Author: HairWeavings Editorial Team

We all know that our sense of time changes as we grow older – with everything speeding up at an alarming rate. One of the most notable markers of this is the age of our children – and even more so – our grandchildren.

When We Were Young

I don’t know about you, but when I was a child, time seemed to stretch on forever. If it was Christmas, summer was ages and ages away. You looked forward to being the next age up – to be seven when you were six, and so forth – but didn’t it take a long time to come!

It seemed the natural order of things that time passed slowly and one never thought to question it.

Children and Time

By the time you are in your 30s and 40s, time speeds up a bit, but not that much. Having children in the house keeps you so busy, you don’t think about time as such. Perhaps their birthday parties seem to come around more quickly than yours ever did, or you notice their friends getting taller rather quickly. But somehow there was nothing alarming about the speed of things.

Grandchildren Change So Quickly

But when it comes to grandchildren, everything speeds up so fast you begin to wonder if you have time to enjoy them. They seem to change from toddlers to teenagers in the blink of an eye.

This is particularly the case, I suspect, when you don’t see the grandchildren all that often. We all heard “My, how you’ve grown!” when we were children and thought it was a silly remark. Now, we all probably repeat it ourselves. And buying appropriate presents can be a minefield. It moves amazingly quickly from dolls to make-up, from toy trains to football gear, and for all them to small screens of every kind.

And then they learn so fast. One minute they are working out how to read and the next they are learning French or Mandarin. And they know things you don’t know. This came home to me recently when my then seven-year-old grandson taught my husband how to use his iPad.

Children as Markers of Time

I have always used the age of my children as markers for particular times – we moved house when my daughter was seven, my good friend died when my son was 10. These were easier ways of remembering dates than the actual year, as the years tend to merge into one another with surprising ease.

In contrast, I find it hard to use my grandchildren’s ages as markers of time as they move so fast from one age to another.

Other People’s Surprise

And your friends are constantly surprised about ages. “Is your son really 42 – it feels like only yesterday that we took him to university!” “Is that baby grand-daughter six years old already?” Different friends are taken aback by different information, but what they have in common is surprise at the passage of time. I tend to say, “Yes, they age, but we don’t. We just stay the same.”

And this is, perhaps, hardest of all – realising that we are aging, too. I still remember my own father saying he didn’t mind so much getting old, but he hated having middle-aged children. He always said I was 31, whatever age I actually was. I really understand now how he felt.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do your grandchildren seem to grow before your very eyes? Do you use your children’s ages to remember events? How has your perception of time changed over the years? Please add your thoughts in the comments below.

Thanks to an issue with my right eye, I struggle to read an actual book. As problems go, it’s a tiny one. It’s also solvable. 

I read newspapers and magazines on a tablet. For books, I rely on my trusty Kindle. With both devices, I can adjust the font size, lighting, and contrast. I know I’m not the only one who has difficulty navigating traditionally published and printed books.

We’re lucky to live in a time where we have so many choices for our reading pleasure…

Large Print Books

The good news? Large print books are in demand, so they do still exist. The bad news? They are expensive for publishers to print and customers to purchase. In recent years, publishing houses have offered fewer and fewer large print options in their catalogs. “The choices are becoming more precious,” said one bookseller.

There is no concise directory of available large print titles for readers to browse online. Bookstores don’t have access to one either. 

If we desire a current historical fiction novel or thriller or non-fiction book, a reader’s best bet is to contact a local independent bookseller. If a customer calls or visits a bookstore with a list of titles they’d like to read, booksellers can quickly determine if a large print edition is offered.

They’re happy to order the book but be warned. Although the book will likely be in paperback form, it will sport a hefty hardcover price.

Although I discovered an online large print bookseller and a large print book club, both offer limited titles, plus fees or high price tags. 

The online behemoth, Amazon, seems to offer the most titles for the best prices. With some persistence, I located bestsellers like Cloud Cuckoo Land, The Giver of Stars, and Where the Crawdads Sing in large print formats.

On Amazon’s website, search large print books and browse from there. OR, go to a specific title, click on SEE ALL FORMATS AND EDITIONS, and click on PAPERBACK to see if the book is available in large print. 

In my quest for large print titles, I hit the jackpot at the local library. When I inquired about large print books, the delighted librarian directed me to a vast section of titles. Although the shelves didn’t seem to house recent bestsellers, the great variety of books was sure to interest readers of all sorts.

I spotted a wide assortment of biographies and titles by popular authors David Baldacci, Mary Kay Andrews, Elin Hilderbrand, Lisa Genova, Robyn Carr, and James Patterson.

eBook Readers

I’m not trying to sell you an eBook reader but, with my eye issue, my Kindle has been my savior. Many readers love to curl up with a physical book, study the cover design, and flip back through the pages to recall a character or scene. And I get that. 

Although Amazon’s Kindle dominates the digital reader market, this article offers a nice comparison of eBook readers. It comes as no surprise that the newer, more expensive versions offer faster page-turning, water resistance, and better contrast. I read on a Kindle Paperwhite, which sells for $140 – about the same amount as five large print books. 

Like anything else, the more you use and play around with the device, the more comfortable you become with its features. Readers may adjust the font type and size and screen brightness and instantly see how many minutes are left in a chapter. My favorite feature is the built-in dictionary. Press on the unknown word, and a definition pops up. I also highlight quotes or facts and take notes for future book review articles.

If two family members own Kindles, books may be shared. No need to purchase separate copies of the same book. 

Through your public library, browse their online eBook selection and select a title delivered straight to your Kindle. All you need is a library card. 

When I interviewed author Susie Orman Schnall, she introduced me to BookBub, a service (free!) alerting readers to fabulous deals on eBooks. How I love receiving my daily email recommending a handful of books – tailored to my preferences – priced at $1.99 or $2.99. And don’t skip over the Wish List section. Maintain a list of titles you’d love to read, and BookBub will notify you when the eBook goes on sale. 

Audio Books

Many readers love their audiobooks. They pop on headphones while cooking or gardening or flaneuring. Listen in a car or bus or plane. Sit back, relax, and get lost in a story read to them.

Audible leads the pack, but this article outlines various audiobook subscription services. It compares monthly fees and the trial periods, which all services seem to offer. 

For those readers wishing to support their local independent bookstore, Libro.fm is a pricey but worthwhile option. The downside? Subscribers must have a U.S. or Canadian credit card. 

A good starting point is Overdrive and Libby, free services connected to local libraries. If you need assistance, your librarian can assist you with setting up these options. All you need is a library card!

Once in place, readers may borrow, place holds, and receive audiobooks, eBooks, and magazines from the comfort of their homes. Libby and Overdrive are not available in all countries, and the waiting list can be long for recent releases and bestsellers. 

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you prefer actual books, an e-reader, or audiobooks? What is your primary source for books? Do you have any tips for readers with sight issues?

Click Here to Shop Additional Stock of Her Pants

*Please Note: we are not 100% sure on the top, but we think it is it!

Originally posted at: Kyle Richards’ Pink Pants