Monday, 16 May 2011

• The Public Library Is My New Best Friend

  

  I love reading. I always have done. Personally I think it runs in my family as my grandmother took my mother and uncle to the library from the age of one (and my mother could read from the age of two); and then my mother took us at a young age. Since then I've been in love with libraries and books.

  There is something about books that just makes me spend lots of money. I figured the library would be a great way to save as well as the fact that it would be a great opportunity to get something for the children. Not only would Alana be able to read it now that she's learning, it would be something new for them, and they could learn that they need to look after their books, especially as these ones aren't their own.

  So when the public library opened up here a couple of weeks ago, I was dying to take a look  so I could take books out for the kids and myself. And when I got there it was more than I had expected. They've updated from our old library to brand spanking new books and a big space for a reading area. 

  I was expecting a cost, but I thought it didn't matter - it would be worth it. It was completely free. And that wasn't the only good thing about the library. Most libraries let you have three to four books (in my experience) for around two weeks maximum. This one is better.

  • Three weeks to bring your books back.
  • Sign up completely free.
  • Each person is allowed eight books.
  • There is a kids story time every day.

  So, since I first went a couple of weeks ago I've been getting books for the kids. I get them one each as long as they've been good and it's a great leverage tool for when they start to get angry or a tantrum is on the horizon. If they are going to misbehave then there won't be new library books each week.

  Alana and Jack both love reading or in Jack's case having books read to them and their is such a variety there from pop-up books to fact books and hundreds of picture books that I can find something for them both.

  Last week I got one that was an animal atlas as Alana loves animals and then I got one about a lighthouse which had a button you could press to light-up the lighthouse. They loved them. This week I got them two picture books: 'The Naughtiest Fairy's Naughty New Friend' and 'The Great Monster Hunt'. Again, they love them.

  Do you take your children to the public library? Do your children like reading? Or is the library just a recipe for disaster (like some of the other children's parents have found here)?

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