Do you guys read a lot?
I used to love to read.
Then I had kids, and I was too tired to read anything that didn’t have pictures in it (except for (affiliate) The Book With No Pictures, cause the kids love that one).
The exhaustion of having five kids under the age of 8 years old was too much for me.
Even if I managed to physically stay awake once all the kids were asleep for any substantial length of time, I had no brain power left, and I’d have to reread the same sentence about fourteen times.
That led to using the television as my go-to unwinding strategy at the end of the day.
And while I don’t watch all that much TV anymore — maybe half an episode of whatever show I’m binge watching on Netflix before I fall asleep, or one whole episode if I’m lucky — it has almost completely replaced any sort of reading at this point.
And I don’t like that.
I’ll read a couple books when I’m on vacation. But seeing as that only happens once a year, that’s not a whole lot of reading.
Number 4 is a voracious reader. So is Rory on The Gilmore Girls (my current Netflix obsession), and I love that. And ironically, a fictitious sixteen-year-old on a TV show really has me wanting to get back to reading.
Maybe it’s because it’s also fall, and the appeal of sitting in front of the fireplace with a blanket and spending some serious quality time reading is very appealing. Because now all the kids are in school, and reading doesn’t need to be reserved for night time, when I’m totally shot.
I’ve never been a night person anyway.
Then recently I came across a post on Facebook — I can’t remember what it was exactly — but it said something about bazillionaires reading a lot.
Oprah was mentioned, and so was Warren Buffet and so was Mark Cuban.
I’m sure Bill Gates was mentioned in there, too.
Anyway, what I have noticed about myself lately and what I know to be true is that learning comes from reading.
I have learned a lot about what I do (and don’t do) in my marriage from (affiliate) Getting the Love You Want. (affiliate) Positive Discipline has been seriously life changing for both me and my kids as far as my parenting goes. (affiliate) Developing Swimmers has been influential in changed the way I coach my swimmers.
And I’m ready to start reading again.
I’m ready to start modeling reading to my kids again.
I read to them every night. But they don’t often see me reading myself for pleasure.
And the more crap I see on You Tube, the more I want to encourage my kids to look for entertainment, stress relief, and education from reading.
It’s a healthy activity that I want to reestablish as a habit.
And I think I need to start by devoting some time during the day, when my brain isn’t totally shot, to reading.
I’ve always looked at it as kind of a luxury to have time to read.
But I think I need a paradigm shift in that department.
My brain needs to start working out again.
Have any suggestions to help me stay on track? I’d love to hear what books you are reading that have taught you something. I’d love to hear what books you are reading strictly for pleasure that you absolutely can’t put down.
And how about you? Do you make time during the day to read?
If not, maybe you can start making that time for yourself right along with me.
Who knows… if there were enough of you who were interested, maybe we could start a book club…
Not Your Average Book Club?
Anyone interested?
Let me know! And I can’t wait to hear what you are all reading!
This is a great book! https://www.amazon.com/Truly-Madly-Guilty-Liane-Moriarty/dp/1250069793 I just finished it last week. Once you figure out who is who and the separate story lines, it reads really fast! I recently got into reading again, as well! I am limiting my tv time to shows a I truly want to watch and reading instead.
Definitely interested! Reading is my saving grace. I create a reading list at the beginning of the year and since I’m competitive and want to finish it, that keeps me on track! Recently I’ve enjoyed the Outlander series for pleasure, some C.S. Lewis for my soul, and some Dostoevsky because I have a weird love for Russian lit. I’ll read just about anything!
Anything by Liane Moriarty is great and quick!! So is Girl on the Train. Yes to a book club I can attend in my pjs without leaving my house/getting a babysitter!!!
One idea to keep yourself reading when you feel pressed for time is to listen to audiobooks while you are working out or driving alone (if that ever happens). Your local library system likely has an app where you can ‘borrow’ and listen on your phone for free. Fiction, non-fiction, classics, new titles, everything. I love it, it even has my husband interested in reading (he never really was before).
Also checkout the website goodreads.com. I love the lists – check out ‘best to read in the fall’, or ‘best books of all time’. You will quickly have a list a mile long of books you want to read.
Interested in the book club! I am reading “UnSelfie Why empathetic kids succeed in our all-about-me world” now and it is quite interesting while it makes total sense to me.
The Happiness Project and Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin were really fascinating for me. A “type A” approach to maximizing happiness in life.
Also enjoyed A Thousand Splendid Suns, by the same author who wrote The Kite Runner. It’s not lighthearted, but it grabs you and is provocative and touching.
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg is a great read.
I have the opposite problem. I am addicted to reading, and sometimes I do bingereading. 🙂
Some of my favorite books:
– My family and other animals (Gerald Durell)
– The secret of Santa Vittoria (Robert Crichton)
– Gilead (Marilynne Robinson)
– Someone to run with (David Grossmann)
Have fun reading!
I had 4 kids in 6 years and it took me a while to get back to reading, but I’m so glad I did. Please read Love Warrior – I couldn’t put it down and can’t stop thinking about it!
Yes to a book club!! I love to read and I need to get back to it. I find that I don’t do enough of it and am missing it. Always looking for new books to read.
Redeeming Love is one of the best books I’ve ever read…I’ve never even heard of someone not liking it (including all the husbands I know who have read it to appease their wives). You won’t be able to put it down. It’s mostly just a great story, but it has a good message about what love really is (as learned by the prostitute protagonist 🙂 ).
Idea for reading — can you read out loud to the older kids, something you would all enjoy – i.e., not a kids’ book, but a book that would be broadly interesting and speak to you, as well as to them? We had a wonderful time with Mark Twain’s ‘The Prince and the Pauper’, and this summer, I’ll try Huckleberry Finn. We also did well with some of the more accessible Shakespeare — Midsummer Night’s Dream & Macbeth. Reading out loud before bed can also be a nice thing for couples to do.
We aren’t quite old enough for that yet with the younger five, although I have been reading the Harry Potter books with Number 3, 4 and 5. They enjoy them, and so do I. We’re up to the fourth book 🙂
I use BookBub to find stuff inexpensively; you can also find some stuff complimentary for Amazon Prime subscribers.
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I have read this book multiple times and have so much trouble putting it down every single time. It’s a Young Adult novel, but I feel like every person should read it sometime in their life.
I’m also down for a book club!!!
I feel the same way! These days, if I start a book, I wind up putting it down a bajillion time’s from all of the distractions and then it doesn’t get finished.
I’d LOVE a book club!
I love to read! I’m very interested ! Two books I loved are by Wally Lamb. One is This much I Know is True and She’s come Undone… Also anything by Ken Follet if you like novels about history
I’m love a book club. Right now I’m reading You Are a Badass (How to stop doubting your greatness and start living an awesome life) by Jen Sincero. I love Brene and Gretchen. I’ve loved The Yes Brain, Untangled, The Opposite of Hate, Far From the Tree, How to Not Hate Your Husband After Kids…
I also enjoyed Loves Long Line by a local (Newtown) author Sophronia Scott.