Have you ever sat back and watched your kids play and feel completely lost? Or have you ever listened to their bickering and just want to escape the mayhem?

In those times I  feel a heavy cloud settle on me. My mind is so busy I can’t settle on anything to do and I get overwhelmed by it all.

That is when a time and true method comes to mind. Read.

I grew up to be a bookworm and have a great love for books. They have the ability to occupy the mind, take the reader to far-off places, or teach a new skill. I have started to train my children to love books too.

So when the boredom blues come or the mayhem of arguments ensue, I set a time for myself and the kids to sit down and reset with a book.

We sit quietly, recharging and resetting for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. And when our timer goes off we come out of our clouds and we enjoy each other again.

If you have young children this is a great time to encourage independence. If your children cannot read yet, that’s okay. They can enjoy the pictures and explore by taking those images in.

Another way to use books to push the blues away is by reading out loud to your children. I have been reading chapter books to my kids since my oldest was about a year old. I have discovered my kids have longer attention spans for their ages (2,3,&4). Their speaking has improved, and so has mine. It has even improved my attention span.

Slow down, press a pause button to your day, and allow yourself to rest with a book.