As a mom, I’ve always heard that if you do something for 21 days, it becomes a habit. Now this isn’t set in stone and I don’t know if that exact number is true for everyone or not, but it is something I’ve always told Charlie and Suzzane along with David. Not only that it is something I still believe today. Because consistency matters in everything we do. Doesn’t it?

I believe when we continue showing up, even in small ways, we can grow, learn, and improve and when it comes to reading, consistency is so important. Reading opens doors and it helps children learn, imagine, dream, and discover new things. Reading builds confidence and gives us the opportunity to explore places we may never visit and meet people we may never know.

But reading is also something that many adults struggle with when they did not receive the help they needed when they were younger. I’ve seen that firsthand with David, Suzzane and Charlie. David struggled with reading because he was pushed through school instead of receiving the extra time, patience, and support he needed to build those skills.

Sometimes people need someone to slow down like Charlie and Suzzane, and we need to encourage them, and meet them right where they are. Or this was how it was with Suzzane and Charlie who had trouble with math and reading. I enrolled her in Sylvan and through there help she learned to love to read and always had a book with her thanks to them and the LORD above.

For Charlie is through working through his problems on his own and with my help that he will read because of the games he plays. It may not be as much as I would like but at least he is reading even if its all online and instructions for his games which I’m thankful for because without them I’m not sure Charlie would read at all.

That is one of the reasons this challenge is so close to my heart. Through the Greatful Moments 30 Minutes of Reading Challenge, Charlie and I will continue encouraging David and helping him grow in his reading journey. While getting Charlie to pick up a physical book once a day. Because learning does not stop when we leave the classroom. We can continue learning, growing, and improving at every age.

And this is why I’m so grateful, thankful, and blessed that the Lord continues to lay these ideas on my heart. A simple idea — spending 30 minutes reading each day — can become so much more than a challenge. It can become a moment of connection. A moment of encouragement. A moment of growth.

Welcome to the Greatful Moments 30 Minutes of Reading Challenge

For the month of August, I invite you to join us as we spend 30 minutes each day reading and this challenge can go beyond August as long as we put in the effort to read. The goal is not to see who can read the most books. The goal is not to compete. The goal is to create a habit. A habit of slowing down. A habit of learning. A habit of spending time with words. Because every page we turn is a step toward creating lifelong readers.

Reading Can Happen Anywhere

One of the best things about reading is that you do not have to be sitting inside your home in a special reading chair. Reading can happen anywhere. Read in the car while waiting for an appointment or you can read while sitting in the parking lot after running errands. Read on the front porch or take your book to the Park and read under a shade tree.

Read before bedtime. Which is what I do most nights instead of watching tv. Read while enjoying your morning beverage. The important thing is not where you read. The important thing is that you make time to read. In our home even though David is a adult I read to him sometimes if he is struggling with a book.

What Counts as Reading?

For this challenge, reading does not only mean reading a traditional book. The sky is the limit!

You can read:

• A chapter book with your child
• A novel before bed
• A devotional during quiet time
• A magazine
• A recipe you want to try
• An email that teaches you something new
• Instructions for a project
• A cereal box at the breakfast table
• A map while planning an adventure
• A newspaper article
• Words written all around you

Every word we read gives us an opportunity to learn something new.

Reading is even more special when we share it with someone else. A child can read to a parent. A child can read to a grandparent. A child can read to a sibling. A child can read to an aunt, uncle, or another trusted adult. Or there pets and stuffed animals which Suzzane and Charlie have done at times.

And adults can read to children too. You do not have to be a teacher. You do not have to be an expert. You simply have to be willing to sit down, listen, and encourage someone else. Sometimes the greatest gift we can give someone is our time. I invite you to join my family and join us as we read every day.

A Little Reading Reminder

A page today, a dream tomorrow,
A story filled with joy to borrow.
A word, a sentence, a chapter too,
A brand-new world is waiting for you.
So find a book and take your time,
Adventure waits between each line.

What You Can Expect During the Challenge

Throughout August, Greatful Moments will be sharing:

📚 Children’s Book Spotlights– Fun books, chapter books, and stories that encourage children to discover the joy of reading.

📖 Adult Book Spotlights– Books that caught my attention and might encourage, inspire, or entertain you.

✨ Reading Encouragement– Simple reminders that reading does not have to be complicated.

Whether you read one chapter or many pages, every reading moment counts. So grab a book. Grab a magazine. Grab something with words. And join us for 30 minutes a day throughout August.

One day at a time.
One page at a time.
One habit at a time.

Because a love of reading can begin with just one moment.

📚 Greatful Moments

30 Minutes of Reading Challenge

Creating a Habit One Page at a Time

Read for 30 minutes each day during August. Read a book, magazine, recipe, map, email, or anything with words! Every reading moment counts.

“One page today can open a whole new world tomorrow.”

Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed

📖 Certificate of Achievement

Greatful Moments

30 Minutes of Reading Challenge

This certificate is proudly presented to

for completing the August Reading Challenge and spending time creating a lifelong love of reading.

You completed:

________ hours of reading

One day at a time.
One page at a time.
One habit at a time.

Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed

Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates