Book Buddies

The Artist has taken her first volunteer job after a fashion. She signed up to be a Book Buddy at a local library. The program pairs older readers, such as the Artist, with younger readers or would-be readers. The little ones are 5-6 years old.

During her orientation session, the Artist learned which sort of books, first readers and such, she would be asked to choose and read with her student. Each week now, the Artist and her student, a little girl, sit together with their heads in a book for an hour or so. They are supposed to read three books together each session, and they usually complete their third right on time.

When asked what she has learned from the program, she tells, "It doesn't always go the way you want it to. I'm not really happy about that, but life isn't always the way you want it to be."

Quickly, though, she added, "It is fun reading to others, and if they want to read to me it is fun to know they are learning and to help with the stuff they don't know."

I think the parts she has to cope with that she does not enjoy are mostly enduring strange looks from her student. I get the feeling her student is a little exuberant. There is probably also a degree of the Artist talking down to her student because I notice this happening at home with her brother. Perhaps those strange looks are warranted!

After they read, all the Book Buddies, the older and younger sets, have game time together with a librarian. This continues to be the Artists' favorite part of the sessions. I'll admit I was rather perturbed last week when she came home and told me the librarian said hangman was too violent, so they would play build a princess instead.

The whole experience should be valuable for her. I think she is enjoying being a leader and it is good for her to experience leadership in other areas of her life besides martial arts. And it gives me more opportunities to discuss the idiocies of political correctness with her.