Sandi Shilhanek | How Do YOU Balance Kids And Reading?

Sandi Shilhanek
September 27, 2009

Comments

31 comments posted.

Re: Sandi Shilhanek | How Do YOU Balance Kids And Reading?

When my kids were younger it was nice to get back to a regular schedule but I find that January is usually my best month to read since the holidays are over and there is no outside work to be done.
(Maureen Emmons 7:09am September 27, 2009)

Don't have any kids in school anymore, but September is definitely a good month for me for reading. Just finished The Forgotten Garden, which was absolutely a wonderful read.
(Joanne Reynolds 7:40am September 27, 2009)

No problem balancing kids and reading...don't have any! :)
(Michelle K 9:06am September 27, 2009)

Kids and reading go hand in hand. While you're taking care of them you can always sneak in a read in between! :)
(Eva Minaskanian 10:19am September 27, 2009)

My children are out of the house but I remember sometimes I used nap time as my reading time.
(Joyce Mandle 11:35am September 27, 2009)

My kids are grown though I do take care of my granddaughter during the week. I find it's easiest to read in the evening after she goes home.
(Theresa Buckholtz 11:42am September 27, 2009)

My children are grown - now I can read!

[email protected]
(Katherine Reese 11:43am September 27, 2009)

I always have a book with me when I'm going to appointments (there are so many of them) and since you always have to wait & take the time to get some reading in...
(Michelle Bauer 12:31pm September 27, 2009)

My son is in college now and this month has been very busy. I am still trying to get some things done before the weather turns cold. Trouble is we have has a lot of rain and I am not getting things done. Still read at night though.
(Gail Hurt 1:21pm September 27, 2009)

Like Michelle, I always have a book with me - and a book of Sudoku puzzles. I can get a lot of reading done that way
(Karin Tillotson 3:17pm September 27, 2009)

Its more hectic, no more late mornings sleeping in. But I find I have more uninterrupted time to read while they are at school, so it sort of balances out.
(Armenia Fox 3:28pm September 27, 2009)

The kids and I have settled into our routines now so it is getting a little easier to get reading done. I still do most of my reading at night but if I have any appointments then I always bring a book with me so I can try to read at least a few pages.
(Cherie Japp 4:49pm September 27, 2009)

Sadly, my reading time is shortened now that the kids are back in school. There is plenty of homework to help with and lots of chauffering required. To top off my grumbling, the kids needed a higher speed computer to do research for their projects and so mine has been taken over and I am relegated to their old and slower machine.
(G. Bisbjerg 4:54pm September 27, 2009)

I read just about anywhere I go, so long as I'm not driving and even then I usually have an audio book on. I've probably read about 20 books this month, so it's been a good month for me. Right now I'm reading an anthology: Hot for the Holidays, four stories by four great authors, I've started Tucker's Claim by Sarah Mccarty and will probably finish it by tuesday.There's always another book to read!
(Diane Sadler 5:48pm September 27, 2009)

There is always time to read. Interruptions are normal but I read when I can. If I feel withdrawal symptoms coming on I set the alarm for half an hour earlier to combat this & read peacefully.
(Mary Preston 7:02pm September 27, 2009)

My "kids are 27&20 so I have no problem finding time to read. Books are my passion!
(Teresa Ward 7:46pm September 27, 2009)

My kids are older and out of the house so I dont have that problem. Just have to work it in around work and life and some t.v. LOL.
(Pat Lieberman 8:07pm September 27, 2009)

My children are all grown. Our grandson lives nearby so he is over a lot. This year he is being homeschooled so he comes to work with me often. I work in a library, so that works out well. I read all the time, it doesn't matter what time of the year it is.
(Patricia Barraclough 8:39pm September 27, 2009)

No kids, makes life simpler.
(Sue Ahn 10:40pm September 27, 2009)

No kids here, either. Anyway, by my age they'd definitely all be own their own.
(Sigrun Schulz 11:54pm September 27, 2009)

My kids are all grown but I have granddaughters. One lives with me and the I babysit durning the day. I wait until I go to bed to read.
(Jeanette Bowman 12:08pm September 28, 2009)

How do I balance kids and reading? Easy! No kids! However, when it comes to balancing MY university classes and reading, reading sometimes falls by the wayside, unfortunately. Especially this semester, what with also having to be available practically 24/7 for my 89 year-old father, who just had hip replacement surgery, and is supposed to be discharged from his rehab tomorrow. I truly need an extra 10 hours each and every day just to get caught up and maybe get enough sleep! My reading is pretty limited to class assignments and e-mail, although I will sneak in a short-ish book every once in a while, or just designate a week-end for "fun reading only."

Later,

Lynn
(Lynn Rettig 12:15pm September 28, 2009)

No kids as of yet, but in the future my
husband and I plan to make reading
dates with our kids - a time when all
of us can read together - imagine
it....a sunny well lit living room, a chair
for each of us even the enormous cat.
I can read romance and my husband
can read Computer gibberish. I can
already see how this will not work -
obviously I do not have kids. I will
keep dreaming of this setting however.
(Crystal Zimmerman 3:39am September 28, 2009)

I am a great-grandma so that is not a problem for me. When my eyes are not bothering me I love to read.
(Helen Livermore 11:25am September 28, 2009)

Actually, Crystal, it does work to an extent. My son is 13 and my daughter is 2. I never set up a particular "reading time", I just figured when the child is happily amused by themself (whether playing with toys or eating lunch) and I have the time I would read. I didn't plan on reading time but when my son (and now my daughter) saw me reading they decided they wanted to read too and they usually grab a book and "read". My son still loves our time just sitting together and each reading our own book and it improved his reading skills to the point that by second grade he was already reading at early college level. Of course, when they are little (as my daughter still is) you can't always actually read your own book and sometimes have to stop and read to them but sometimes they are content to "read" by themselves. This shows them a love of reading from a very early age. Anyway, I am currently reading "Moon Burn" by Alisa Sheckley. I love reading most kinds of fiction and go through phases as to what I prefer but I've pretty much been stuck on any kind of paranormal story lately. I can honestly say I am addicted. LOL Great questions, Sandi! I truly enjoyed replying to this blog and reading all the other answers! Thank you!
(Dawn Detkowski 2:00pm September 28, 2009)

I read sometimes while they are playing, watching tv, movies, or playing games.
(Bridget Doshi 6:31pm September 28, 2009)

When my daughter was a baby I read after I put her down for the night and after my chores were done. Now that she is older (age 9), the time varies. Sometimes, we lay in bed together and read our own books and sometimes together. She is also very good friends with a girl on our street and they are constantly together which leaves free time for me. Snowy, wintry days are still the best reading days: snowflakes quietly falling and a cup of tea or hot chocolate on the coffee table, and a great reading book in my hand!
(Deb H. 7:53pm September 28, 2009)

I would love to win a signed copy of your book.
Lorraine
[email protected]
(Lorraine Larose 7:53pm September 28, 2009)

When I was an nanny, I would read when the baby was sleeping or when she was playing with her toys, in the car while we waited for her brother to get out of school. I basically read when I was able to steal a few minutes.
(Ronica Rainge 10:23pm September 28, 2009)

When I can I love to read. Problem is that when I start a book, I have a hard time putting it down. My family states I starve them...
(Danielle Pontow 7:47am September 29, 2009)

My girls and I have reading time together. They have tag readers that can help them with "big" words while I get some free time to read my own books. I think its great to be an example to them to show them that reading is fun.
(Melissa Maringer 1:56pm September 29, 2009)

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