One thing that a lot of people have liked about books is that they are so portable. You can read them ANYWHERE (even in the bathtub!) and take them everywhere. You can read a book while waiting for an appointment, standing in line, while going on a long trip or during a long flight. You don't need electricity to read a book -- though you MAY need a book light when it gets dark. You don't need to be able to hear, walk or talk in order to enjoy a book. Heck, you don't even need to know how to read, thanks to audiobooks! And, best of all, there are books available in Braille for the blind bookworm.
Books definitely have a lot going for them. There are so many places where you can buy a book, so many different things to read and learn about from a book, and you can stop/start reading anytime thanks to bookmarkers.
Books are also a valuable commodity for a stay-at-home mom (SAHM). We can't always be on the Internet to socialize with other adults out there, and having a book to read is just as good a substitute. Even though they are not actual "companions," they are, in a sense, like an ongoing conversation with another educated individual.
They also act as a form of escape for SAHMs. When the days get hectic, the children don't behave and/or there are domestic problems to be dealt with, cuddling up with a good fantasy novel, or even a romance or chick lit novel, helps us SAHMs just forget about all of that for now. With these books, we don't have to deal with those problems, because we get to be an adventurous rancher living on a homestead or a shapeshifter fighting for the survival of her planet.
When we need to learn about something and can't afford to take a course or can't find a sitter for the kids so that we could take said course, books are the next best thing for us to turn to. There are books that will show us how to speak with perfect grammar, books that will guide and inspire us through tough times, books that will motivate us to try something new, and books that will instruct us on anything from how to build our own greenhouse, how to manage a rose garden (for beginners!), and how to create a website.
Books also allow us to indulge in a hobby or read about others who share our interests. There are books offering tips and techniques on how to decorate cakes, books which share true ghost encounters, and books which will chronicle the history of, say, stamp collecting or gunsmithing.
Finally, reading books allows the SAHM the chance to broaden her vocabulary. Reading a variety of books introduces us to a variety of new words and phrases, and the organization and detail of certain books encourages us to think and write more constructively.
These are just some of the reasons why we SAHMs love books and enjoy reading them. I have always been passionate about books, and feel no shame in admitting that I am a bookworm. As a SAHM, though, I have been able to witness firsthand just how varied the benefits are of reading books can be, and enjoying these same benefits a little more each day.
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2 comments:
Funny you should mention these portable books. I've been talking about the importance of authors and publishers allowing their reading public to get their books they way they prefer. As e-books or not. In brick or mortar or online. Using credit card or cash. Whatever. That's good retailing and publishing is, in fact retailing, too.
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Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
www.howtodoitfrugally.com
Thanks for the comment, Carolyn. :) I totally agree that publishers should be more flexible in how they create their books. Maybe it's a money thing that makes them decide to only publish as an e-book or as a print book, but having that variety available is definitely a plus.
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