Redefining Reading Time as a Busy Mom

For a long time, reading felt like something we used to do — back when life was quieter and time felt more flexible. We kept waiting for the perfect moment to come back to it: a quiet house, an uninterrupted hour, the right kind of calm.

But motherhood taught us pretty quickly that perfect reading time rarely shows up.

What does show up are small moments — five minutes here, ten minutes there — and once we stopped dismissing those moments as “not enough,” reading slowly found its way back into our lives. This post is about redefining what reading time can look like in busy seasons, and learning to give ourselves grace along the way.

The Guilt and Grace of Reading Less

Q: Do you ever feel guilty about not reading as much as you used to?

Katie:
Yes, for sure. There was a stretch where my mom life completely took over, and reading fell to the side. I was lucky to finish even a handful of books, and honestly, it hurt to realize how much I’d lost that part of myself.

Since then, I’ve had to rethink what reading looks like for me — smaller moments, audiobooks, a few pages before bed — and it’s made all the difference.

Emily:
I don’t feel guilty about it because I know my life has shifted…but I do acknowledge how happy reading makes me, so I’m always in pursuit of that happiness!

What We Miss About Our Old Reading Lives

Q: What’s one thing you miss about your old reading life?

Katie:
I miss being able to call it a “reading day” and just binge-read without feeling guilty or getting interrupted every five minutes. There was something magical about losing track of time with a good book.

Emily:
Getting lost for an entire day in a good book — the kind where you look up and suddenly it’s dark outside. I miss those days.

Redefining “Reading Time” for Busy Moms

There was a time when reading meant a cozy blanket, a quiet house, and an uninterrupted hour. Those days feel like a fairy tale now — but we’ve learned how to make time for reading even when life is anything but quiet. Sometimes it’s five minutes in the car line, ten before bed, or a few pages while dinner simmers. The truth is, every little moment counts, and reading doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful.

Letting Go of “Perfect” Reading Time

Q: When did you stop waiting for “perfect” reading time?

Katie:
About five or six years ago, I realized I had only read a handful of books that year — and it hit me that something needed to change. I missed reading, but I kept waiting for that perfect quiet hour that never seemed to come. Once I let go of that idea, I started fitting in little moments — five minutes here, ten there — and suddenly I was finishing books again.

Emily:
I think as soon as I became a mother, I knew my time was no longer my own. I don’t think I read a single book for at least five years after my first baby was born. After that reading drought, I realized that if I REALLY want to read, I had to make time.

If you’re ready to make reading fit into real life instead of perfect routines, this will help.

Our Biggest Reading Challenges Right Now

Q: What’s your biggest reading challenge right now — time, focus, or energy?

Katie:
Let’s be honest here… it’s all of the above. Time, focus, and energy all seem to disappear the second I sit down with a book.

Emily:
Definitely time. There’s just never enough of it — but even when I do have time, sometimes the energy’s gone too.

Sneaking In Reading Moments

Q: What little moments in your day can you sneak in reading now?

Katie:
Waking up before everyone else, before the day really starts, is my favorite time — I grab a cup of coffee and read a few pages in the quiet. I’ll try to sneak in a few more after lunch, and again while I’m waiting in the school pickup line. When I can’t actually sit down to read, I’ll listen to an audiobook while doing chores or driving. And of course, before bed, I try to end the day with at least a chapter… if my eyes stay open that long.

Emily:
Anytime I’m doing chores, I pop in my AirPods and listen to an audiobook or podcast — it makes folding laundry so much more bearable. I also spend plenty of time at the soccer and football fields while my kids practice, and I almost always have a book with me there too.

Why Even Five Minutes Matters

Q: How do you remind yourself that even five minutes is enough?

Katie:
I’ve accepted that my life is full right now (and I wouldn’t change it for anything). Reading in little five-minute bursts is just what this season looks like. Even five minutes helps me slow down and reset a bit. I might not get through a whole chapter, but it’s enough to remind me that I did something for myself — and that’s what counts.

Emily:
A lot of the time, five minutes is a chapter! It’s a good reminder that even a few stolen minutes can make a dent — and it always feels like a tiny win.

Finding Grace in the Guilt

Q: How do you handle the guilt of wanting to read more but not having time?

Katie:
Some days I wish I could just sit and read for hours, but right now, that’s just not my reality — and that’s okay. I remind myself that even a few pages count, and that this season won’t last forever. I’d rather enjoy what little reading time I do get than stress about what I don’t.

Emily:
I make a real effort to make reading happen — even if it’s just ten minutes here or there. So when it doesn’t, I remind myself it’s not from lack of trying… just lack of hours in the day!

One Page at a Time

Letting go of perfect reading time doesn’t mean letting go of reading itself. When we stop measuring our reading by hours and start valuing small moments, books quietly find their way back into our days.

Reading with grace is still reading.