Such a great topic! I would say that I read about the same amount now, as a mom, as I did pre-kids, but my reading looks different, both in content and medium. There are plenty of read-alouds, and my personal reading is all audio or on Kindle (easier than print copies while reading when nursing the baby or on the treadmill or elliptical, where I get time to myself).
Many of the women I know who took up reading since having kids did so to fill time once they’d left the workplace to stay home, or they got into it while breastfeeding and kept going once the baby was older. It seems like most of my mom friends prefer audiobooks over other book formats. And many find an author (usually Colleen Hoover) or a series (generally romantasy) they love and stick with them.
Yes, breastfeeding is the perfect time for the Kindle. I remember scrolling my phone during breastfeeding and thinking to myself, "This is so bad for me." I got a Kindle a while back, and it really is fabulous. I do love print copies, but I do find that, for whatever reason, I blow through Kindle books like the wind. How do you feel about romantasy and the popular open-door romances? I love Anna Lembke's confession in "Dopamine Nation" that she got addicted to trashy romance novels on Kindle—and she's an addiction psychiatrist! I've enjoyed Kathleen Center, Abigail Monaghan, Mimi Matthews, and a few other historical rom-com-style romance authors, but I haven't enjoyed Emily Henry, the Christina Lauren duo, Rebecca Yarros, or Hoover as much. The writing is Dove-chocolate-smooth, but I can't connect to the stories because there's a lot that I disagree with. I found this article both disturbing and illuminating: https://substack.com/inbox/post/156466640 "If Booktok was a community of men we would be calling the police."
That article is spot-on, and I need to read Dopamine Nation. My husband and I often have baffled conversations about how our friends are opposed to traditional pornography yet think open-door romances are fine. Many of my (conservative Christian) friends read them without giving the content a second thought and I find that alarming. I've never read a true romantasy because I don't like open-door romances. I'm with you, I like the "sweeter" romances (Mimi Matthews is totally my speed), but actively hated the one Colleen Hoover book I read (only finished it for a book club) and felt so uncomfortable the whole time I was reading. Emily Henry's books are my steam limit and I skip the bedroom scenes. Yes, I'm glad my friends are reading but wish they would find different genres to love (but am too afraid to say much beyond making gentle book suggestions).
I can attest to your reading and motherhood ideas. I was an avid reader before kids and found much less time to read for myself until the kids were reading on their own. During the period of reading less and for the only time in my life, I reread books....because it's a quicker read if you read it before and I was curious if some of what I had read in my teens and 20's still held up in my 30's. I also dipped into some of the books that my husband brought with him and that was interesting too. After I went back to work full-time was another period of less reading. We started an after-work book club and that insured that I read at least one book a month. Now that I'm retired I'm reading a lot more and I'm loving audiobooks too. I usually have 1 or 2 books I'm reading and my TBR pile is high!
Thanks for the article on creative play. It was my mantra when I was in early childhood... young children learn and grow best through play. That is my work for most days now that I'm retired. As George Bernard Shaw said, "“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
I was a huge reader until college and grad school changed my reading habits and lead to “reading burnout”. I had such a hard time picking up a book for pleasure after that— especially as I started working full-time with a significant commute. Tried audiobooks, but couldn’t find anything that I really truly enjoyed. I’d read the occasional popular fiction, but most of those weren’t relatable as a young working woman. And then I finally got pregnant, and discovered historical Christian fiction. I couldn’t stop reading. It was the best way for me to unwind and deal with all the hormonal anxiety and uncertainty. And then I just kept reading, through doctor’s appointments, midnight feedings, naptimes…. Library Storytime gave structure to our toddlerhood weeks, and reading kept us sane and anchored during the pandemic. And now I’m busy raising readers at home and as a school librarian. ❤️
As an English major, I can relate to that feeling burnout. There were some semesters that I had so much reading that I had to pick and choose what to read because there just weren't enough hours to fit it all. The literature was good, but it had no space to breathe. I couldn't process it all. There is so much that I relate to in your story! Thank you so much for sharing, Elisabeth!
I have always been a big reader so when I had my daughter I made it clear that I had to have some time to read every day- even just 10 minutes. Honestly, reading is on the same level as breathing for me- book, article, anything! But I am glad to hear moms reenacting with books :)
It makes me think of Wordsworth: "That every day should leave some part, free for a Sabbath of the heart." When life is go-go-go, and I have no quiet time to "let the steam out of my ears," I find myself growing crabby and shriveled inside. Reading is definitely something I do to destress, and I'm glad you do, too, Kaitlyn.
After having my second 4 years ago & going through PPD, I reconnected to reading and I feel like it's not an exaggeration to say it's a piece of what saved my life. I felt like "the old me" reading again. It also led to me joining a book club (& then another!) and making friendships with other like-minded women. I'm so thankful God gave us the gift of reading!!
Thank God that he used reading to not only support you personally but also bring friendships into your life. Thank you so much for sharing that, Lauren!
I’ve always been a big reader but I read way more now as a parent of young kids—- mostly started because during pregnancy I have bad insomnia so I have a lot of time to read
Such a great topic! I would say that I read about the same amount now, as a mom, as I did pre-kids, but my reading looks different, both in content and medium. There are plenty of read-alouds, and my personal reading is all audio or on Kindle (easier than print copies while reading when nursing the baby or on the treadmill or elliptical, where I get time to myself).
