For those who know me, you can only imagine the joy this brought to me. I love libraries. I love books. I love learning. Most of all, I hope to share this love with my child.
So off we went to the library! We looked around for awhile, picked out some books, picked out one movie and headed to the librarian's desk (These activities overwhelmed my sweetheart at some point and she fell asleep).
Me (with child in arms): I heard there is no age requirement for getting a library card, can I get her a library card?
Librarian: Uh, you coouulllldd. But why?
Me: Because I want to. (I realize this was not the most eloquent or accurate answer, but I wasn't expecting to be questioned, I was unprepared).
Librarian gives me a "you must be crazy" look.
Me: Sooo...can I get her a card?
Librarian turns to other librarian: Can she get her daughter there a library card?
Librarian #2: She could but why would she want to?
Librarian #1 turns to look at me.
Me: So I can?
Librarian #1: We ususally wait until the child is older so they can write their own name on the back of the card.
Me: But you don't have to wait?
Librarian shakes her head.
Me: Good. Then I would like to get her a library card.
Librarian: Ok.
She then proceeds to fill out the information on her computer so I can get Ammely a card. She comes across the question that says, "Would you like your minor to be able to check out movies and other media?" and looks at me as if to say, "Do you see how ridiculous it is to give your child a card at her age?"
Me: Uh, yes ((As I already had a movie ready for her to check out - Baby Einstein)).
Librarian #2: That's probably why you want the card, right? So you can check out more DVDs?
Me: Uh, no. I have things for her to check out. I'd like it to be on her own card.
The point - I guess I must be the only mother in Queen Creek getting their 7 week-old a library card. I really couldn't see why they thought this was so insane. I can't possibly be the only mother who reads books to her infant.
Regardless, Ammely now has her own library card:
This was maybe a more exciting moment for me than for her. But still, she did indeed check out her one movie and several books that we have started to enjoy together.
I then tell my brother (who is currently going to school to be a teacher) about this event and he pulls out this book:
He proceeds to read me portions of the book which say that if you try to make your children do things before they're ready for them, it can be potentially harmful to their desire to learn the activity (such as reading) at all. We need to be careful that what we do for our children is really for our children and not derived out of selfish desires (I want my child to read instead of My child is ready to learn to read).
And I think to myself, great. Seven weeks in and I'm already a terrible mother. Thank you brother. Thank you librarians.
However, as I explained to my brother, I am not trying to make Ammely read. I am reading to Ammely. I maintain that you are never too young to appreciate a good story. You are never too young to appreciate good pictures in a picture book. You are never too young to be learning the principles of language by listening to others speak it. (My brother agrees, by the way. And he in no way was indicating to me that I'm a bad mother - the circumstance just reminded him of what he is learning about currently in his classroom)
Thus, I feel no guilt for getting Ammely a library card.
I love to share the things I love with the people I love. It makes sense to me that the library should be among the first of those things.
No comments:
Post a Comment