Blog compiled by Madeeha Khan
Watching a child fall in love with a story is special. Watching a parent share that love alongside them is even more so. That’s what the Libraries in Homes (HBL) Program has always been about for us. We send across books, play material, little prompts to get a story moving but it’s the parents who carry it the rest of the way, turning a Play Set into bedtime rituals, dress up games and experiences we never get to see ourselves.
Every family takes to this differently. Some children take to the activities right away while others need a few tries before a story clicks for them. Parents are usually the first to notice this. They tell us about a page that’s been read over and over, a word their child picked up from a story and started using or a sudden interest in one particular kind of book. We hear about all of this from them and it’s genuinely one of the best parts of this work.
Two parents recently wrote in to share their own experience with us, Namruta’s mother and Survi’s mother. We loved reading their words and felt it was best to share them .
Namruta’s Experience with the Libraries in Homes Program
I am Namruta’s Mother. I am writing a blog about my daughter’s development after using Bookworm’s activities and stories.
The first play set was ‘My Mother’s Sari’, where Namruta participated in draping the sari and acting like a mother. She was happily involved in that activity. She enjoyed the second play set too, ‘Where Is Amma?’. She could not read the story but the pictures helped her understand.
She also imitates the voice of the animals and birds. She enjoys painting, scribbling and matching activities. Now I can see her development compared to the initial playset and that she likes reading the stories.
Survi’s Experience with the Libraries in Homes Program
Bookworm’s Home Library has been very helpful for my kid in many ways. It has created a strong reading habit in her. Instead of spending time only on screen, she now enjoys reading stories, learning new words and doing activities. This service has also improved her imagination and creativity. By reading different types of books – story books, educational books and activities, she is able to think better and express herself more confidently.
Another big advantage is convenience. We do not need to go out to find books, as new books are delivered and exchanged regularly. This keeps my child interested and excited, reading new stories.
Reading Namruta’s and Survi’s stories, simultaneously, their experiences may look quite different. But one thing is common to both. In each case it’s the parent who paid attention and kept showing up day after day, to sit with their child and a story.
This is in many ways the whole point of the program. We can put together the books and the activities but parents are the ones who actually make the experience worthwhile. They sit down and drape the sari with their child. They watch for the moment when a new word gets used and they let the child know they are proud of it. They set aside an hour to read together instead of handing over a screen.
To every parent who has shared their experience with us including, Namruta’s and Survi’s mothers’, thank you for letting us be part of these little beautiful moments in your homes.
