What then should a mother read?
I suspect the world is divided into book lovers and non – book lovers.
It is something we don’t seem to be ambivalent about. We either have a stack of books piled upon the side table or in every nook and cranny – or we could care less about reading and find fulfillment in other ways.
What SHOULD a mommy read? Should she even BE reading? I mean…there’s so much else she should be doing. Maybe she should feel guilty when she IS reading.
There’s lots of different thought on this. Some feel you aren’t intellectual if you aren’t reading. Some say you can’t read fiction. Some say you can only read if your house is spotless and you have a month of freezer meals tucked away. I have a friend who only allows herself to read in winter. Summer is for industry; winter is for reading. (Her home is always spotless, kids perfectly behaved and she’s gorgeous to boot. It stinks having her for a friend, let me tell you.)
Karen Andreola (author of the Charlotte Mason Companion) says that reading is vital to a mother. She says you should always have three books going on. (At least, Karen!) One should be to challenge you, perhaps dealing with meaty doctrinal subjects. The second should be an easy read….perhaps a biography. The third should be simply for pleasure, a book to transport you away.
If you like to read, I believe this is good advice. Even when you are a busy mommy.
Charlotte Mason advised replenishing the soul with a continual supply of ideas. “Never be without a good book on hand….Do not think this is a selfish thing to do, because the advantage does not end with yourself.”
It is not written anywhere reputable that in order to be a good mommy you must not take the time to read. All things in balance, you know. I’m sure there will be days and seasons where you are not able to read much…we all go through times like that.
But in general, when a mom tells me that she “loves to read, but just can’t find time” I feel a little sad.
Reading is the best way to keep from feeling that your intellect is rotting. When you crave adult conversation after days at home with the little people – a book is there to help you join in the “great conversation” of life. Some of you have mentioned sharing books with your husband. It gives you something to talk about. I like Karen’s advice on how to balance the reading. I’ve been thru phases where I’ve only read fiction. I’ve been thru phases where I’ve only read medical type books. Phases for current events, biographies, topics…
I’ve had days where the only reading I’ve been able to do have been while brushing my teeth before bed or a paragraph on the potty. Whatever works.
If you are neglecting your children and feeding them absolute junk so that you can read; then yes, you have issues that you need to deal with. J But otherwise – don’t feel guilty for a 10 minute break to feed your mind. You ARE what you read!
p.s. Disclaimer. For those who need to hear me say it…OF COURSE the Bible is the FIRST book you should be reading. That goes without saying. :)
erika replied:
I’ve recently re-committed myself to reading. (I’m one of those book-loving former English majors.)
I make myself avoid any and all work during our nap/quiet time and, of course, when I go to bed at night. Devos in the am, non-fiction at nap time, Bible before bed, and fiction in bed. Sometimes I don’t get much reading in if I’m very tired or the kids are demanding; but, mostly, it works for me.
October 3, 2006 at 11:51 am. Permalink.
Andrea replied:
Definitely.
Reading is my “escape”.
October 3, 2006 at 12:58 pm. Permalink.
Shannon Miller replied:
I feel like I need to be learning new things and exposing myself to new ideas. Especially if I intend to teach my children to do the same. It IS important for mommies to read!
October 3, 2006 at 2:11 pm. Permalink.
Cassandra replied:
I love to read, always have. I love to learn, to expand my mind. I find myself staying up till the wee hours to read in peace. I am tired the next day, but it’s worth it.
October 3, 2006 at 5:30 pm. Permalink.
Leigh Ann replied:
Oh good, another potty reader:-).
Leigh Ann
P.S. I have been enjoying your comments on AiM.
October 3, 2006 at 5:30 pm. Permalink.
thereverendswife replied:
Yes, Leigh Ann…I wasn’t sure that I should include the potty bit…but I figured although “indelicate” truth, it was still truth and a testimony to the desperation a mommy feels to fitting in some reading.
Cassandra – I too stay up too late to read sometimes. Sometimes it is VERY well worth it.
October 3, 2006 at 5:51 pm. Permalink.
Roberta replied:
I like the 3 types of books idea, and have found myself gravitating that way. My light fun read is At Home in Mitford (finally picked it up after planning to begin for a few weeks) and I join them in their relaxing pace of life.)
As for the *loo/library*…I read somewhere that it can cause hemroids! lol
October 4, 2006 at 12:18 am. Permalink.
