Book Club

We are moms. We have that in common, but that’s probably about it. Some of you are stay-at-home moms, others are work-at-home-moms, some work part-time and others (like me) work full-time. Some of us juggle freelance projects (like this one for me). Some of us volunteer. Some of us take care of aging parents of special needs children. But the one important fact of life that moms often take for granted is that it is important to make time and take time for themselves. 

I’m guilty of folding laundry while watching my favorite shows rather than just basking in a half-hour of dumb comedy. I’m guilty of working on freelance articles while watching my children in the bathtub rather than watching them splash around and taking in their toddlerhood. I’m guilty of checking email while cooking dinner, cleaning the bathroom and dusting my living room furniture. However, in recent months, I’ve found that there is one thing I can do that prevents me from multitasking.

Read.

I have six magazine subscriptions and read a number of blogs on a daily basis. That’s not exactly what I mean. A good story, something I can get lost in, picturing characters and scenery and imagining what might happen next, that takes me away. I can’t read and watch TV. I can’t fold laundry and read. About the only thing I can do is possible run on the elliptical machine, but, well, I’m not that motivated.

But now we can motivate each other. Detroit Mommies.com is please to introduce an online book club. Each month or so, we will select a book with some form of reading schedule. During that week, we will post questions and comments and enable an online discussion for our readers and ourselves. We might have special video conference sessions with authors or author comments to our discussions. We hope you will want to be a part of this unique opportunity. We know you are all pressed for time. Here is a way to make time for yourself and engage with other moms.

Starting April 10, 2011, we will read the book “Two Kisses for Maddy” by blogger Matt Logelin.

I’m also not made of money. I know books can be expensive to buy, read once and then put on a shelf. I’ve become familiar with my local library, the library in the city where I work (some libraries will give you a card if you work in the municipality), and another library that my grandmother belongs to–she got me a card. I reserve books online and pick them up on my way home from work. I download audiobooks and e-books. Check out those resources for books first. You can also buy the books used on Amazon.

I’m also open to book suggestions for the future. I’m sort of a chick-lit or comedy sort-of reader so I think taking book suggestions will really open the doors to what I am reading.

Take some time for yourself. Enjoy a good book. Then enjoy some friendly discussions with moms from all over the area. Click on Lifestyles above and then click Book Club for all of the posts and comments.

Two Kisses for Maddy-April 2011
Two Kisses for Maddy-The First Part

Citizen Girl-March 2011

Citizen Girl

Citizen Girl-College grad on the Lookout

The Girls from Ames-February 2011