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Do you have young children?  If you do you might feel over whelmed like I do and have struggled to find time in your busy schedule to actually read an entire book from cover to cover.  I used to be a voracious reader and would complete a book a day with ease.  Sometimes I wonder how I was able to read a book a day while working and going to school, but I was able to and I am determined to get back into the flow once again!  If I can do it with a needy, clingy five month old who only wants his mommy then you can, too!

No excuses allowed!

I know you were already working up that excuse; about to say, but I have _________ to do.  Fill in the blank with whatever excuse was about to pop out of your mouth.  If you have time to sit on Facebook, or sit on your computer then you have time to read a book.  I know some of these things can be a lot of fun, but reading has benefits that you might not realize.

Benefits of Reading

The following are some great reasons to stop and read everyday:

• Reading, unlike television, gives your mind a chance to unwind and de-stress from your daily life.
• Reading can also give you a chance to get a little peace and calm and a little me time away from the children.
• Scientists have also found that reading helps your mind to stay fresh and alert.  It can help to keep the mind from declining by exercising your thought processes, memory, and imagination.

Booklovers would love to be able to sit down and read for hours on end, but that is not always possible.  Many people’s lives are way too busy to be able to sit down and read for hours without something needing to be done.  Having children around can make it impossible to sit down for hours to read.  That is why it is important to know that even just a few minutes of reading can do a body good.

Making Time For Reading with Children

Making time for reading when our children are around isn’t always the easiest of tasks.  I can tell you that I struggle to find time to read with an infant in the home,  My son is currently five months old and he requires my attention most of the time, but I have still found time to sit down and read.  If I didn’t find this time I would certainly go crazy from stress.

• Keep a book close by.  This is very important because sometimes you can only find a few minutes to read, but those few minutes can mean the world to you.
• Take a bath instead of a shower.  If you take a bath instead of a shower while your partner takes care of the children you can take that time to freshen yourself as well as unwind and relax with a good book for a little while.
• Bring your book to play-dates and kid’s sports or other activities.  You can still watch your children and have some time to read.  It is a chance when you have someone else taking care of your children and can let your mind get lost in the book.
• Choose shorter novels.  If you choose shorter novels you won’t feel like you are stressed about being able to finish the book.  It gives you a goal. but not one that seems impossible to reach.
• Read when the children go to sleep.  You might be exhausted from a long day, but even reading for just a few minutes can make a huge difference.  It can give your mind the chance to unwind so that you can sleep better and more soundly.

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

Finding the perfect book to start with might be a little daunting; that’s okay because I have the perfect book for you.  Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris is the perfect book to start your new path on regularly reading.  This book took me a few hours to read and I was drawn into the story moments after I opened the book.  It is a psychological thriller that will immerse you into the world of the characters without a second thought.  This book may take you longer to read if you are not a speed reader like I am, but that makes it even more of a reason to choose this book as your next read.

It is long enough that you don’t feel like it was short and didn’t have enough detail in the story while also not being extremely long so that you don’t feel daunted by a crazy long novel that will take you weeks to read when you already don’t have a lot of reading time that you can set aside from family time with your children.  On top of all of that, I love that you can find the book on Amazon in a variety of mediums like Kindle format, paperback, and hardcover.

SheSpeaks’ #BehindClosedDoors Twitter Party

The SheSpeaks’ #BehindClosedDoors Twitter Party is on August 9th at 2pm EST.  Participants will have the chance to win Behind Closed Doors prize packs and chat with the author & other book lovers about summer reading and the book of course! Participants must RSVP to be eligible to win.

RSVP here for your chance to win an awesome prize at the Twitter party!