Tuesday 9 July 2013

Guest Post By My Mum: My 45 Grandchildren

It's been a while since my Mum's last guest post; if you missed that one, you can find it here. It is, I believe, well worth reading.

Now for today's guest post:

My 45 Grandchildren
Though I have no biological grandchildren, I have 45 "adopted" ones. How is that? Well, I do  voluntary work at a kindergarten with 45 kids between 3 and 6 years old. 
In my home town we have a social network called "Vorlesepaten", literally meaning "read-out-godmothers (or -fathers)". It sounds a bit odd in English....:-) Altogether, there are about 60 of us, 50 women and 10 men, who visit kindergartens or elementary schools weekly to read to the children (picture books, fairy tales or other stories).

We have many children with an immigration background who nobody ever reads to at home, at least not in German. It is also a question of focusing; my task is to teach them how to sit and listen, to be quiet and to understand what they hear. Of course they are allowed to ask questions, and often they are very eager to tell me something very, very important of their own experience, for example, when I read a story about a little dog, or a teddy bear, they can contribute a lot to the subject.
It is really very cute, how they enter into the stories, they mostly take it for real. I love going there on Wednesdays so very much. The kids know when I come, and they run to me, hug and kiss me, chatting and telling me their news, show me a new dress, new shoes, or a new hair grip and tell me what happened to them recently.
And the kindergarten teachers are very nice, too. They invite me to their fĂȘtes, outings, Christmas and Easter celebrations. Everyone makes me feel very welcome, and very much part of it, and those hours with the kids give me a lot.

- - - End of guest post - - - 
Actually, one of those outings was already mentioned in a previous guest post of my Mum; you can find that one here

I think it's great that my Mum does this voluntary work! What she has not told you is that she is the one who organizes all the other volunteers of this program. She gives them very valuable tips on how to deal with the children and the staff at the institutions where they read (which is by no means always a piece of cake!), helps choosing books appropriate for the age of the children, and so on.

Last Saturday, we had a community summer fest for our part of town, held at the school centre (it comprises an elementary school and two schools for further education as well as a sports centre and a branch of the town library). My Mum had been asked to read to the children at the library, and my sister and I went along.


The weather was wonderful, and many activities for children were taking place outside; that made for an audience a bit smaller than expected. Still, it was very nice for us to see our Mum "in action"! Of course, I did not take any pictures when the children were there; these were taken before the reading started to give you an idea of how nicely everything had been prepared.
Here's my Mum's biggest fan, can't wait for the reading to start :-D

Afterwards, we took a stroll across the fest, had something to eat and drink, and an ice cream later; we talked to people we knew and people we'd never met before, had a look at all the stalls and eventually walked home on this beautiful sunny afternoon.

20 comments:

  1. What a wonderful thing for your mother to do! It gives something to the children and something for her too!You and your sister are certainly very proud of her! I feel very inspired reading about this, Meike!

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    1. That's nice to hear, Kristi, and it will make my Mum happy to know that her post inspired you.

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    2. You are absolutely right, Kristi, it gives a lot for both sides!

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  2. Very cheerful atmosphere at the library with the red chairs and those cuddly cushions on the floor :) I think they have reading sessions like that at our main library, I'm not sure how often or who does the reading though (whether staff or volunteers). About kindergartens I know even less!

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    1. This reading program is, I think, very useful. As my Mum mentioned, there are way too many children whom nobody ever reads to at home, no matter the language; more often than not, the TV replaces what used to be bedtime story sessions with small children.
      Yes, the library is really tailored to children and young people; it is, after all, the school's library.

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    2. Here we have that reading program since 6 years now. I organize meetings, for changing experiences. Most of the readers are already retired, but not all of them, there are a few young women as well.

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    1. She definitely is, Frances!

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    2. Thank you, Frances, for your kind comment!

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  4. What a wonderful guest post from your Mum! I knew that she did this but I love the photo of your Mum and where she reads to the children! (Even though we have no photo of the children, I can imagine them all excited listening and then having their say about what they have just heard.) Just think, over the years, how many children may love reading just because of your Mum!

    Love the photo of you, Meike, sitting in the chair, your Mum's biggest fan!

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    1. Thank you, Kay!
      I liked sitting on the tiny chair; clearly it wasn't meant for someone my size, but I enjoyed having (more or less) the same perspective as a child would have.
      And I hope you noticed the heart-shaped cushion :-))))

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    2. Sorry for not showing pictures from the kids, but in Germany it is not allowed to publish photos without the permission of the photographed people, and that's a bit difficult...

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  5. There are so many wonderful programs like this that need volunteers, people who can make a real difference in the lives of others. Brava to your mother for all she does for these children!

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    1. Thank you, messymimi! I know my Mum will be well chuffed reading yours and the other comments, and she'll probably reply as well.

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    2. I wonder, why so many retired people complain about their annoying and boring life, when there are so many volunteer's task to do. That makes life rich.

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  6. I have nothing but admiration for you Meike's Mum for doing such work. I first came across it in a library many years ago in Canada and thought it was a wonderful thing. So many children are never read to and such an opportunity in the language they will need in their current country is such an advantage for them.

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    1. Graham, I still "blame" my parents for my love of books. They read to us all the time when we were little.

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    2. I confess myself guilty.... ;-)

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  7. I used to read to chi;dren of all ages in public libraries in the 60s /70s when I was a librarian. I can't say it was my favourite job but I would enjoy it a lot more now. Our local library still has a nursery reading morning on a Thursday and I often eavesdrop on them. It's great but I wouldn't dare try to take a photo nowadays because, sadly, everyone is so suspicious of men photographing children.

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    1. It's good to know your local library still holds a regular nursery reading, John, and how nice to know you did something similar to what my Mum enjoys so much!
      I would understand people worry about pictures when you add the full name and address of the subject(s), but sometimes people seem to be rather paranoid about the whole privacy thing, while on the other hand they have no qualms about being on facebook and twitter and sharing the most personal information about themselves voluntarily.

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