Which book did you buy this month?
Each month, the way we allocate a certain amount of our budget towards rent, groceries, electricity, internet, entertainment etc, I think we ought to slowly include a budget for books to be bought for our kids. It’s not the amount that is more critical, than being consistent with this habit.
Why should I even bother about building a library at home?
What a school(Home/Community/Society/Country) thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels about education — Harold Howe
Library at home of any size is a place where kids can engage with books, get into the World of imagination, have their silent/solo moments of the day, have a connection time with parents.
Books can be handy not just to increase the literacy ability but also
- To make your meal times more fun and interactive.
- To communicate your intention or a value system much easily and crisply, which otherwise needs multiple, longer conversations.
3. To present facts and information much clearly, pictorially.
4. To enable learnings in other subjects like math, science etc.
5. To help create an Anchor for the daily routine
How do we select the books?
Follow your child and what your family needs/values are. Buy something specific and unique to your needs. Having said that, there are a few resources/mothers I follow, who share their ideas.
To get ideas on English books I follow
- Website of Mighty Girl
- Instagram of Saranya Raghavan
- Instagram of Rosie
- Instagram of Vaishali
- Amazon Reviews
To get ideas on Telugu books I follow
However, creating a library at home, is a first step and an immediate/short term solution. We ought to also consider looking at a longe term solution. A book for all the kids in our community or society. When greater funds are pooled, the access to the quality of books our kids will have, would be wonderful.
As a concerned citizen of my country/planet Earth and as a concerned mother of a young daughter, I feel the quality of our future lies in the quality with which we raise kids today. The quality of investments we make in them today determines the quality of the ideas and solutions they will come up with for the problems of the future.
Of the investments we should consider for these kids, a good quality public/ Library is an important one.
When I read about the way in which library funds are being cut and cut, I can only think that American society (Any Country/Community)has found one more way to destroy itself — Isaac Asimov
Towards Long Term Solution we could
- Engage with the local libraries, local government to understand about needs, challenges of our community. Get the funding data and accordingly volunteer.
- Collaborate with an NGO already working in this sector, eg: Pratham Books.
- Make Donations of different forms. Monetary, In books form, Other accesories like tables, shelfs etc.
- Volunteer and Contribute to share knowledge or expertise, through storytelling, workshops etc.
- Involve more closely to transform the library into a community place where we do much more than just read books.
Let’s check in with our nearest Library to know more and also in the meantime, keep buying books every month religiously just like any monthly expense we make at home.
PS: The above blog is part of series of blogs I intend to write to spread awareness among my friends and others about the importance of books and libraries in a Child’s life. I am trying to raise funds to donate Children’s Books to at least 10 (earlier it was 4, due to good response we have increased the goal) Gram Panchayat Libraries. It will be great if you can contribute to this initiative. Thank You.
Link to donate: https://donateabook.org.in/campaign/raising-funds-for-libraries-in-gram-panchayats-of-udupi-district-of-karnataka/
Link to know more about this initiative: https://www.facebook.com/nandini.rabelli/posts/10159129247131221
