Why Reading is Always the Answer

By Hayley McDonnell.

Have you ever been so engrossed in a book that time has almost slipped away? Before you know it, the afternoon has slipped by, and all you have to show for it is a page turned on a book and a deep, contented feeling of absolute pleasure. Overtly, nothing much has changed, but internally, your mind and imagination have taken you somewhere. 

Apparently, there is something called Hyperphantasia, where readers vividly imagine whatever you say to them. If you say "beach", for instance, a person with hyperphantasia will "see" a beach in minute detail in their mind, along with other sensory inputs. They will hear the sea birds squawking, the waves lapping, smell the salt in the air – you get the picture (ahem). 

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, there are people with Aphantasia, who see no mental images at all when they think or read. If you say "beach", their inner eye will remain completely blank. The same thing can happen when reading fiction and nonfiction; the more vivid the description, the more vivid the picture in your head if you have the pleasure of hyperphantasia. 

So, if you are thinking about the time you have spent reading, it may be worth considering what images have been conjured up in your mind, how much you are personally immersed in the story, the characters, the plot, and so on, and the pleasure that comes with that. 

I have two daughters who are 'preteens'—midway between being a little girl, a child, and a teenager. Every stage and age has its merits, and there is always an overt need to look after them physically, emotionally, and so on. 

When they were very small, we avoided watching TV adverts, mainly to avoid the proliferation of toys and games suggested as needed when they were ultimately merely wanted. However, as life moves on, my children have, of course, been exposed to the real world, not just through TV adverts but by simply being part of it. 

In some respects, it is easy to avoid external influences by focusing on family time and nature and promoting the activities they individually like and collectively as a family. However, it isn't realistic or recommended to expect children/preteens to be separate from the big wide world and all it contains. Influences and influencers are part of our social media world, but not if you are not part of the social media world. My daughters are not, and we are holding off for as long as possible before they are exposed to the influencers, but we all know it's not far away. 

When it comes to my children, I am more conscious of what they read and how they can find influence within the words, either by or about someone. Reading in my house has never been an issue, except perhaps too much reading (if that's possible), and because of that, I feel more clued up about what is read. One of my daughters received an end-of-term target to read more genres to improve her grammar and vocabulary, so we all have the perfect excuse for my favourite family activity. Reading night! Surprisingly, my eldest shared a few years ago that she could see pictures and images in her mind when she was reading. We now all know what that is! 

We have a lot of books at home for my girls, mainly fiction but some nonfiction. We visit the local library regularly, and both girls enjoy receiving gift cards from well-known bookshops so they can purchase something new. We have even ventured into the world of Kindles (they have children's Kindles). Personally, I am still in the 'proper book' mode but have been known to be lured into Kindle life.

I realise as I write that reading for pleasure will always be at the heart of the matter, but when it comes to my girls, I like to ensure there's focus on one or any of the following:

•  Positive and realistic role models.
•  Appropriate language for 11-14 year olds. 
•  Positive language.
•  Content that provides information on a different culture/language.
•  Thought-provoking, with a moral message. 

As I finish, I wonder if this list of criteria works for everyone. A quick online search will reveal that reading has many benefits for all demographics, and the biggest one is reducing stress. I can't see anyone arguing about that one.

Watching someone read, its easy to assume that nothing much is happening, but actually, it might be more than you think.

Happy reading…..

Hayley McDonnell is a passionate advocate of the just Hygge philosophy, living each day with intention and ease and flow at its core. A former teacher/middle manager of 24+ years, she has worked through several transitions and continues to do so. 

A mother, wife, friend, sister, daughter and so on; despite these guises, the one golden thread that runs throughout is the desire to be happy and live a life of truth. This is where the concept of Hygge takes prominence.

Hayley hopes her blogs provide a conduit for sharing the Hygee lifestyle and the benefits of 'Nothing Much Happens Here'. You can contact her here.