Reading as a Tool to Build Empathy

Reading as a tool for building empathy can be a crucial component in children's development. Technology, with its consistent, fast-paced updates and constantly spewing out new content ready for consumption, is great for entertainment; however, it may have drawbacks. When watching a television show or reel, we only hear what the actors/characters say and see how they act, but upon deeper reflection, we have little to no idea how they truly felt in that moment. This can cause desensitization to tragic or offensive content, which can directly translate into real life.

In reading, especially fictional, you get a play-by-play of someone else's life, what led them there, what decisions they've made, and how it's all affected them. This in-depth analysis is actually disguised as pure entertainment once someone really gets into the novel. Having something that is not just presented as is, but allows the opportunity to be dismantled and observed from a first-person perspective can be beneficial.