I’ve always enjoyed reading because for me there is something about picking up a book and sitting down to read a story that feels simple. Reading doesn’t require a special place, an expensive activity, or a whole afternoon set aside. Sometimes it is simply opening a book and giving yourself thirty minutes.
That is what our 30 Minutes of Reading Challenge is really about. it isn’t trying to see how many books we can finish. We aren’t making reading another thing on the family checklist that has to be completed perfectly. We’re simply creating a habit—one page at a time. By Day 5, the goal isn’t perfection. The goal is to keep showing up.
For families getting ready for a new school year, this can be especially helpful. Reading doesn’t have to begin when the first school bell rings. We can start building that routine now, when the days are still a little more relaxed. Maybe your child chooses a favorite picture book. Maybe they’re reading a chapter book. Maybe you’re reading aloud together.
Maybe everyone in the house chooses their own book and spends thirty minutes reading in the same room. There isn’t one right way to do this. And thirty minutes doesn’t have to mean thirty minutes all at once, either. If your family is busy, you can break it into smaller pieces. Ten minutes in the morning, ten minutes after lunch, and ten minutes before bed still gives you thirty minutes of reading.
What matters is making reading part of everyday life. I also think there is something important about letting children see the adults in their lives reading. When Mom or Dad picks up a book, children see that reading isn’t just something they have to do for school. It’s something people do because they enjoy learning, discovering stories, remembering things, or simply taking a quiet break.
That’s the habit we’re trying to build.
Not “You have to read.” But “We make time to read.” As we continue this challenge, don’t worry about whether you’re reading the right book, finishing enough pages, or keeping up with anyone else. Open the book. Read a page. Then read another page and before you know it you will have read a whole book.
One page becomes a chapter. A chapter becomes a book. And eventually, those little moments become a reading habit that can stay with us long after the challenge is over. So today, find your book, set aside your thirty minutes, and simply begin. Thirty minutes. One page at a time. And tomorrow, we’ll pick up our books and do it again.
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates