Reading/Life Balance? :)

[dochas]

When do you do most of your reading and for how long? I could read for hours on end every day, but then I'm tuning everything out and it's hard to pull myself away from it. With a husband and son, I'm wondering what's reasonable.

I'm a sahm and I'm trying to organize my life more. I work p/t from home and it just seems like too much time is slipping away when I could be doing something more productive or something intentionally enjoyable. Reading in the evening is great but then I feel like that's not really spending time together. TV is not the greatest thing in the world but we do tend to talk constantly while we're watching. I don't really know how to find a balance between doing more things that I enjoy and just existing for everyone else.

[sarahsays]

I read a lot - at lunch, in the evenings, on weekends. I don't have kids which helps me have a lot more free time, but I also see reading as enjoyable and productive so to me it is a valuable way to spend my time. My husband also enjoys reading so he understands that it is important to me.

Growing up, my mom read everyday. We would often read "together" - read different books in the same room and when I was older read the same book and talk about it. Maybe you could do something similar with your son if you feel that your reading takes away from family time.

[abs]

I mostly just read in the evenings after DD is in bed. She goes to bed around 7:30, then DH and I will chat for 30 minutes before we crawl into bed ourselves. He will watch TV, I read. Then we are asleep by 9/9:30. Up at 5:15. We are very exciting obviously.

During the summer DD and I have designated reading time. Mostly that means I just read to her. I'm hoping that this summer she will be more independent since she can now read!

[jmliongrrrl]

Do you enjoy audiobooks? I listen to books on my commute and while I do boring chores around the house. It makes folding laundry a lot more fun

[stephanie207]

I listen to audiobooks while doing housework or anytime I am in the car. I tend to read physical books at night winding down. I also carry a book in my purse so if I have an appointment and have to wait I can read then too.

[Nonny]

I'm a SAHW, but I spend the bulk of my day screwing around online. I actually should read more during the day.

I mostly read for 30-60 minutes at night, and then several hours on the weekends during the day (usually on Sunday). But this year I've added graphic novels into my mix, and I read those on my computer because I check them out via Hoopla, and I those I'll read at night while my husband is winding down from work with his iPad and we just have junky re-run TV on in the background.

[tcu2003]

This past year I did most of my reading while I was pumping at work. Now that I’ll be done pumping soon, I’m not sure what I’ll do. I try to read a little bit after the kids go to bed as I don’t watch much tv, but that’s also when I can get stuff done, and DH and I try to catch up with each other then. I’m hoping it gets easier as my kids get older, but who knows. My oldest is starting to learn to read, so I have hopes that someday we can both read our own stuff in the same room / “together”.

[pinotgrig]

I listen to audiobooks during my commute and while doing chores around the house - folding laundry, washing dishes, and cleaning bathrooms. I also usually listen while I get ready in the am.

I read on my kindle after my kids are in bed and sometimes during lunch.

[travella]

I'm a stay at home mom. I read before bed. How long I read depends on how long of a day I have had, some days I read for a couple hours and others I won't read at all.

[AJL]

I mostly read in bed. Usually after the kids are in bed and I've gotten everything ready for the next day, I'll head to bed to read. The downside is that I've been known to read until the very early morning hours. Such is the danger of reading on a tablet/e-reader. LOL!

[aurora]

I mostly read during my bus commute and listen to audiobooks while walking, running, and doing chores. The availability of audiobooks from my library has definitely increased the number of books I read in a year.

The big thing that gets in the way of my reading is wasting time online. I need to find a better balance for that!

[minzy]

I do a lot of reading on a stationary bike at the gym. Two birds, one stone. Despite usually considering myself more of a runner, being able to read while I workout is one reason why my bike miles were so high last year versus miles run outside. To feel some sense of balance with the other stuff I do, combining workout and reading goals is a big help.

[bex]

I read at night after the kids go to bed. H usually just channel surfs anyway so I sit there and read. Sometimes if we are actually watching a series I don't read, so the more we binge watch the less reading I get done, lol. I'll read on the weekend mornings as the boys are waking up, watching TV, etc. If I'm actively reading a book, I probably average 10 hours of reading a week.

I also often read durings kids' activities, lol. So when DS1 had soccer practice twice a week last fall I didn't mind going bc I would sit there and read for an hour.

[tacokick]

We don’t have kids but growing up we’d have “reading lunch” when we’d read our books during lunch lol. We also did bedtime stories like this, my mom would read a chapter aloud, my brother would and so would I—all from different books. This went on until I was in pretty far along in HS (my brother is five years younger), I’d read mysteries for my section. My mom would read something more geared to my brothers age group.

As an adult I read in bed, while watching tv/movie if it doesn’t require my complete attention, at lunch (I work from home) or any solo meals. Also waiting for appointments etc. I read physical library books during the day but my Kindle at night because it is lighter and well, library books can be gross. I bring my kindle for long car trips too. Oh, and I started playing the Sims again and I read while I play that, there is a lot of downtime in that game.

[dochas]

I should really try more audio books. We've gotten them for children's books but we've listened after we read the book (long ones like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson). I have this silly feeling that it's like seeing the movie before reading the book. Maybe that would pass if I listened more? One of the librarians at our library said she gets the audio and the book and goes back and forth. That would really be helpful I think.

I do need to get over feeling like I'm stealing or something by sitting and reading. I'm not 100% engaged with my husband and child all the time. Instead of puttering around I should just open a book. Instead of cruising the internet during the day as a "break" that turns into way too long over and over again I need to just say "I am going to read for x amount of time". I'm not doing something productive all day long and I need to stop acting like I MUST be.

[aurora]

I think we all need a bit of time to refresh and shouldn't feel guilty about that. Think of how great a model you're being for your child when reading!

As for audiobooks, I do find them harder to concentrate on. Sometimes I re-read books in their audio version (e.g., I just listened to The Hunger Games trilogy during my trip to Australia when I had a lot of flight time too tired to do much else but not able to sleep well). Using audiobooks for a re-read means if I miss something it's less if a big deal. When I'm trying to listen to something new or serious I do rewind quite a bit.

[ufcasey]

I listen to a lot of audiobooks when I am doing mindless chores around the house. I read ebooks at night before bed, and when I am waiting in a line by myself etc. I also read during down times at work, which some days is a lot more than others. I watch almost zero tv and really don't play around on the internet much at all other than to read the news and to check facebook/instagram once a day and this board + CEP.

I get lots of quality time with my husband because we both work from home so we're constantly around each other, having lunch together, chatting etc. Our time with the kids is solely focused on them between when we pick them up from school/daycare until their bedtime.