books & kids

i've written already about keeping books by the rocking chair for bedtime stories around here. i wanted to share how special book are to me and i'm trying to make them just as special with my boys. i did this when blake was little and just last week had the fun opportunity to do it with liam. we have books, yes, and we go to the library and such. but.....each kiddo gets to join the book of the month club for a while. blake did it for about 2 years and i'm hoping to do it that long with liam. i'm not normally a fan of clubs. there's a certain dvd club that i swear is like being in prison. anyhoo the children's book of the month club is something i really like. the fun part is always the beginning, when you get like 5 books for $5. and the requirements are that you buy 2 books within a year. the prices are equal to barnes & noble, $10 or so. i can handle that commitment. just like the other clubs they send you a selection for that month and if you don't want it you don't have to get it. btw, you can do everything online now, so you don't have to worry about mailing something on time or spending money on stamps. the thing is, i really like the monthly selections. and the club is completely tailored for your child's age, so since i'm doing this for liam, all the book choices are his age.


to him, there's something really special about getting the package in the mail and opening it up. and the free gift was a little tote, which he proudly carries all his books around in. and here's the deal, these are HIS books. all the other books in the house we all share, but these are for him only. his brother's can't touch them, and well, that just doesn't happen, ever! so when a kiddo gets an awesome package in the mail and it's all theirs, and it even comes with a bag to carry them in, it really starts a foundation for a love of reading. liam has had me read his books to him over and over and over this last week, he just loves them!! he carries that little bag all over the house and by now his baby brother just leaves it alone, he just knows it's a no-no lol. i want to believe this is why blake loves books and why he reads 2 grade levels above what he is in so my fingers are crossed that i'm doing the same for liam. while i can't buy him a new book every month, there will be times when the extra money is there for one and i have a feeling it will be a long time before he gets tired of his first little library :)


i chose his first books carefully. one is a hardback with no pics, just for bedtime and nap times stories :) the boy who doesn't want to share, for obvious reasons haha---and the entire book rhymes so he has me read this one most often. the middle child blues, well, he is a middle child and the way the book talks about the bad things and then ends up with the good--just cute :) so you get the picture. he rarely takes them out of the bag but when he does he has a very special place for them. i have a black table in the living room that is off limits to the kids and they know it. well since it's his first library he gets to keep them there and he thinks this is the coolest thing ever :) 


and ya know, this doesn't have to be a club, you can do it however you want. i just personally like the club and my kids love getting mail, especially packages with books :) 


some pics~

:))