The Library

Now that summer is here and lessons are over for three months, my kids have one request that remains; "when are we going to the library?"

"What, again?! We were just there."

"I have holds."  "We haven't been for three days!" "I read all my books." "We're driving to XYZ, we need audio books!" "No, I want to go to the other branch!"

I have been forced to concede, after my children pointed it out to me, that I could have bigger complaints of them. They could be clamoring for a trip to just about any other kid hangout (but I would probably say "no", so that argument is out.) They could be sulking in their rooms, which they do sometimes, or talking on the phone, which they do not do, but instead, they are reading, a lot. And our local libraries (yes, plural!) are a fabulous resource. We have access to inter-library loan, which means we can request books from all over the US and have them delivered for free to our local library.

Then there is the  summer reading program. Ah, the root of many bad habits or a boon to children and adults? I have always opposed the principle of paying kids to read. I would prefer they learn to love literature and books through being read to from an early age. I believe that reading has its own inherent worth that outweighs any made-up contest to see who can earn the most points by amassing pages read. However, it does work on some level.  Kids who read become kids who read a LOT for a short period of time. For an intensive two weeks that it takes to get to the 1200 pages or minutes of reading, that is all they do when they are not outside playing. So, year after year, we sign up for, participate in, and love, the summer reading program. Most years we do two of them, as long as the books are different ones for each form turned in.

Our quietest car rides? The ride back from the library, when all five kids have their new treasures in hand, is one on which I often find myself counting little heads in the rear-view mirror to make sure I haven't forgotten anyone.

If you have not yet, get into the library habit. If your children don't love it, you might. Check out a few books of your own each time to set a good example, and let them see you reading those books (the knitting section is beyond belief, FYI!)