Little Readers: Big Difference
It’s not a privilege to read, it’s a necessity. However, what you’re using right now to comprehend this sentence is a skill that many parents are neglecting to pass on to their children. When Tipp City Children’s Services Librarian, Wendy Torrence, learned that only 41% of parents read to their children under four years old, she knew she needed to make a difference.
At Tipp City Library, little ones are being encouraged to enjoy reading in an exciting way. Since January 15th, Wendy has facilitated the 1000 books before the Kindergarten Program and has already received 30 participants. However, that’s only 30-60 parents who are taking the initiative to expand their child's attention towards reading.
Wendy says to think of the program as a step tracker for books. After signing up through Beanstack, you can count each time you read to your child and track it numerically. However, you can also pick up a folder at the library, with options for writing down the titles of each book and setting goals for your little ones.
Folders come with a “book worm” with circles meant for tracking stickers. At 100 stickers, you can exchange your worm for a new one. At 200, 400, 600, and 800 books read, you can win a prize. Finally, after 1000 books read before kindergarten, your child can win a free book.
Reading is supposed to be fun. After years of school, book reports, mandatory reading time, and testing, many parents don't want to read at all. Through the 1000 books program, parents can create an excited outlook on reading rather than a dreadful one.
The years leading up to kindergarten are few and far between. Sometimes, it feels like you lose them fast and never get them back. Slowing down, opening a book, and absorbing a story with your child can create memories that you can carry with you while your child says hello to their first year of school. Creating an exciting reading atmosphere for your little ones might just push you to enjoy reading on your own.
Torrence says, “Parents are the first teachers.” Through the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program, you can be the teacher for your child who makes the first real difference, and it starts with a love for reading. The library is always an open resource for the community, and with Wendy's help, it’s slowly becoming a child's favorite place to go. Reading is fun and magical; it sometimes just takes some stickers, a worm, and a new perspective to see it that way.
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