Many of the women I know who took up reading since having kids did so to fill time once they’d left the workplace to stay home, or they got into it while breastfeeding and kept going once the baby was older. It seems like most of my mom friends prefer audiobooks over other book formats. And many find an author (usually Colleen Hoover) or a series (generally romantasy) they love and stick with them.
Yes, breastfeeding is the perfect time for the Kindle. I remember scrolling my phone during breastfeeding and thinking to myself, "This is so bad for me." I got a Kindle a while back, and it really is fabulous. I do love print copies, but I do find that, for whatever reason, I blow through Kindle books like the wind. How do you feel about romantasy and the popular open-door romances? I love Anna Lembke's confession in "Dopamine Nation" that she got addicted to trashy romance novels on Kindle—and she's an addiction psychiatrist! I've enjoyed Kathleen Center, Abigail Monaghan, Mimi Matthews, and a few other historical rom-com-style romance authors, but I haven't enjoyed Emily Henry, the Christina Lauren duo, Rebecca Yarros, or Hoover as much. The writing is Dove-chocolate-smooth, but I can't connect to the stories because there's a lot that I disagree with. I found this article both disturbing and illuminating: https://substack.com/inbox/post/156466640 "If Booktok was a community of men we would be calling the police."
That article is spot-on, and I need to read Dopamine Nation. My husband and I often have baffled conversations about how our friends are opposed to traditional pornography yet think open-door romances are fine. Many of my (conservative Christian) friends read them without giving the content a second thought and I find that alarming. I've never read a true romantasy because I don't like open-door romances. I'm with you, I like the "sweeter" romances (Mimi Matthews is totally my speed), but actively hated the one Colleen Hoover book I read (only finished it for a book club) and felt so uncomfortable the whole time I was reading. Emily Henry's books are my steam limit and I skip the bedroom scenes. Yes, I'm glad my friends are reading but wish they would find different genres to love (but am too afraid to say much beyond making gentle book suggestions).
I agree. How would I feel if my husband were reading similar books? I wouldn’t say, “Good for you.”
I can attest to your reading and motherhood ideas. I was an avid reader before kids and found much less time to read for myself until the kids were reading on their own. During the period of reading less and for the only time in my life, I reread books....because it's a quicker read if you read it before and I was curious if some of what I had read in my teens and 20's still held up in my 30's. I also dipped into some of the books that my husband brought with him and that was interesting too. After I went back to work full-time was another period of less reading. We started an after-work book club and that insured that I read at least one book a month. Now that I'm retired I'm reading a lot more and I'm loving audiobooks too. I usually have 1 or 2 books I'm reading and my TBR pile is high!
Thanks for the article on creative play. It was my mantra when I was in early childhood... young children learn and grow best through play. That is my work for most days now that I'm retired. As George Bernard Shaw said, "“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
I totally agree that we go through seasons where we read more or less for whatever reason, and that's totally okay!
I was a huge reader until college and grad school changed my reading habits and lead to “reading burnout”. I had such a hard time picking up a book for pleasure after that— especially as I started working full-time with a significant commute. Tried audiobooks, but couldn’t find anything that I really truly enjoyed. I’d read the occasional popular fiction, but most of those weren’t relatable as a young working woman. And then I finally got pregnant, and discovered historical Christian fiction. I couldn’t stop reading. It was the best way for me to unwind and deal with all the hormonal anxiety and uncertainty. And then I just kept reading, through doctor’s appointments, midnight feedings, naptimes…. Library Storytime gave structure to our toddlerhood weeks, and reading kept us sane and anchored during the pandemic. And now I’m busy raising readers at home and as a school librarian. ❤️
As an English major, I can relate to that feeling burnout. There were some semesters that I had so much reading that I had to pick and choose what to read because there just weren't enough hours to fit it all. The literature was good, but it had no space to breathe. I couldn't process it all. There is so much that I relate to in your story! Thank you so much for sharing, Elisabeth!
I have always been a big reader so when I had my daughter I made it clear that I had to have some time to read every day- even just 10 minutes. Honestly, reading is on the same level as breathing for me- book, article, anything! But I am glad to hear moms reenacting with books :)
It makes me think of Wordsworth: "That every day should leave some part, free for a Sabbath of the heart." When life is go-go-go, and I have no quiet time to "let the steam out of my ears," I find myself growing crabby and shriveled inside. Reading is definitely something I do to destress, and I'm glad you do, too, Kaitlyn.
After having my second 4 years ago & going through PPD, I reconnected to reading and I feel like it's not an exaggeration to say it's a piece of what saved my life. I felt like "the old me" reading again. It also led to me joining a book club (& then another!) and making friendships with other like-minded women. I'm so thankful God gave us the gift of reading!!
Thank God that he used reading to not only support you personally but also bring friendships into your life. Thank you so much for sharing that, Lauren!
I’ve always been a big reader but I read way more now as a parent of young kids—- mostly started because during pregnancy I have bad insomnia so I have a lot of time to read
Insomnia is the worst! But at least something good came out of it? 😊