Ebooks are great. I read, on average, 25 or more ebooks every year. They’re convenient, especially when traveling. They don’t take up precious shelf space. They don’t have to be dusted.

I don’t feel guilty when I read an ebook, but I purposefully choose physical books for the majority of my reading, for numerous reasons. Reading a physical book provides a more sensory experience. Touch, smell, weight, all contribute to the pleasure. Studies suggest that those who read a physical book recall and retain the material better. Some find that reading a physical book causes less eyestrain and/or headaches than reading from a screen.

But here’s something I’ve realized only recently. It relates to the legacy I want to leave my kids and grandkids.

You see, when you use a tablet or an e-reader, your kids or grandkids can’t see you reading. That is, they don’t necessarily know you’re reading a book. From their perspective, unless they’re looking over your shoulder, you may be reading Facebook or recipes. You may be watching a movie or YouTube video. You could be checking a text or email message.

But when you hold a physical book in your hands, it says something to a child or young person who may—even casually—notice. It communicates, “This is something people do.” It says, “Books are interesting,” “Reading is fun,” “This is a great way to use your time.”

It may seem like a small thing, and maybe it is. And I have no plans to abandon ebooks, by any means. But children live the values they learn from parents and others. Maybe they will value books and reading more if they’re given the opportunity to observe the appeal of a good book in the material world.