By Harmony F.
As mother to a busy-bodied 22 month old, I’m always looking for fun and easy activities to entertain and educate my curious boy, Henry. Henry is a little man on a mission and like most toddlers, prefers to explore his world in very physical ways.
Lucky for us, Henry LOVES books and is willing to sit still through dramatic readings of The Pout-Pout Fish or to lift page-after-page of flaps in search of Spot. The times each morning and night he spends curled up in our laps for story time, are often the only minutes in the day he stops moving. Unlucky for us, he usually loves ONE book at a time, 6-10 times per day.
Have you ever read Pete the Cat: Wheels on the Bus eight times in one day? As cute as Henry’s clumsy choreography is, it can be hard to take. We like to keep our selection of books fresh without breaking the bank.
That’s where our local library, the Dexter District Library, saves the day. Twice a month we visit the library and while Henry plays in their puppet theater and with their collection of Little People toys, I pick out a handful of new board books to help him discover more about his latest obsessions (fire & rescue trucks) or reinforce the key behaviors we are trying to teach (feet are not for kicking people).
The library itself is beautifully renovated and situated perfectly near our quaint downtown and beside an outdoor park and nature trail. We make a family day of exploring the library inside and out and I cherish these days.
I’m so grateful to the library, not just for providing the books that help keep us all engaged, laughing and learning, but for being a destination where we can grow and bond as a family.
As a Gale employee, I’m ahead of the curve in knowing that my library is a go-to place for virtually anything from early literacy and play-based learning for Henry, to online courses for myself. I’ve worked with libraries for over a decade and have long had the insider scoop on the important role libraries play in supporting education at all ends of the spectrum. I’ve used the resources both personally and professionally as an adult and now, am thrilled to share this love of libraries with my son.
Dexter District Library makes me a better mom and teacher, and is setting Henry up for success in his life, too.AIR JORDAN