Books Aren’t Just for Bedtime

When many of us think about reading to our kids we connect this activity with our kids’ bedtime routine. I think reading to your kids before they go to bed is a sacred part of the bedtime routine and a way to connect and welcome a feeling of calmness.

But,I have found that by the time we reach the final inning of the day and bedtime is within our grasp, it feels easy to hustle reading time. Often our patience expires close to 8:00 p.m. and, depending on the events of the day, the book can become one more obstacle standing in the way of a peaceful evening.

I enjoy reading to my kids and desired that reading together be the goal rather than simply a means to an end. So I began thinking of a way that reading could fit into a different part of our day. I don’t have kids in school yet so I had some daytime hours to select from. I began reading to my kids every day right after lunch. I discovered that without the end-of-the-day-fatigue, I feel more relaxed and willing to spend time with a book. We even read two or three books. This is a good time for us to transition into a quiet time or nap time. Consistency with reading after lunch has created a habit that my kids and I are comfortable with.

If we expand our belief about when to read to kids and examine our daily schedule there may be a pocket of time that suits a very rewarding time to read and learn together.

If you work and/or your kids are school age, your day probably feels packed already. You might try reading together consistently at least once a week. I have a friend whose family read together every Sunday afternoon. They had a tradition during which they’d pop a bowl of popcorn and read their latest book pick together. She recalls reading many of the young adult classics with her family this way. You might try once or twice a week; such as Saturday morning or in the evening after dinner

I still think reading at bedtime is a cherished routine but who says it has to end there? Expand your thinking to other hours in the week during which reading might become a rewarding routine. Kids relish all the minutes we set aside just for them.