From Babies to Teens: How Your Children’s Librarian Can Grow with Your Kids
Your library has the resources needed to support your child at any age
As a new parent, your world is filled with so much wonder, joy, and hope, but there can also be a sense of gnawing uncertainty. It takes a village to raise a child, but what if you don’t have a village?
As it turns out, that village may be sitting right under your nose. Public libraries are designed to serve the entire community, and that extends to new parents like yourself and your children. Here’s how your local library and children’s librarians can support your child from infancy to adulthood and beyond.
Activities for New Parents and Their Little Ones
Although a library’s main selling point is typically its book collection, there are surprisingly many activities for children who haven’t yet learned to read. Librarians frequently host read-aloud storytimes for kids of all ages. Exposure to language in this way helps young children learn to talk, read, and socialize with those around them as they continue growing.
Also worth mentioning is the sheer number of resources that librarians have put together for new parents like you. Many libraries host resource drives, parenting workshops, and other events where you can gain the items and skills you need to support your child while forming bonds with fellow parents.
This allows you to form a community, find people who will support you, and seek advice from those with more hands-on experience. To put it simply, the library is a great place for parents and children alike to gain important life skills.
Picking That Just-Right Book
Elementary schoolers and tweens, especially those gifted in reading and writing, are at an awkward spot in their reading journey. They’ve outgrown all of the picture books and basic chapter books they learned to read with, but they’re not quite old enough to delve into the more mature themes associated with young adult and adult literature. It’s, therefore, one of the most challenging age groups to find books for, but what better place to start than the local library?
There is also the fact that public libraries offer just about any book you can think of, but that’s not the main reason why they’re such a great resource — it’s the librarians running them. Your local librarian can help your child find books that are age-appropriate, match their reading level, and appeal to their interests. This ensures that, no matter what, your child will always have a good book in hand.
Giving Teens Academic, Emotional, and Professional Support
Your child’s teenage years will likely be some of the most challenging they’ve faced in their short lives, but also some of the most rewarding. They’re sure to be full of opportunity: new schools, new friends, the opportunity to get a car and a job, and more. Your teen is well on their way to becoming an independent adult, and these next few years will be their chance to make some major strides in that direction.
However, these aren’t exactly easy strides to take. School is as challenging as ever, if not more so. They may be going through an emotionally draining period of self-discovery or may simply be discouraged by an increasingly difficult job market. Though you may not expect it, librarians can help with all of these issues.
There are, of course, collections of books, study rooms, and other resources for your child to stay on top of their schoolwork. What’s more unexpected is that many public libraries offer mental health services, and librarians can help your teen find the mental health resources they need.
The same goes for job applications. Librarians can help your teen craft a resumé and cover letter, teach them how to conduct themselves in an interview, and arm them with the skills they need to succeed in the workplace.
Though your teen’s needs are many, your local librarian likely has solutions for them or knows someone who does. We encourage you to stop by next time your teen is having trouble to see what your librarian can do!
If you’d like to learn more about the many ways that public libraries can serve you and your family, check out the stories on our Families feature page today!
Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries.
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