{
  "id": 13931866,
  "title": "As Screen Time Rises, Author Amish Tripathi And Experts Urge Parents To Cultivate Reading Habits In Children",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/as-screen-time-rises-author-amish-tripathi-and-experts-urge-parents",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-12T10:19:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/education/as-screen-time-rises-author-amish-tripathi-and-experts-urge-parents-to-cultivate-reading-habits-in-children"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mumbai: With children spending more time on screens, a panel of authors and early-childhood educators have highlighted the importance of nurturing a reading habit in children. The discussion, featuring author Amish Tripathi, educator Dr Swati Popat Vats, and founder Kranti Gada, explored how reading can foster imagination, independent thinking, and a deeper understanding of the world for young minds. Tripathi emphasized that children often imitate the behavior of adults, suggesting that parents' own commitment to reading can influence a child's interest in books. Vats cautioned against replacing face-to-face interactions with technology, warning that lullabies could soon be sung by smart speakers and bedtime stories by devices like Alexa. She stressed that young children often perceive human voices around them as alive, making personal interaction crucial during their early years. Vats also cautioned against using academic achievements as a measure of a child's value, reminding parents that a report card should not define a child's worth. Highlighting the enduring significance of reading, she remarked, “Reading is the best dharohar you can give your kids,” underscoring that early exposure to books can provide a lasting legacy as children grow. Drawing a parallel to long-term investments, Vats described reading as akin to a systematic investment plan (SIP), where consistent, small efforts over time can cultivate a lifelong habit. The panel also noted that reading differs from screen-based content in its ability to encourage children to imagine and create narratives in their minds. They urged parents to view reading as a balanced pursuit, not as an additional academic burden, and to allow children the freedom to choose what interests them. Regarding artificial intelligence and digital media, the speakers advocated for a balanced approach, emphasizing that technology should enhance learning by fostering curiosity and human connection rather than supplanting them.",
  "summary": "Mumbai: As children spend more time on screens, a panel of authors and early-childhood educators have stressed the need to make reading part of everyday life, saying the habit must start at home rather than remain limited to school assignments and examinations. The discussion brought together author Amish Tripathi, early-childhood educator Dr Swati Popat Vats and Kranti Gada, founder of neOwn to…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}