I'm a first-class putterer trying to make sense of my reads, eats, and travels - among other things. Those other things include raising two young'ns, working at a small, rural library, and learning the ropes of self-employment.
It's that time of year! While it's not my favorite holiday, Halloween does feel like the kick-off my favorite season - fall. As a theater major, I've always appreciated the absurdity of celebrating costumes. (A crucial part of a thespians workload.) This year, I've got my two kids' costumes in the bag, and we're stocked up on candy. But I do need to line up a few more things before this Friday:
Finish my own costume. (This happens every year, I get started, and then - SQUIRREL!)
Line-up a fellow preschooler to go trick-or-treating with.
Since eclectic author Neil Gaiman started this tradition, I'll let him introduce you to his spur-of-the-moment idea that's now 14 years old. How long does this take to qualify as a "ritual?"
Brainstorming for library organization lead me to searching Google and Pinterest.com for the phrases "organize kids books" and "sort kids books." These are the photos that made my jaw-drop and parent-envy kick in!
A Pinterest find, though I couldn't find the original poster. The key to this project is in finding double curtain brackets like these at Home Depot or these from Ikea.
Another uncredited Pinterest photo. You'll need 26 paint sticks to make these alphabet dividers. I think I need to do something like this with pictures of characters... ...much like what they did over at TheCardboardCollective.com.
For gadget-heads, a rope and pulley system for hanging baskets. On second thought, let's not start storing baskets of books overhead. But the idea was way too cool NOT to post. Featured at ApartmentTherapy.com.
This vertical bookcase looks easy to do-it-yourself. Picture found at MissySue.com.
A side-table for both books and snuggle buddies! Dimensions at Ana-White.com.
Repurposing magazine holders to sort picture books by topic. More photos at 1plus1plus1equals1.net.
A well thought-out, practical, and lively how-to guide. Pros? Lots of ideas are introduced. The author tackles a variety of problems that may arise, and she acknowledges and encourages evolution of the group as the girls age and change. Best of all, the author pragmatically reminds the reader that every group is unique... use solutions and choices that work for your group.
Cons? Quotes that introduce each chapter all seem to be from mothers. Where are the daughters' voices? Plus, I could've done without the chapter on recipes - that's just me. I would've rather had a section on communicating with all the group members. How to coordinate between meetings and keep everyone up-to-date on logistics... email? telephone? social media - using Facebook, GoodReads, or a blog? But all in all, I can't wait to join a book club with my daughter. (It will be a few years, though!) This book glows with enthusiasm. (Originally posted as SquareSpot on PaperBackSwap.com)
“...TV was entertainment of the last resort. There was nothing on during the day in the summer other than game shows and soap operas. Besides, a TV-watching child was considered available for chores: take out the trash, clean your room, pick up that mess, fold those towels, mow the lawn... the list was endless. We all became adept at chore-avoidance. Staying out of sight was a reliable strategy. Drawing or painting was another: to my mother, making art trumped making beds. A third choir-avoidance technique was to read. A kid with his or her nose in a book is a kid who is not fighting, yelling, throwing, breaking things, bleeding, whining, or otherwise creating a Mom-size headache. Reading a book was almost like being invisible - a good thing for all concerned.”
