KNOW YOUR LIBRARY
A service of the Taos Public Library. March
2015. written by Joanne Forman…….
THE MOST
IMPORTANT JOB IN THE WORLD
A late
friend had words of wisdom: “Parenting is the triumph of unskilled labor.”
Yea, verily!
And yet we all know that it’s the most important job in the world. Fortunately
your Taos Public Library is ready to help, with books on all aspects of this
formidable, sometimes agonizing, ultimately (one hopes) rewarding task.
THE guide is, possibly, still: Dr.
Spock’s Baby and Child Care by the late Dr. Benjamin Spock.( 649.1 Spo.)
Reassuring and practical, it is very detailed, and full of detail about
everything single mothers you’re likely to run into when caring for a new,
small human.
Perhaps just as useful, and still relevant long after his departure from
the scene is The Mister Rogers Parenting
Book, by the late Fred Rogers. His gentle, low-key insight into the fears,
sorrows and joys of a child is a marvelous guide to understanding your own
cherub.
Also helpful: 100 Things I Wish I Knew in My Baby’s First
Year by Randy Dean and Lori Gorno. (649.122Dea.)
It’s a painful topic, but one that only too many face: divorce. And your
library has help: Child Friendly Divorce
by Diane Berry. (306.89). Many have seen (or experienced) children becoming
bounc-
ing balls as parents express their
anger; this book can help avoid that sorry situation.
Further
help and rescue for today’s world can be found in Anchors for the Innocent:
inner power for today’s single mothers and fathers by Gail C.
Christopher.(306.856 C556a.)
An interesting
An interesting topic, especially
for Taos, is Becoming a Bilingual
Family by Stephen and Jeffrey Marks.
(420.42Mar.) In most nations of the world, the teaching of a foreign language
begins in the first grade or even kindergarten. The mantra in the USA, however,
is that it will confuse children. To which this writer has always asked, are
our kids stupider than others? Of course not! And those who grow up in bi-lingual
(or more!) households don’t seem especially confused. In today’s global world,
more than one language needs to become the norm!
Another aspect of today’s life is that expensive treats and ventures are
increasingly beyond the reach of parents. (Why this is so is a whole other
topic!) But there’s help available: The
Big Book of Family Fun by Gwen Ellis (649.1 Ell) shows ways you can enjoy
life without a lot of money.
Something else that can be a big thing of child-rearing today is dealing
with the apparently increasing problem of bullying: Bullyproof Your Child For Life by Joel Haber (649.64Hab.)
It is often with fear, trembling, frustration and sheer angst that
parents face dealing with the troubled, troubling teens. Fear not!
There’s The Everything Parenting a Teenager Book by Linda Sonna, a
sometimes Taos resident. (649.125Son.)
An increasing problem rearing a teen these days can be the computer in
its myriad manifestations. Yes, there’s help: Generation
My
Space by Candice M. Kelsey (305.235Kel.) Good luck!
And there’s help for something all parents dread: How to Raise
A
Drug Free Kid by Joseph Califano.
No matter your offspring’s age, a parent can always use Is That Me Yelling? By Rona Renner
(649.1Ren.) The parent who’s never yelled at their kid is either fibbing or is
a saint. This book can help you keep your cool—no matter how aggravating your
little darling.
Last and very far from least, there is a periodical (your Taos Public
Library has an excellent selection), with a no-nonsense title:
Parenting.
This magazine has a wide range of up-to-date
information about every aspect of this—the most important job a person can do.
Like all public institutions, the library always needs monetary help! If
you can afford to sponsor this or any periodical (or if you can get together
people to do so)—that is an enormous benefit for the entire community.
