the house, and you will notice that it brings down your electric bill also. Furthermore, as an adult, in my own home, I prefer to read under the white light, because it is brighter and does not strain my eyes. However, my eyes have suffered a bit, but I blame that on my senior year of highschool, because I ended up pulling too many all-nighters to do really well on my exams. And, I would have to study in the dining room (which as you know, is usually dim, for ambiance). The main thing to do is get his eyes regularly checked up, and it is good to "harrass" him every once in a while, because that will get him to do other things. Plus, it will add to the fun of reading (since he is breaking the rules :) ) I hope when I have kids, they will also like to read, as so many people do not these days. He sounds like a wonderful little guy, and I am very happy for you.

You should be so lucky to have a sun that read at all! Kids this age just play computer games all day, at least your sun is increasing is intellect, although, he should spend sometime doing sport activities and social activities, try and arrange a variety for him, perhaps a sport he likes or something like that.

You should be happy that he is reading and not out with his friends making trouble. It may not be good for his eyes, but most people do not have 20/20 vision and they will need glasses or contacts in the future. If he enjoys it that much, why stop him? It will just make him smarter!