When Not to Read

We talk a lot about reading on this site. Reading is awesome and one of the best hobbies that you can have. It’s certainly one of the best ways to spend free time vs something like social media and watching television. Reading will keep your mind engaged while also allowing you to disconnect from the troubles and stresses of the world that you have. However, there are times to not read.

The biggest time to not read is when you’re spending time with your kids. Similar to keeping your phone put away when you’re spending time with kids, you shouldn’t have your phone out, you also shouldn’t have your book out. Spend quality time with your kids when you are with them, and read when you’re not with them or at least make sure they know you’re going to be reading before you do.

It’s actually fine to read when your kids are around, in fact it’s good for your kids to see you reading, but you need to make sure that they know you’ll be reading rather than spending time with them. If your child is expecting that you’re going to play with them and instead you bust your Kindle out, they’re going to quickly start resenting that you’re reading. Read with your kids, but make sure they know you’re going to.

Don’t read when you’re not able to focus on what you’re reading. If you can’t actually understand or remember what is happening in your book, then you’re better off not reading at all. Sitting down and reading for 5 minutes while not understanding what’s going on is a great way to ruin an entire book for yourself. You’ll no longer be inside of the story you’re reading, and you’ll be lost the rest of the way.

If you’re supposed to be keeping a close on your child, then you shouldn’t be reading. For example, if there are multiple kids jumping on the trampoline, then you need to make sure you’re focusing on your child, and not something else. Similarly, if you can’t make sure your child is safe while you read, then you need to put your book down. Let them play on their own, but keep a close eye on them.

Don’t ignore your other responsibilities in order to read. While it’s fine to skip sweeping or mopping the floor for an extra day, you shouldn’t be forcing your child to eat junk food because you’re reading instead of preparing a meal. Make sure your child has clean clothes by doing the laundry, and that the dishes are clean so that they have a clean plate to eat off of - keep your family safe.

In many of the cases above, reading an actual book doesn’t work. However, you can often substitute an audiobook in place of a physical book (or Kindle) and you’ll be totally fine to listen to the audiobook while you do whatever the activity is. While you shouldn’t listen to an audiobook when you’re trying to spend quality time with your child, you certainly can if you’re just trying to keep a close eye on them.

Choose times to read when it’s safe to do so. Don’t ignore your child or put them in danger to read. Be safe and enjoy a good book when you can.