SUMMER SANITY SAVERS FOR PARENTS

Summer vacation is only a few weeks away. I remember
that feeling of dread back when my son was in
elementary and middle school. I saw my freedom
vanishing – the freedom to do errands, go shopping
or have lunch with friends – disappear when school
closed for 2 and 1/2 months. With no family nearby to
babysit my young son, my only resource was a one
day a week Mother’s Day Out church nursery.
I eventually found out about other child-related
programs available in my community which probably
saved my life and my sanity. That was back in the 70s
and early 80s. Today there are many more choices.
One of the best of these in many local communities
is the local public library. These libraries now offer
a variety of activities for toddlers to teens. It’s not
limited to reading programs these days. Today’s column
is aimed at giving you a brief overview of what’s
available at Texas City‘s Moore Memorial Library this
coming summer.
The Summer Reading Program still exists but in a
much more updated version. There is a division – the
Growing Reader – for children 12 years and younger
– who listen to or have help reading stories. The second
division is the Reader, for older children able to
read on their own. For every 40 books or 10 hours
read, kids get to choose a book from the prize box.
There is no limit to how many times you can turn in
a book log so the more they read, the more books
they receive. Teenagers 13-18 receive a free book
for the first 10 hours they read and an entry into a
drawing for a bookstore gift card. For each additional
10 hours of reading, the teens receive another entry
for the drawing. (Adults can also participate to earn
tickets for the bookstore gift card drawing.) Teen and
adult reading logs will be available at the reference
desk while children’s reading logs can be picked up
in the children’s department. For more information
about summer reading programs, visit the reference
desk or call 409-643-5977.
But as those television commercials say, wait
– there’s more! On Tuesday, June 12, the Houston
Museum of Natural Science docents from the Docents-
to-Go program will present a program, Birds,
featuring a variety of birds and their fascinating ancestral
roots. The museum will bring real artifacts
and specimens to see and touch.
The Moody Gardens Road Show will visit on June
26 to talk more about a specific bird: the penguin.
Those attending can learn about penguins’ palaces
and different types of penguins and their habitats.
And on Tuesday, July 3 the Houston Museum of
Natural Science docents will return for the program
Authentic Africa, about the rich and varied history,
geography, peoples and cultures of Africa. These
programs are for children ages 6-12 and will take
place in the Holland Meeting Room.
All of the above information is just a sample of this
summer’s offerings. There are Storytimes as well as
some really interesting craft activities and a Teen
Summer Book Bash and much more. All of these activities
are free! I’ll try to provide more info in a future
column. Meanwhile you can stop by Moore Memorial
at 1701 9th Avenue North in Texas City and pick up
the Moore Times April edition and learn more.