Read today, thrive tomorrow
The World observes two interesting events on April 23 each year — World Book and Copyright Day and World Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day.
Though they may seem like separate celebrations (one talks about books and literacy and the other about emotional safety and suicide prevention), their connection is, however, very profound, especially in this post-pandemic era.
This is because reading is more than an academic skill. It is a powerful pathway to emotional safety.
Through reading, children are able to identify with characters and their emotions, and this helps them to name and understand what they may be feeling.
It may be hard for some children to explain emotions such as fear, anger, jealousy, joy and confusion.
But through stories, they may recognise that same feeling in a character and begin to make sense out of it.
This is the foundation of emotional intelligence ― the ability to identify and process feelings instead of being overwhelmed by them.
Books can also create a safe space to experience difficult situations indirectly.
For instance, a child can explore themes like loss, bullying, failure, or even death within the safety of a story.
This “distance” allows them to process heavy emotions without being directly exposed to harm.
In this way, reading becomes a rehearsal space for life.
This is also how maturity emerges.
Reading
Reading reduces isolation. Many children who are struggling with stress, trauma, or mental health challenges can feel alone in their experiences.
When they read about characters going through similar struggles, it assures them that they are not alone.
Someone else has felt this too.
That sense of connection can be deeply protective against anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thinking.
Through these personal emotional experiences as they read, children strengthen their coping and problem-solving skills.
They learn resilience from the characters they read about as they reflect on the ways by which these characters faced similar challenges.
Over time, they internalise these strategies and apply them in their own lives.
For these reasons, reading must not be considered as a technical skill of merely decoding words, understanding sentences, passing exams.
Reading can be calming and regulating.
The act of sitting quietly with a book slows the mind, reduces stress, and provides a predictable, safe routine.
For children living in unstable or high-pressure environments, reading can be one of the interventions for creating the control and peace they need.
Even more powerful, a child sitting on a parent’s lap, listening to a story, is not just learning words.
This child is experiencing attention, warmth, and safety.
That bond is one of the strongest protective factors for mental health.
Anxiety
Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a rise in anxiety, depression and emotional distress due to the abrupt closure of schools, isolation, fear of the virus and uncertainty of the future etc.
During this period, reading declined as a result of the disruption in learning.
It is true that children’s ability to process emotions and feel connected was impacted as a result.
This emotional disconnect can increase mental health risks, including suicide, a leading cause of adolescent death globally.
Promoting reading can help rebuild emotional safety by fostering understanding, connection, and resilience.
Governments, educators, health workers, and families must work together to expand access to books, support mental health, and create safe spaces for children to thrive.
The writer is a Child development expert/Fellow of the Zero-To-Three Academy, USA.
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