Finding time to read for myself as a homeschool parent is challenging. My days are filled with school-related reading, especially as a Charlotte Mason homeschooler. We follow the Ambleside Online curriculum which schedules multiple literature books, science books, history books, a geography book, poetry selections, a biography, and the Bible for each of our trimesters. Whew! That’s a lot of reading! Don’t get me wrong- I enjoy it.

Sometimes I feel that I’m not doing enough reading just for myself. I used to beat myself up about it, until I decided that it’s valid to count the reading that I do with my child as “my” reading as well. I would be willing to bet many parents have also felt that they weren’t doing enough of their own reading because they didn’t give themselves credit for all the school-related reading that they do. Though I do give myself credit for all of this reading, I do still want to pursue my own reading.

Charlotte Mason, in The Original Homeschooling Series, speaks again and again of the importance of reading for parents and children. She advises, “It is well that we should choose our authors with judgment, as we choose our friends, and then wait upon them respectfully to hear what they have to say to us.”

In A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola, on page 346,  she, in keeping with Charlotte Mason’s philosophies, says that we should always have three books that we’re reading: a stiff book, a moderately easy book, and a novel. This allows us a variety of reading. If we don’t feel up to a stiff, studious book, we can grab our novel and relax.

A stiff book will challenge us and we will need to read it slowly and thoughtfully. A few years ago, I read The Story of French by Jean-Benoit Nadeau and Julie Barlow. I’m an avowed Francophile and found the book fascinating. It was definitely a stiff read that took me two years to complete.

In the category of a moderately easy book you may choose a biography, books on homeschooling methodologies, or other interest based books. These types of books are somewhat educational while at the same time are enjoyable and interesting.

Finally, we come to the novel. Novels offer us an escape, a peek into the lives of others, exposure to good and evil, and more. Novels are a respite from stressful days. I’m an avid Jane Austen fan and find her novels hugely enjoyable and amusing. I’m also quite fond of children’s literature which I reread often.

If you have no idea what you may want to read, the American Library Association or your local library can help. Most public libraries host summer reading programs that now also include adults. Your local library may have a list of suggested book titles you can use as inspiration, and you can also win prizes!

Finding time to read is challenging for the home educator, but it can be done with a little planning and determination. I keep my books strewn throughout our home, so that I can easily pick one up during an odd moment here or there. Books on my coffee table offer me a few moment’s reading while my son is working on his math, grammar, or penmanship. This is typically a short ten-minute burst of reading, but those ten minutes done daily add up quickly. A book left in the bathroom (with a toilet paper bookmark, no less!) also offers a few minutes here and there to read. A novel on my nightstand offers a relaxing end to the day. I also have books on Kindle on my phone, so when I am out and about doing errands I use my waiting time to read rather than endlessly scrolling on my phone.

Finding time to read offers many benefits that other pursuits do not. A few of the benefits of reading as adults are: reduced stress, longer lifespan, improved cognition, better sleep, better conversational skills, and a better vocabulary. Additionally, if we want our children to be readers, we need to lead by example. Scheduling 10-20 minutes a day for the whole family to read is a great start and shows that you feel that literacy is important for the whole family.

I’ve never regretted the time I spent reading and neither will you. Finding time to read is the most generous gift you give yourself. So, here’s to making time to read for yourself! Happy Reading and Happy Homeschooling!