"Mom, can I have a book?" "No, not today"

[newholiday]

You know its really sad when people leave the library and say No when their child asks if they can have a book!

 

[CajunDixie]

And do you know why it was refused? Unless you know the whole story maybe you shouldnt judge. There are any number of reasons why the parent refused.

1. The child already has unread library books at home.
2. The child wants a book beyond their reading abilities.
3. The family will not be in town when the book comes due.
4. Its not their usual library to visit.
5. The child has a history of wanting something at every stop the parent makes.....like books at the library, candy at the grocery, toys at WalMart......Parents are allowed to tell their own children no!
6. The child takes a loooooooooong time to chose a book but the parent is on a tight schedule and doesnt have the extra time to help select a book.

 

[piglet too]

I have had to tell my boys that they could not have a book that day for several reasons. Usually it is because they either have 5 unread library books at home, or there was a problem with "losing" a book recently.

 

[browneyes]

Originally posted by CajunDixie
And do you know why it was refused? Unless you know the whole story maybe you shouldnt judge. There are any number of reasons why the parent refused.

1. The child already has unread library books at home.
2. The child wants a book beyond their reading abilities.
3. The family will not be in town when the book comes due.
4. Its not their usual library to visit.
5. The child has a history of wanting something at every stop the parent makes.....like books at the library, candy at the grocery, toys at WalMart......Parents are allowed to tell their own children no!
6. The child takes a loooooooooong time to chose a book but the parent is on a tight schedule and doesnt have the extra time to help select a book.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

The last stanza of this poem is quoted very often around Mother's Day. Hope you enjoy it

The Reading Mother

I had a mother who read to me
Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea,
Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth,
"Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath.

I had a Mother who read me lays
Of ancient and gallant and golden days;
Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe,
Which every boy has a right to know.

I had a Mother who read me tales
Of Gelert the hound of the hills of Wales,
True to his trust till his tragic death,
Faithfulness blent with his final breath.

I had a Mother who read me the things
That wholesome life to the boy heart brings —
Stories that stir with an upward touch,
Oh, that each mother of boys were such!

You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be —
I had a Mother who read to me.

- Strickland Gillilan

 

[monkeyboy]

I had a Mother who read to me.

Me too


and a dad who taught me to shoot dice

 

[piglet too]

Oh, I love that poem! I read to my two younger ones everyday, and I still remember how much I loved it when my Dad read to me when I was little.

 

[DukeStreetKing]

Originally posted by monkeyboy


Me too


and a dad who taught me to shoot dice

And my Grandmother taught me this song (sung using Popeye's voice)

Oh, I loves to go swimmin'
With bowlegged womens

Oops, maybe I shouldn't share the rest of it.

 

[CEDmom]

DH and I read to our DD every day usually several times a day. That doesn't mean that I might not tell her she can't get a book from the library on one occasion. I think the fact that the mother and child came into the library is a good indication that they enjoy reading.

 

[Kimberle]

Brittany constantly "begs" me for books. I can't always say yes or I'd have no room in my house.

 

[monkeyboy]

Originally posted by DukeStreetKing
And my Grandmother taught me this song (sung using Popeye's voice)

Oh, I loves to go swimmin'
With bowlegged womens

Oops, maybe I shouldn't share the rest of it.

Hey me too

 

[CEDmom]

Originally posted by Kimberle
Brittany constantly "begs" me for books. I can't always say yes or I'd have no room in my house.

Oh, I know what you mean. I'm thinking of opening a branch of the library with all the books we have .

 

[UncleKyle]

My mom won't buy me books anymore. She says I have too many already.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

my younger dd doesn't read books, she inhales them. I love to take her to the library or the book store.


it's seldom that I say "no" to a book.

but it does happen, and for valid reasons.

 

[Evil Princess]

There was a rule in my house. Ask for toys at Toys R Us, and you'll almost always get a nose.

If we were in Barnes and Noble or Borders and we asked for a book, we could always have one.

I could open a library with all of my old Babysitters Club books as well! I think I'm missing like four out of over 100 in the series.

 

[cgcw]

We were just at the library this AM and I said this myself to my daycare kids.

It doesn't mean that we don't enjoy the library. We went for storytime. We love the librarian and love to say hi to all our other "library friends". They love to play with the puppets in their forest.

But, I said no to books -- because most times, they just like to pick them out and they don't get read. They do love to return them into the book drop. BUT, my main reason is we have about 1500 children books for them to browse through at my home. If I add more from the library, there is a good chance that it's going to get mixed in with our own library and I will forget to return it. It doesn't mean on occassion we will check books out -- then I make a point of reading them during storytime. But then that means I have to change what I had planned for that day -- that's okay but sometimes I have the story tied into other things we do that day or week.

I will always buy my kids books if they ask (my own, not my daycare kids, although they are not deprived ). Reading is SO important for kids -- even at the early years. I agree with whoever posted that it's a good bet that the kids are read to if they are even at the library.

Just my opinion.

 

[angel's momma]

Originally posted by CEDmom
I think the fact that the mother and child came into the library is a good indication that they enjoy reading.

While this is usually true, you'd be surprised how many families come to the library on a regular basis and absolutely never check out books. I've worked in libraries for 18 years. They might be there for a program, to use the computer, or to check out videos, among other reasons. Yes, I know they may have books at home that they read.

And I just told my own DD6 "No, not today" just yesterday. It was at the end of our "Monday Funday" program that we have once a month for elementary students to come in for crafts, etc. There was a long check out line, I needed to get home to make dinner, and she had just brought home the many books we bought from her school book order.

 

[aprilgail2]

I go with my daughter 2-3 times a week and check out 12-14 books each time, there are times when I just run in to sign up for a program they have for her and she askes for books and I have to tell her no because we already have 14 of them from the library at home. We read at least 30 new books each week and most of those are read 2-3 times each before bringing them back a few days later. She actually ran out of room in her bookcases for new books, I put together a big bunch of her old board books and picture books from when she was a baby and sold them on Ebay.

 

[newholiday]

thanks for the reassurance guys
It just sounds bad when we keep hearing it - but youre right we have no idea whats being read at home - other coworkers have commented on this too - say it sounds sad

 

[believe]

I just told my oldest "No" yesterday because she forgot to bring the one that was due yesterday. It is her responsibility to get the book into the van. She wasn't upset, she knows the rules. She has plenty of books at home to read, so she isn't lacking. We read every night, some morning and some during the day.