Leigh Ann replied:
I love it, loobrary!!!!!!!!!!!
October 4, 2006 at 12:25 am. Permalink.
thereverendswife replied:
Heh heh. Roberta. You know as well as I that a mother never gets to sit that long.
ahem.
October 4, 2006 at 12:42 am. Permalink.
Didi replied:
Ooh, reading transports us to such a wonderful world, doesn’t it? My husband and I will go to Barnes and Noble with pen and paper in hand. We peruse selections and write down the titles that look intriguing. Then we go home, log on to our library website (which happens to be fantastic–yeah Denver) and reserve all the books we can. Then we drop by a few days and pick up all our books. We also get most movies this way too.
I’m reading a fabulous book right now: _Three Cups of Tea_ about a guy who builds schools in Pakistan and is a marvelous example of how one person can change the world. You must read it! I promise you that it is worth your time. But you might never come out of the bathroom.
October 4, 2006 at 12:46 am. Permalink.
thereverendswife replied:
I will add it to my book llist, Didi.
Do any of you read in the tub? I love to do that…but…gotta be careful to not get them soapy.
October 4, 2006 at 1:24 am. Permalink.
Roberta replied:
“Loobrary”! rofl!!! That’s a great one Leigh Ann!
Yeah true, Holly. I’ve tried the tub, but can’t relax very well for fear of dropping the book. I’m too clumsy for that book, candles, bubbles ideal I s’pose.
By the Fire…that’s the coziest reading spot I think.
October 4, 2006 at 2:39 am. Permalink.
Holly replied:
I could read them anywhere…in a box, with a fox, on a train, in a plane. I could read them here or there, I could read them anywhere.
October 4, 2006 at 3:16 am. Permalink.
Donna B replied:
This is a mommy who loves to read and I make time for it no matter what…even if I do have a sinkful of dirty dishes. I always have several books going. I submit we should make time for reading and being life long learners so we can be good examples to our children.
October 4, 2006 at 3:55 am. Permalink.
Cassandra replied:
I read in the tub whenever I take the luxury of a bath! I stay in till I am wrinkled like a prune. = ) Haven’t dropped a book in yet.
October 4, 2006 at 4:27 am. Permalink.
thereverendswife replied:
Well said, Donna B.
Cassandra…I HAVE dropped a book in. I must confess. I’m a klutz.
October 4, 2006 at 4:34 am. Permalink.
Julie from Seeking The Old Paths replied:
You’re right-*everyone* knows we never get more than a paragraph’s worth of time in there. I save my so-deep-I-can’t-handle-more-than-a-paragraph-at-a-time books for my loobrary. More information than you wanted to know, I’m sure. (For that matter-it’s more information than I can believe I told.)
Ahem. Anyway…Holly, give me some ideas of what kind of books you read to make your brain feel like it is still alive. I think I went on a reading hiatus too long so that I am having to start from scratch with remembering how to think. As far as non-fiction goes, I have a long list of books to read to ‘check’ before the kids read them. But what about the other? Any thoughts?
~Julie
October 4, 2006 at 7:52 pm. Permalink.
Holly replied:
Hey Julie. That’s okay. I have shared more than I can believe as well.
Ahem, as we say. 
Moving right along.
It is usually some theology book. Right now it is Randy Alcorn’s book Heaven and another book by a Dr. John Oswalt that I just can’t think of the name of. Isn’t that pathetic? But my son is sleeping in my bedroom tonight and I can’t go get it…It is usually something like that. Sometimes I never actually get all the way thru those books…but I can pull from it some important concepts…and often that is really all we need to get our brains to whirling, anyway. Sometimes I read a bit – then that leads me off into another tangent before I come back to the original book. I agree, as far as non-fiction. The stack is WAY too high. But it certainly is tantalizing.
October 4, 2006 at 11:19 pm. Permalink.
Leigh Ann replied:
I have only read one Alcorn book (The Purity Principle) and loved it. I hope you don’t mind a change of direction, but I have a question for you, Holly. I know you sell the young living oils or did at one time. I have a sore throat. Earlier I took some of the theives oil in a little water (3 drops). Whew, that stuff is strong. Can I take more? How much is too much? Any other suggestions?
Thanks for any help.
Leigh Ann
October 4, 2006 at 11:39 pm. Permalink.
Holly replied:
Yeah, I do have a distributorship with YL. I’ll come over to your site to talk.
October 5, 2006 at 2:10 am. Permalink.