You know those wonderful kids who sit quietly on the rug during storytime at the library? Well, my kids are wonderful, too, but whenever I brought them to storytime they wiggled, blurted, stood in the way, got distracted, wouldn’t listen, and we left early. I eventually stopped going altogether. Partly because it was so much work, it was embarrassing (I should have charged admission to our circus!), and we all ended up rather frustrated. 

Talking about expectations and rewards ahead of time was no match for the impulsivity that coursed through my kids when they were in a fun place with lots of people. I didn’t want to make things hard on the children’s librarian or unpleasant for the other patrons. And I was constantly worried about the kids damaging items we checked out, anyway. Consequently, we missed out on many opportunities at the library. This was a tough call for me to make. I remember loving my family’s trips to the library when I was little. But, I figured we had ample books at home, so we could skip out on the aggravation. 

However, events that occurred since that time have completely changed my outlook. First, we decided to move. We packed up every last book from our home library and put the ridiculous number of boxes in storage. Second, we didn’t end up moving, but my sweet mom moved in with us to recover from major surgeries. Third, we didn’t have room to bring back all of our stuff, so I ended up taking our youngest girls to the library regularly. The following is what I have learned from going back.

Go for the Kids

I had made the trips to the library about me. I was wrong. It’s all about the kids. Each of them are unique. Some will sit nicely and quietly; others can’t or won’t. That’s okay! If people assume your parenting is at fault, they haven’t had the chance to raise a spirited child. Don’t take offense. Just remember that your kids deserve to be there, too.

Getting Creative Pays Off

So what if my one-year-old couldn’t sit still in the circle? That girl is going places! But to entice her to sit in my lap and stay for a little while, I brought her bottle and small, dry snacks. I’m pretty sure the librarians would prefer not to have food in that room, but desperate times call for desperate measures. So go ahead and bring an incentive for your child to stay for a bit so they get used to it being routine.

Hang In There

When she was done sitting on my lap, I followed my toddler out to look at toys and books and let my older child stay for the rest of storytime and crafts. There are no rules that say you have to stay in one place in the library. Let your child have the freedom to explore. Even when things don’t go as planned, choose to stay. Both you and your child will benefit in the long run.

Let Them Take the Lead

Once my older daughter figured out she could select books to bring home, she started bringing her own grocery sack. Before I had even put a few in my bag, she had hers full. She knew exactly what she wanted; there was no perusing. In just a short time, she had become the library queen. I learned to pay attention when she picked out her own books. It surprised me to find what her interests were. This was a great opportunity to get to know my own child better. It’s hard to believe I nearly passed up that chance.

Create Lasting Friendships

While I didn’t become fast friends with all the parents attending storytime, I did get closer with a couple. In fact, I met a mom who recognized my daughter as her son’s preschool classmate. We enjoyed many outings and playdates together after that. Our friendship still means so much to me. You never know when or where you might find your village, so be open to striking up a conversation with your neighbor in the library. You might just end up decorating sugar cookies at their house! 

I used to cringe at the thought of taking my busy kids to the library. But after changing my perspective, it has become one of the highlights of our week. Now, the only thing I’m slightly embarrassed about is how long it takes us to scan our truckload of books at the self-checkout counter.

In the comments, please share your tricks for making the library a special place for you and your family.

Photo by Anita Jankovic on Unsplash