October 26, 2025
Because "finding time" is a myth, but "making moments" is magic
"I don't have time for story time."
I hear this constantly, and here's the truth: nobody has time. Time isn't hiding under the couch cushions waiting to be found. But stories? Stories can squeeze into the spaces you already have, like literary ninjas.
1. The Morning Mayhem Method
While kids eat breakfast, read aloud. Yes, there's milk dripping. Yes, someone's wearing pajamas backward. Yes, you're reading with one hand while packing lunches with the other.
Pro tip: Keep books IN the cereal cabinet. Seriously. Morning story time becomes as automatic as pouring Cheerios. One mom told me she taped a short poem inside the cabinet door. Kids read it every morning while she makes coffee. Genius or desperate? Both.
2. The Bathroom Breakthrough
Kids in the bath? You're already trapped there supervising. Might as well read. Laminated books are great, but regular books work too. Water splashes are just "interactive effects."
One parent told me she reads poetry during hair washing to distract from soap fears. Another dad keeps a basket of books by the toilet. Potty time = story time. Judge all you want, but that kid is reading at grade level now.
3. The Carpool Chronicles
Waiting in pickup lines? That's 10 to 15 minutes of prime story real estate. Keep a book bag in the car. While others scroll phones, you're building readers.
Audiobooks during drives count too. My friend's kids request "scary voice stories" (her dramatic reading of Roald Dahl) over music now. Traffic jams become story marathons. Red lights equal quick page turns.
4. The Snack Attack Story
Kids need 47 snacks a day? Every snack is a story opportunity:
They're sitting, mouths busy, attention available. Strike while the snack is hot. Or cold. Or room temperature. Whatever.
5. The Transition Trick
Moving from one activity to another? Insert a story:
Getting dressed: "Once upon a time, a sock went on an adventure to find its match..."
Cleaning up toys: "The blocks are traveling back to their home in the bin. What do they see on the journey?"
Walking to school: "Let's tell a story where every red car adds a new character."
Stories make transitions smoother because kids' brains shift focus to the narrative instead of resisting change. My nursing background taught me that distraction through storytelling is basically magic for avoiding meltdowns.
6. The Waiting Game Win
Doctor's office. Restaurant. Grocery line. DMV. Oil change. Anywhere you wait becomes story time.
7. The Technology Twist
Screen time doesn't have to be the enemy of story time:
Technology serves story time when we use it intentionally, not desperately.
The Mindset Shift
Stop thinking "I need 30 minutes of perfect story time." Start thinking "I have 3 minutes right now."
Those 3-minute moments add up:
That's 30 minutes without "finding" any time at all. Math is magic.
The Permission You Need
Reading the same page repeatedly because you keep getting interrupted? Counts.
Making up stories because you forgot the book? Counts.
Kids "reading" to themselves while you fold laundry nearby? Totally counts.
Listening to audiobooks while doing crafts? Absolutely counts.
Starting a book and not finishing because someone suddenly needs the bathroom urgently? Still counts.
Your phone reading an e-book in robot voice because you have laryngitis? Weird, but counts.
The Real Secret
Kids don't need perfect story time. They need consistent story moments. They need to see that stories are woven into regular life, not separate special occasions requiring perfect conditions.
When stories become as normal as breakfast, as routine as car rides, as expected as snacks, that's when magic happens. The kind where your kid randomly quotes their favorite book to comfort a friend.
Your kids won't remember that you read during chaos. They'll remember that you always made space for stories, even when life was absolutely bananas.
And honestly? Life is always bananas. Might as well add some good stories to the bunch.
Next post: Why The Bumpy Pumpkin makes the perfect gift (hint: it's not what you think)...
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