And, while you're at it, look for other ways to minimize the work associated with hosting a parenting book club. For example, choose books that already have existing book club discussion guides. That will save you the work of coming up with a list of discussion questions on your own. But it can be stressful to find yourself scrambling to put together an Instagram-worthy contribution at 1:00 am the night before. Sure, it's great to have delicious, eye-catching snacks - even snacks that tie into the book's theme. Step Four: Keep it simple.įocus on what matters most: the actual parenting discussions. What happens in book club should stay in book club, in other words. Discussions about parenting inevitably get personal, so book club members need to know that the stories they share with other book club members won't become fodder for the gossip mill. This means be explicit about the need for confidentiality. Hey, life happens.Īnd speaking of sidestepping stress, you'll also want to prevent any inadvertent book club drama. So don't beat them up for missing a meeting or not having time to do the readings or for having to dash out the door mid-meeting to deal with a kid-related emergency. Parents don't need any additional things to feel guilty about. Step Three: Promise to deliver a guilt-free book club experience to your book club members. Anything more than that may feel overwhelming and discourage parents from becoming involved. Pro tip: Parents are among the most time-stressed people on the planet, so you may find you get more uptake if you're only asking parents to read a chapter or two - as opposed to an entire book - each month. You'll find that parents are more likely to want to be involved if you're upfront about your plans and expectations, so be sure to include details about how often you'll be meeting, when and where you'll be meeting, and how many books you expect them to tackle in any given year. If you're hosting your parenting book club at your child's school or the local branch of your public library, maybe the school or library would be willing to help publicize your book club via their newsletter or website, too. Or share your invitation via social media, so that other parents can help you spread the word. Send out an email or text message to other parents you know, letting them know that you have a parenting book club in the works. (Don't ask parents to drive across town or to download obscure third-party software in order to participate in your book club or they simply won't bother.) Step Two: Invite other parents and ask them to help you spread the word. Your goals in either situation - whether you're meeting face-to-face or online - are (1) to safeguard the confidentiality of member discussions and (2) to make being involved blissfully simple and hassle-free. There's always a Facebook or Twitter notification ready to lure them away from whatever your book club is talking about - or they may overlook your book club discussions entirely if they're having a particularly busy newsfeed day.Īnd then there's the issue of deciding where to meet (at your child's school? at the local library? in someone's home) or where to host your online discussions (in a private Facebook group? in some other online space?). And while online discussion groups are the clear winner when it comes to scheduling (parents can dive in and out of discussions at the time that's work best for them), you're unlikely to have their sole, undivided attention. There will always be another activity (or ten) competing for people's time. But scheduling face-to-face anything can be a major challenge, as you know. Face-to-face conversations offer more opportunities for small talk - casual chitchat that tends to break the ice and that can help to establish trust. Naturally, there are pros and cons to going either route. Step One: Decide whether you want to meet face-to-face or online. Here's what you need to know to get started. Starting a parenting book club is a powerful way to create and nurture that village.) (If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to support that child's parent. It's a fun and easy way to spark discussions about all things parenting and to build relationships other parents. Why not consider starting your own parenting book club? Looking for a way to strike up friendships with the other parents you bump into in the hallway at your child's school - or that great group of parents you like to hang out with online?
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