The first time I went on maternity leave, I saw the work-free months stretched ahead of me and thought this would be a good time to write that novel I had planned. Little did I know that for the first few weeks I’d barely be able to write a shopping list. I seemed to have more time than ever before, but couldn’t do anything with it.
Becoming a parent can take over your every thought, at least for a while. Yet there soon came a time when I began to crave conversations that were not about sleep patterns, feeding and poo; to talk to real grown-ups about grown-up things, admittedly on my own baby-friendly terms.
This time when I went on maternity leave, I packed away those fantasies for the still unwritten novel and contacted New Writing North about my idea of a book group for new parents. We had our first meeting in March and the great turn out convinced us that others felt the same.
The group has been planned so that it fits our needs (parking, space for buggies, baby-changing facilities and, most importantly, coffee) and offers a chance to meet like-minded new parents. We’ve also chosen books that are quick to read and compelling enough that you will find the time.
If you don’t think you have time to read, check out this month’s selection, The Rapture by Liz Jensen. I read it in 24 hours this Easter weekend, ignoring my family almost completely, but that’s another post…
Laura