At MADL We’re All About…Babies!!!

Dearest Voracious Readers,

 

Let's talk about....babies! But first, another tidbit about librarianship.  Most of us go into the profession with a vague warm and fuzzy about "helping people" but it really takes us getting that shiny degree and walking into our first professional library jobs to figure out our niches in library world.  Who do we vibe with?  We love all of our patrons, but for me, my passion lies in creating adult programming and interacting with adults.  Not to say that I haven't spent my fair share of time in the land of picture books, shaker eggs, rhymes, and dancing around with the kiddos til my knees positively begged me to stop, but at Norton Shores we have someone who has turned boogying with the babies into an art form and that is Ms. Jenn.  Every Wednesday morning at 11:30 am she is out there absorbing all the cooing, flailing, and spit bubbles of appreciation as she entertains those babies like she's putting on a Broadway Extravaganza.

 

So, you may be wondering-why a story time for babies?  Aren't they too little to get benefit from it?  Well, the answer to that question is no and here is why:

 

Reading to babies helps them build their language skills. It may sound like a bunch of nonsense to a baby, but the more words they hear the stronger their language skills get.

 

It boosts brain development.  Babies' brains grow astronomically in the first year of life.  At story time they will hear different voices, see different illustrations, and  get their little baby mits on all different sorts of textures (especially if you stay and visit Storyville after story time is over).

 

They get social interaction. At six months babies begin to show interest in other babies and at around 12 months they are ready to interact with other babies.  Perhaps just as importantly, mom and dad get social interaction with other parents who have babies around the same age. How awesome is it that while your baby is learning and making friends you can also bond over baby milestones and console each other when you're a wee bit late because a diaper blowout occurred just as you were getting ready to walk out the door?  And if you are a few minutes late? Don't even worry about it! Jenn will be happy to see and your baby no matter when you show up.  Life happens. Baby stuff happens.  Jenn's a mom. I'm a mom. We totally get it.

 

So,bring us those babies y'all!  And yes, we have story time for other age groups as well, but that's for another post.  Until then, see you at the library!