High Maintenance Mom

Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers: The Story of Success discusses how summer vacation is a disadvantage for poorer kids because the more wealthy kids go to camp, read books, and have other advantages during the summer. Kids who do not have these advantages often enter school the following year behind their peers. Summer reading programs can help narrow the gap. Reading is an incredible gift and helps kids find / explore their interests. Some kids need gentle assistance in learning to love books. They need to be read to, they need to see others reading, and they need to be given books that are not too challenging or too frustrating. I've found our local librarians are very helpful in finding reading materials for our kids. Most libraries have a Listening and Reading program where kids meet some type of goal to earn a free book. This is N's first year in the "Reading" program and he loves being a "big kid". Barnes and Noble also has a summer reading program for grades 1-6.