I’m going to try to start a blog series about the books that I’m reading. Ideally I’d like to commit to reading 1 book per month but I’m lucky if I can get 1 podcast in per month these days so that might not be the most realistic goal (and please don’t hold me to it). These posts won’t be as long as my usual posts. Simply mini reviews/commentary on the latest book I’ve read. 

Now please don’t expect anything cerebral or highbrow (unless you consider Gone Girl academic). I’m not about to read War and Peace or anything. My tired little brain is looking for some easy reads that are captivating and fun. 

After a year postpartum I started reading again. I really missed it – I love that feeling of getting lost in a good book. Additionally, I didn’t want my son to see my on my phone all the time. Every time I had the compulsion to reach for my phone I instead made an effort to reach for the latest book I was reading (I didn’t always succeed, sometimes unbeknownst to me my hands simply latched on to my phone – they seem to have a mind of their own). Sometimes when Zoe is independently playing and I’m reading my book I will actually read out loud so as to expose him to the vocabulary. 

I frequent the local library pretty often; I take Zoe there for story time and usually grab a few books for him as I’m constantly shuffling the books we keep at home. Since I’m already there almost weekly I decided to start checking out some books for myself as well. The public library is a great resource for books if you’re like me and not much of a collector (I think Marie Condo would approve of my new minimalistic approach). 

There are a few things I’ve noticed now that I have started reading. First, my screen time has gone down which is wonderful. Scrolling Instagram is doing nothing for me. It’s actually probably killing my brain cells. Second, I’ve been reading before going to bed (as opposed to watching tv or scrolling on my phone) and lately I’ve been able to fall asleep much quicker. Sometimes I struggle with falling asleep and will take a Gaba vitamin to help me fall asleep but lately I haven’t needed to. Third, it feels nice that I’m able to do something for myself. It’s about as close to self care as I’m going to get during my son’s waking hours. 

I’m sure you’re aware of the many benefits of reading and a quick google search yields so many results. But if you need further convincing I will highlight a few reasons why you should get to your local library or bookstore asap and read with me!

• Improve memory and concentration – reading can help improve your memory. Studies have shown that people who read regularly can better recall information when needed. Say no more, my mommy brain could use this! We live in an age where we have tons of distractions. we can’t even have a fluid creative flow in our thoughts without a distraction. A text. An email. A co-worker. A call. We can’t even follow our thoughts. We can’t even follow our distractions. I can very much relate to this. I will be washing dishes when I hear my phone chime. I go to read/reply to the tex but then hear Zoe whine and leave the dishes and phone behind. I think we could all use some help in the concentration department 

• Stress and anxiety reduction – studies have shown that reading can help reduce stress levels. The reason being is that when you read, your body relaxes and your mind is preoccupied with the story therefore reducing stress and anxiety levels

• Improve your sleep quality – reading before bed can help improve your sleep because, as mentioned above, reading helps relax your body and mind. I’ve certainly noticed a difference in my sleep and I take my beauty sleep very seriously 

• Vocabulary expansion – when you develop the habit of reading you expand your vocabulary by introducing your self to new words and concepts. Maybe this will help me say ‘umm’ and ‘like’ less 

• Reading teaches you new things – books are an excellent way to learn new information. From science to history you can learn about any topic that interests you. Now I personally won’t be able to give you summary of the fall of the great Ottoman Empire, those are not the types of books I’m interested in

• Improves your writing skills – reading has been known to improve your writing skills because when you read you are exposed to different styles of writing. That’s an important skillset for me as a blogger. While you may think that’s not a useful skill set for you just think about how many emails you send out per day/week/month. I’m sure you could benefit from this skill as well

• Reading gives you a sense of accomplishment – reading provides a sense of accomplishment because you have completed something that is challenging and rewarding. If reading your monthly horoscope forecast fills you with a sense of accomplishment, imagine what a book can do?

And this is a mommy blog after all so I’d also like to encourage your to please read with your little mini me. Doctors recommend that parents read with their children beginning as early as infancy. Reading with your children builds happy associations with books and will therefore increase the likelihood that your kids will find reading enjoyable in the future. Reading at home boosts school performance. It also increases vocabulary, builds communication skills, and raises self-esteem. I remember when Zoe was a newborn, I would read to him while he sat in his Babybjorn Bouncer. Now he loves reading and will sit with me in our reading corner daily. Oftentimes when he’s independently playing I find him flipping through the pages of his books. I hope he will continue to share my love for books. I’m also secretly looking forward to the day when I can read him some of my childhood favorites such as the Harry Potter series. 

I hope that I have been able to convince you to read a bit more. If you’re pressed for time, perhaps you can devote a few minutes daily to a blog… I would, of course, highly recommend The Mommy Archives but I’m clearly biased.