Mumsnet Talk

I started a thread in 'Chat' yesterday about when you find the time to read. I love reading but struggle to find the time.
I'm loving the answers so far, wondered if anyone who hasn't commented yet, would like to?

Bedtime. But I'm a single parent with a dc who sleeps at 8, so I have a good chunk of evening to myself.

In the time between me going to bed and husband farting about downstairs, showering and joining me.

Sometimes when the baby naps if he naps on my knee it's a brilliant excuse because I can't possibly do anything else

Husband and I sometimes decide on a reading night instead of watching tv, so we curl up in bed with a book.

I find it hard to read during the day now. Before I could finish a book in a day, now it takes me 3 days at least! But every night I get up in the middle Of the night while DH sleeps and read for a couple of hours-usually 3-5am! Then il try to sleep for an hour or two until the dc wake up around 7am. This has been my routine nearly every night since july! I feel guilty reading while DH is around me because I shut everything and everyone out so prefer it when Everyone is asleep. I'd like some ideas of what other people do though could you link to your previous thread should be a good place for tips.

Thanks for your messages.
I'll try and post a link to my previous thread (tomorrow) but I'm fairly new to Mumsnet so may not be able to!
It's in 'Chat' if that helps?

I only ever manage to read for about half an hour at bedtime. Wish I could read more but spend all evening in front of the tv like a zombie.

I am a really fast reader to be honest but I find having a book/Kindle on the go (in my bag) helps. It's also my main hobby - I've been known to read in traffic jams

I stopped reading books when I started reading a paper daily. I just couldn't manage the time for both. A month ago I cancelled the daily paper and have rediscovered books - the only downside is that despite promising myself I'd catch up on news online, etc., I really don't and live in a bubble.

When I read - in the bath, in bed.

I adore reading and make myself find the time. I always read for at least half an hour or longer before bed. I generally spend at least half an hour in the bath reading every evening. I have 3 days off of work a week so I will usually spend at least one afternoon reading. When I was on holiday over the summer for a week, I managed to read 9 books! <proud>.

Early morning before DH and DS get up. While I'm on the loo, while I clean my teeth, after work, in the car waiting for DS after school and usually when I should be doing housework.

I go to bed an hour 'early' and read my kindle. Sometimes end up reading longer and getting to sleep later than would like but that's the only time I get.

I read every night, my favourite hobby is reading in bed!

I read in the evenings, during the day when the DC are at school/preschool, in bed, whilst waiting for them to come out of school (kindle app on my phone). I love reading.

On the train
In bed before i sleep
At the weekend when the kids play
When I'm eating breakfast & lunch
In my lunch hour at work

I don't really watch TV so read every evening once DD is in bed so from 7 onwards. Will also read in the car if not driving, on train etc. also have a kindle which is linked to my iPhone so if on a queue or waiting for someone will read on my phone.

In bed, at night; while the kettle is boiling; on the loo; eating breakfast; all morning on Saturdays. I read a lot. Mumsnet eats up too much of my reading time though - should start to wean myself off.

Thanks for your replies.
I wish I could read in the car / on the train, I get horribly travel sick if I do.

I have pretty much no "actual" time so it takes me ages. I read for uni which I structure into my days, but pleasure reading I slot in whenever I get the chance, I have about 304-40 mins between finishing work and getting the kids so I red then, I try to go to bed before DH to read then and always read int he bath. I do read in the toilet too, but usually different very easy reading book. I can't do academic reading on buses and stuff so I read my book then too. The key is always having it with you.

Off to chat to get some tips for when else I might read.

Whenever I can!! Which is not very often just lately, due to becoming a single parent
I do read for a little while at bedtime, but only manage about 20 minutes before my eyes are closing
I do manage to read quite a bit in the school holidays though as I work in a school so get all the holidays off with the kids, so do manage to have more time then instead of working

Since reading through this thread I've started having a bath every other day and reading in there for half an hour. It's good to have a bit more reading time!

I call my bath hour my dinner hour! Hubby takes tge kids and i have my hour off and always read. Then half hour in bed. I have also started waking up about 5.30 am and snooze reading in bed before anyone wakes up !

Having a kindle and specifically a kindle app on my phone has revolutionised reading for me. I find that if I lose momentum I stop reading but now I read 5 minute snatches at various points throughout the day and then probably 15 minutes in bed in the evening. It's so convenient to always effectively have your book with you, turned to the right page.

Agree with Birdy, I have a kindle app on my phone too. The other thing I find it really useful for is if one of the DC's come into our bed and are asleep next to me, I don't have to turn the light on to read.

Other than that, I tend to buy a newspaper and always read the news online too.

I read any time I can, but TBH during the weeks that is not often at all. I read a lot more on weekends, and I really like going away for work as it drags me to exotic places like Manchester by train, so I get serious reading time. That is, when the Vomit Comet also known as the Pendolino train doesn't do its worst with me - but travel sickness wrist bands mostly sort that out.

Holidays are the best - let the kids get on with entertaining themselves, and read, read, read.

I rarely watch TV so read in the evenings if I am at home, if DH is watching sport on TV I can 'zone out' and read in the same room, otherwise I go up to bed early with a good book. As I am a SAHM with a school age child I can also find time in the day. Agree with others that the biggest problem is Mumsnet, came up at 9pm with a new book but here I am .......... talking about reading but not doing it . Good night.

Find I read more during the day since having my Kindle, had it around four years, and fancy the new one Husband not taken hints yet.
I leave it in the kitchen when cooking and read the odd page while waiting for something to finish etc

On sofa or in bed I often have a hardback on the go, still love having a bookshelf ... and always have my Kindle or a pb in my bag

About half past midnight for me. For 15 minutes or so before getting ready for bed. Then I get told off for going to bed too late. I usually get through several books on holiday too, though not as many now that the DCs are too old for naps but still too small to entertain themselves for long.

But I would get a little bit more time if I didn't get distracted by things on the PC too easily. And if DH didn't keep buying enormous Sunday papers every week which I then feel I ought to have a look through before they get recycled!

I've now started carrying my book everywhere with me, I snatch a few mins when waiting for my daughter to come out of school. Hoping to get a kindle soon then it will fit in my handbag.