I stopped reading when I had kids. It took some alone time to get back my love of books — and this crucial piece of my identity.
Business Insider · 2026-07-27
After becoming a mother, the author found her passion for reading dwindle, transforming once-cherished moments with books into a chore, especially after the arrival of her second and third children. The exhaustion of parenting made passive entertainment like Netflix more appealing than the active engagement of reading. The turning point arrived on July 27, 2026, during a solo trip. Spotting a bookshop, she purchased Colleen Hoover's "It Ends With Us" and settled into a French pâtisserie with tea and a croissant. Within hours, she had devoured half the bestseller, reigniting her literary passion. This personal rediscovery extended beyond the stories themselves; during a flight home, a conversation with fellow passengers about the book revealed how much she missed the shared experience and "book banter" surrounding literature. She has since resumed reading voraciously, an hour before bed or in stolen moments, embracing various genres like romantasy, romance, thrillers, and memoirs, recognizing reading as a crucial part of her identity.
*The full article also explores the challenges of balancing personal passions with the demands of motherhood and the significance of reclaiming small pockets of time for oneself.*