Comments | mahasin: Summer Reading Program

mahasin

Summer Reading Program

Mar 27, 2012 09:38

You are the parent of a a child between the ages of 7 and 11 and you do not live in an area with year round school. Congratulations, your kid loves to read and really wants to participate in your local library's Summer Reading Program ( Read more... )

Comments 13

anagramofbrat March 27 2012, 13:50:51 UTC

was this meant to go to da booj?

mahasin March 27 2012, 13:53:14 UTC

Yes, yes it was but you can still answer.

anagramofbrat March 27 2012, 14:06:43 UTC

lol. Fuck yeah library and summer reading programs, prizes or no. Hell, I'd probably use summer reading as an excuse to drag kiddo to the library.

Cool story bro time - the library my mom used to take me to wasn't walking distance from my house (well, okay it was but it was a very very long walk. Interesting how 2 miles in the city is a lot shorter than 2 miles in the boonies of suburban hell...) but we went there instead of the branch closer to us because the kids room was so much bigger and better.

I don't think the prizes detract. I'm all for ANY incentive including bribery to encourage reading.

And fuck yeah summer reading for adults.

mahasin March 27 2012, 14:48:01 UTC

We have a Fall Adult reading program that's awesome :D

Thread 5

ext_906650 March 27 2012, 14:16:41 UTC

While the library isn't exactly on your way (and it isn't in walking distance) do you make an effort to take your child at least once a week so they can redeem their points for cool prizes?

Prizes or not... absolutely yes. My mom enrolled me and my sister in summer reading programs when we were in elementary and middle schools, and we read books all summer long. Or I did, at least. And the prizes were neat -- we got to attend one of the 1997 World Series games! (Marlins fans, what whaaaat.) And we weren't walking-distance to the library... I think it was a 15-minute drive.

Do you instead offer to take your kid once a month and take them to dinner or do some type of family outing of their choice if they hit their reading goal.

Sure, I guess I'd do that. I'd want them to read for pleasure, too, not always to get something in return... but if it gets them to read, I'd be for it. :)

Do you do something else?

I'd probably stick with the family outings, TBH. Happy memories on top of reading skills.

Do you think the prizes detract from ( ... )

we_got_caught March 27 2012, 14:45:18 UTC

I absolutely would make an effort to take my kid. Reading = awesome.
We'll do the dinner thing in addition if they do well enough.
Dude, if it gets them reading, then certainly give them a personal pan pizza.
Totally cool.

zinnea March 27 2012, 17:00:46 UTC

I don't take my kid to the library specifically to participate in this program, no. I don't care what other people do (so, I'm not, like, offended that these programs exist or anything) but if I had a kid I would not incentivize them to do things that I require them to do. No rewards for eating, no rewards for sleeping, brushing teeth, keeping their room from falling into clutter death trap, and so on. My child would read because he loves to read. If he didn't love to read, I'd find out why - is there something that's making it hard for him? (Does he have vision problems? Does he have cognitive difficulties? Etc.) If my child simply didn't enjoy reading (I find this bizarre, but, hey, it happens) then I'm not going to bribe him into it.

janenx01 March 27 2012, 17:54:41 UTC

I loved summer reading programs as a kid, and both my children actively participated every year until they were too old. If they had a middle school/high school/adult reading program we'd still be doing it!

Sometimes the library was convenient and sometimes it wasn't (we've moved a lot), but I think last summer was the first summer ever that they weren't in the summer program.