Just for Moms: Reading

We’re introducing a new series to the blog called, Just for Moms. Our hope is that the topics discussed in the series can help other mothers do something for themselves. So, for you mamas out there needing to find something for yourself, outside of your kids, we see you! We see you, and we hope you find useful, helpful, or comforting information in our Just for Moms series! 

First up in our Just for Moms series is reading, or to be more precise, reading books when you’re a mom. As a young kid, I loved reading and couldn’t get enough of it. Slowly, as I got older, my love for reading really shrank, then disappeared altogether once I was in college, reading textbooks. However, after becoming a mother I needed to find an outlet for myself.  I started reading again, and my love for reading was reignited! 

Before we dive into our book recommendations, let's talk about the hurdles of trying to read when you’re a mom. Finding time to sit and read, without interruption, may not be a possibility for you and that's okay! Here are a few tips other moms have used to find the time to read: audio books, digital books, stay up late, wake up early, headphones, read a specific number of pages per day. 

Audio Books

Audio books have grown in popularity, tremendously, especially among moms! Listening to a book makes it easy to complete other tasks while listening to a book. Not only can you finish up tasks, but you don’t have to keep track of where you leave off reading. Whatever device you are using to listen to books will keep track of where you leave off. 

Headphones 

This can be a complete game changer for many! You can listen to books on your headphones, airpods, etc. while still being engaged with your child or doing tasks! 

Digital Books

Digital books have also grown in popularity. Digital books bring books to the palm of your hand, without having to put your phone down! Again, whatever device you’re using to read your book will keep track of where you leave off in your book. Can’t hold or see a book for those middle of the night feedings? Not a problem with a digital book, you simply use a smart device! 

Read a set amount of pages per day

We had a few moms recommend setting a goal of a specific amount of pages to read each day. This could be as little as 5 pages a day or as many as 50 pages a day! But consistently following through with your reading, no matter how little, will get you reading those books on your list! 

Stay up late

Don’t have time to sit and read? Once you’re all ready for bed, give yourself an extra 5 to 10 minutes to read from a book! As stated earlier, you don’t have to dedicate a huge chunk of time. Start small and work up to more time, or don’t! 

Get up early

Have too much going on during the day that you don’t have the energy to read before bed? Try getting up 5-10 minutes earlier and read before starting your day! 

Now, we know you can’t do every one of these recommendations, but find one that works for you! That is the beauty of finding an outlet for yourself, you get to call the shots! As parents, we know the importance and benefits of reading with our children. However, reading for your own enjoyment has benefits as well! There are many reasons for reading as an adult, including: brain stimulation, reduced stress, vocabulary expansion, improved memory, strong analytical thinking, improved focus, improved writing skills, empathy and more! 

But why do you read? What about a book makes you keep going back for more? This answer is different for everyone, which is why we’ve done our best to round up book recommendations from different literary genres. Tell us what you’re reading! 

Comedy
Broken
How Y’all Doing?: Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived

Fantasy 
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue 
The Wheel of Time Series 

Fiction
Confessions of a Domestic Failure 
Daisy Jones and the Six

History & Biography
The 1619 Project 
The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos

Horror 
Home Before Dark
The Final Girl Support Group

Memoir & Autobiography 
Crying in H Mart 
Notes on Grief 

Mystery & Thriller 
Behind Closed Doors 
Verity 

Nonfiction
Atomic Habits 
Montessori Toddler

Romance
The People We Meet On Vacation
It Ends With Us 

Science Fiction
The Echo Wife
Outlander