1000 Books Before Kindergarten Update

The new kits for 1000 Books Before Kindergarten have been ordered. Kits are available on a first come, first served basis, so please keep an eye out on this blog for the announcement of the availability of the new kits. You’ll hear about it here first.

Check out my Summer Reading Slide Show!

Live Your Dreams!

There is something that I have to remember to tell myself every once in a while and I think it is something that is really important for adults and children alike. I tell myself to remember to live my dreams. I know, I know, it sounds corny and besides, there is so much to do – job, volunteering, Storytime, tee ball, swimming lessons and more. Yet, you and your children must have dreams and goals.

It is so important not to lose track of your dreams in your everyday life. Tell your children that they can be an astronaut, write a book, or ride an elephant. Tell them that it doesn’t matter what your dreams are. As long as they are meaningful to the dreamer, that is all that is important. Of course, you must also tell your children that they must also work hard, go to school, learn about their dream, practice, and most importantly, be brave.

You see, I have learned that there is a moment when you are so close to achieving your dream that you can almost touch it. It is then that fear and doubt sets in. It happens to adults and children. It is then that you must tell yourself or your child that they deserve to achieve their dream and mean it.

For the parents out there deeply entrenched in the daily activities of taxi driver, nurse, den mother/father and all the other jobs of parenting, promise yourself that you will make a start and set a deadline for yourself. When my children were young I told myself that I would write that book I’d always wanted to write when my youngest went to college. I kept that promise and am now busy researching my book. It gave me something to look forward to in those early days and something concrete to do when I was feeling the first stirrings of my empty nest.

I’ve since found the outline of the story I want to write and researched it. That took me all of freshman year. I am excited to say that my daughter started her sophomore year a week ago and I will begin the actual process of writing. It just feels so good to live your dream. By living your dreams you will show your children how to live theirs.