Reading! Love it!

Do you have any memory of your preschool experience? 

Perhaps you remember your kindergarten. 

Try to remember what those places felt like. 

I remember on my first day of school I asked my teacher if I had to go home, because I had had so much fun, I didn’t want to leave. For people in my generation (Gen Y, yay!) preschool and kindergarten were about learning how to play with others, keeping our hands to ourselves, sipping juice at snack time, and playing. Lots and lots of play time. My teachers would share stories with us at every opportunity. I remember using the letter people throughout the entire year of kindergarten to teach the class letter names and sounds.

My 3 year old, Michael, is learning letter names and sounds in his preschool class now. What!? Don’t get me wrong, I love his preschool teacher. She teaches the alphabet, but puts very little pressure on her students to learn it because she understands something very important. They need to be kids! They need to learn to love books and reading before they can learn to do it. 

My parents read the book Teddy Goes to the Park every day at my demand. It was the only book I was interested in. They read it until it fell apart. They read it so many times that when my grandma read it, I would correct her pronunciation. They must have thought I was crazy to want that book over and over again, but they probably didn’t know that at the time, during every one of those readings, I was learning something new. I may have learned a new word, or made the connection between the marks on the page and the words being spoken aloud. I might have even noticed how the pictures matched what the words said. 

Needless to say, I was an early reader. Why? Because I was read to, that’s why. I am of average intelligence. But because of my early and frequent exposure to books, I read early. So did both of my boys. Both of them read before four years old. Why? My wife and I take the time to make reading important to us. We show our boys how fun and joyful it can be to read. Unfortunately, many people don’t have that same passion for reading aloud. 

Many children are entering school without the joy of reading in their hearts. The system is very hard to change and that system is set on having kids reading in Kindergarten. That puts a lot of pressure on parents and children and that is where the Ionia County Library Association Means to Help.

We are proud to announce that the 1,000 Books before Kindergarten Program is coming soon to Ionia County. Beginning on January 23rd, any child who has not attended kindergarten yet can enroll in this program. It is entirely free of charge. So you may be asking yourself; “What is 1,000 Books before Kindergarten?” It’s really very simple. 1,000 books is an incentive program with the direct purpose to help families spend more time together reading. Families will register at their local library. They will receive a starter pack with a folder and tracking sheet for their first 100 books. For each book read, they will mark one space off on their sheet. When it is complete, families will return to the library to receive a prize and their next tracking sheet. When the 1,000 book goal is met, the family will receive a keepsake book and a certificate of completion. It’s really just that easy. Just keep track of what you are reading and persevere!

There are many frequently asked questions. I will try to answer some of them now.

My child has a favorite book. Does it count if I read it more than once?
Yes! We encourage you to re-read and enjoy favorite stories over and over again.

My child is enrolled in daycare and I work long hours. Can anyone read the books?
Yes! Each time your child is read to counts. You, siblings, family members, caregivers, teachers, librarians, can contribute to this. Even if your child explores or reads a book on his or her own, it counts! I must add that we encourage you to think of reading time with your child as a special time to spend together if possible.

We have many books at home. Will reading those count?
Yes! While we encourage you to pick from our expansive and diverse selection, books from home or daycare providers, offices, or the Dolly Parton Imagination Library all count the same!  

1,000 books…wow! That’s a lot of books. How long does it take?
The amount of time necessary to complete the program is dependent on your own motivation to read to your child.
1 book per day– 2 years, 9 months
2 books per day– 1 year, 4 months
3 books per day– 11 months
4 books per day– 8 months
5 books per day– 6 months
(Note: All times are approximate)

My child is in preschool. Can they still sign up?
Yes! Your child is eligible to start the program until they start Kindergarten. Even after their 5th birthday!

We, at the Ionia County Library Association leave this challenge open to you. Please take us up on it. Your child can only benefit from this amazing program.

Mike Golczynski

Ionia Community Library

Youth Services Librarian

Parenting in 2016

                                                     

It would be hard to find a parent anywhere, of a child of any age...that does not resolve to do a better job. We are often very hard on ourselves and want to do the best we can for our children even if that means doing less.  Can anyone relate to this resolution?  I resolve to try harder to encourage my child's independence. The following is an older piece from a parent of a child with special needs. I think with a little imagination you will find the resolutions are relevant to all parents and their children's unique situations.   What do you resolve to do this year with respect to your parenting?

Parenting Resolutions

6 Resolutions Every Family Should Make in 2016

You know we love our devices that allow us to connect to media and information with the swipe of our finger.  We can become junkies to the immediate information flow and entertainment it provides.  These same habits can be passed on to our children even though it might start out with simple games to make the time pass more efficiently or keep our child occupied during an appointment or event.  Read the following post to see how YOU can use media in a healthy way that promotes learning and development.

6 Resolutions for 2016

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

                                          

 The new year has arrived!!  If you have young children in your home it will be a year of changes, growth and excitement!  The January blog series will be devoted to staying goodbye and hello to those opportunities past and future!  This first post is for all of those who are moving out of that toddler-hood and into the a new stage of fun!

Saying Goodbye To The Baby Chapter

35 Gifts Your Children Will Never Forget

Tis the season for giving and with Christmas fast approaching shoppers are hustling and bustling to find that perfect gift, to find that special toy their child wanted that are on back order until 2016. Or the toy your child so badly had to have is forgotten 3 weeks later in the bottom of the toy box or broken 3 hours after it's open.  When really the best gift to give a child may be within our reach, doesn't cost anything and is within ourselves. These are the gifts that keep on giving and even if you give just one... no one can take it away from your child. Best of all,they do not need batteries!    

35 Gifts Your Children Will Never Forget

This blog entry was shared by Mary Kramer, Early interventionist with the Early-On program in Ionia County. Mother of 4 and grandmother of 3

Your Official Santa Tracker

This week's post is for the kid in all of us. Below is the official Santa Claus tracker site.  Explore this site with your kids, listen to some holiday music, play games and most important...locate Santa and maybe some SNOW!!

Santa Tracker

The World is a Scary Place… Look for the Helpers

      

I had a busy and productive day at work, I attended meetings, played with kids, checked some things off my list and listen to my Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas music on my ride home.  Life is good; I was happy, content and feeling good about the world around me. When I returned home and started dinner I turned on the TV and then the world became a scary place.  Another mass shooting had occurred, the second in a week. Right before me, in my living room the search was happening for the third suspect, searching vehicles, buildings etc.  As I write this, I don’t know what is happening as I turned the TV off.  I am offended and disturbed that the media covers this in this manner and that we expose our children to these images.  They are powerful imprints on a child’s brain; they are scary and difficult for a child to understand.  Shoot I don’t even understand them.  How do we as parents and adults help our children feel safe? First we need to STOP watching the minute by minute coverage of these unfortunately now very common events.   The following blog post offers some additional ideas about to talk to your kids about scary news stories.  

How to Talk to Kids About Scary News Stories

At the end of the blog post, the author reminds us of this advice from Mr. Rogers “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, Look for the helpers, you will always find people who are helping.”   

Make sure you not only make sure your child can find the helpers, teach him to be one.