When his son’s school was temporarily closed, Jeff Tepper quickly learned that public libraries have become vital places of community and education for families with children.
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For more information on the #DadsRead campaign and how YOU can participate, click HERE.
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About two years ago, the Montessori we send my son to called us early on a Monday morning. Over the weekend, there was a plumbing failure and, for the whole weekend, water had been collecting on the floor. It was a nightmare for the owner, who had to close the school for a week and a half and to get everything dried out and cleaned up, and for licensing to be satisfied that there was not a mold issue.
It was also a burden for us parents, who all of a sudden didn’t have a place to take our kids. My wife and I both work full time, so we had to split taking time off from work to be home with our son while the school was closed. For a few days, I became a stay-at-home dad and quickly had to figure out what to do all day. Through some online searches, I learned about all of the benefits of my city’s public library system. We love books, and my son’s bedtime routine includes us reading three books to him each night, so we are not strangers to reading. What I was a stranger to was all of the awesome programming the libraries do during the day for kids. I’m sure this is old news to stay-at-home parents, who might be mentally writing me a late pass right now, but I had never sought this out before. I found that each branch runs several story time activities each day, with different sessions targeted for different age groups. At that point, my son was not even two and, for that age group, the sessions consisted of reading some short stories and mixing in some singing and movement to nursery rhymes. Then, at the end, they bring out a bubble machine, just because toddlers love bubbles.
During that time, we went to almost every branch in the city to participate in what each of them offered. Each branch’s story time was a little different, but all within the same theme, and all with the beloved bubbles at the end. For older kids, the libraries had even more to offer, including puppet shows and programming related to animals and science. And it was all free.
Being full-time working parents, we try to make the absolute most of our weekends and do lots of different things. We don’t use the library programming in the same way as we did during those days off, as most of their programming is during the week. We take my son occasionally to check out some new books, and we still keep our eyes open to what they offer from time to time. When we saw that one of the branches was having a party based upon Mo Willems’ Pigeon character, we were there.
Fast forward to two nights ago and the evidence that the library experience has stuck with my son. I mentioned that I needed to return the book Spork, which I had borrowed to read to my son and also to review it for an article I was writing on culturally themed books. When I mentioned that I had to return it sometime this week, my son’s face lit up and he asked if he could come with me when I went. I have some extra time off from work this week, so I picked him up early from school yesterday and we went.
Unfortunately with budget cuts, some cities’ libraries are being threatened with reduced hours and services and even closure. I was proud of my friend and then-Boston City Councilor Felix G. Arroyo when he stood up to threatened library closures in my former city. It’s up to all of us to show our cities and towns that our libraries have our support, and if you haven’t checked out all that yours has to offer, go for it! If you’re a dad, check it out during the #DadsRead campaign and let me know what you find.
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Originally appeared on AyYoBeaFather.wordpress.com
Our local library has free music concerts and movies…and a photography club weekly on Wednesday nights…I think I will lots to do when I am retired!
Leia, that’s cool. Where I live, those things are separate from the library, but still worthy city events that are free and worth checking out. Thanks for the comment!
Our local libraries regularly have Lego block parties. How genius is THAT?!
Although I mentioned in one of my other recent blog posts, I don’t really get the current Lego phenomenon, I think it’s great that they do that. They know what will keep people coming. Thanks for reading!