School Run? I’m Actually Here for the Reading Time.

As a busy book lover (and co-founder of The Swoon Society), I never thought the school run would become my favorite part of the day. But here I am — arriving early, parking under a tree, and savoring a quiet ritual: reading in the car. It’s my secret to finding more time to read and romanticize the little moments in a full life.

Why I Started Arriving Early for the School Run

There’s this quiet little joy I’ve discovered lately — a gentle rebellion in the middle of a very normal weekday. It looks like arriving early for the school run. But it’s not about beating traffic or getting the best parking space (though let’s be honest, that’s a perk). It’s about claiming a pocket of time that’s just mine. For reading.

I roll up 20 minutes before I really need to, park under a shady tree if I can find one, lower the windows just a touch, and open my book. The car becomes a cocoon. A pause. A gentle in-between.

It’s not glamorous, but it feels sacred.

In those stolen minutes, I’m not someone’s mum, co-founder, errand-runner, or multitasker. I’m just a girl with a book and a soft spot for fictional men with complicated pasts. I get to escape into magical worlds, unravel romantic tension, and let the real world blur outside the windshield.

Sometimes I bring a coffee. Sometimes I forget and make do with a lukewarm water bottle. But always, always, there’s the book — waiting for me like a friend who doesn’t mind if I only show up for 15 minutes at a time.

And those tiny reading pockets? They add up. A few extra pages here, a quiet chapter there — and suddenly I’m actually finishing books again. I’m remembering why I love this genre. Why I love stories. Why I made The Swoon Society in the first place.

So if you’re ever tempted to leave a little early — do it. Take the book. Take the moment. Romanticize the school run. You deserve a slice of time that belongs to no one else but you.

See you in the car park,
– Emily
Co-founder of The Swoon Society