Do You Read at the Breakfast Table?

Do you let your kids read at the breakfast table? Do you read at the table? As a librarian, you’d probably expect that I’m not a fan of kids having cereal near *my* library books, but in fact I’m quite an advocate for books and bowls of cereal being consumed in tandem. However, I do rather hope my library tech Jasmine isn’t reading this as I suspect her eye might start twitching at the thought…

Mornings are a time of great chaos in many homes, mine included. Just this morning I felt the need to text my neighbours and assure them that no one was being murdered, twas just a particularly awful morning of meltdowns from us all. The small one takes a good hour to wake up and the tween growls and wails if anyone looks at her the wrong way…or the right way…basically just don’t look at her…but also don’t ignore her…actually you won’t win wherever you look.

Five Reasons to Read at the Breakfast Table

1. Books, magazines or even the school newsletter at the table helps to take the focus off tricky morning dynamics and allow a little extra time for brains to wake softly and slowly.
2. Everyone can be seated together but enjoying their own reading material. Conversation is great later in the day, but if you’re not morning people, you can still be technically together, but in your own personal bubble.
3. Starting the day with words and story is ace. Immersing yourself in story, or recipes (cookbooks are my chosen table reading material) is always going to make the day brighter.
4. Reluctant readers may be tempted by some well chosen reading material laid out in front of them with no expectation to read. It is often at times where the pressure is off, that they browse and fall into a story. A fifteen minute reading/breakfast session is ample time to read one chapter and be hooked.
5. Conversation may flow. I’ve just talked about reading and not conversing, but equally, this can be a time to also discuss and debate books or talk about content. We’ve been talking about native bees at the table recently, definitely a result of ‘The Contented Bee’ being on the table for some weeks now and we always a book of quotes from ‘Wonder’ on the bench, which are often good conversation starters.

I’m a fan, I really am. You?

My favourite recipe books of the moment are below, our kitchen bookshelf has all these titles and I spend a lot of time browsing them and marking recipes to cook. It’s been a good way to involve the girls in meal planning and I like to encourage the reading of non fiction material.

*Shop* What’s on the Bookshelf

Click on titles to purchase.

‘My Darling Lemon Thyme’ by Emma Galloway

‘A Year in My Real Food Kitchen’ by Emma Galloway

‘Cornersmith: Recipes from the Cafe and Picklery’ by Alex Elliot-Howery and James Grant

‘Cornersmith: Salads and Pickles’ by Alex Elliot-Howery and Sabine Spindler

‘Not Just Jam’ by Matthew Evans

‘Hong Kong Food City’ by Tony Tan

‘The Little Library Cookbook’ by Kate Young

‘Jolly Good Food’ by Enid Blyton and Allegra McEvedy

‘Hummus and Co.’ by Michael Rantissi and Kristy Frawley

‘Yummy, Easy, Quick’ by Matt Preston

‘Basics to Brilliance: Kids’ by Donna Hay

‘Alice’s Food A-Z: Edible Adventures’ by Alice Zaslavsky

‘Sticky Fingers, Green Thumb’ by Hayley McKee