A Getting Ready Month… 

Most of the people I know spend August thinking about school. If they work from home, they’ve been trying to juggle home schooling and their job. If they have to go out of the house to work, a trusted family member or friend is usually caring for the children. But the conversation is all about school. Will schools open? Will children be learning online? Does that work for all children? Do all children have computers and an Internet connection?

My children are grown, so I don’t have to make the difficult decision about sending a precious child to school. But it makes me wonder about other things…

I wonder what a children’s book author can do to help. Can I read stories online for kids? Can I answer questions about what it’s like to write a book for children? Can I help kids figure out whether they might like to write a book? I guess I should start by reading on YouTube and sharing the YouTube address with anyone who is following me!

I hope kids will go to my web site, RedMittenBooks.com, and send me a message about what they would like to hear while they wait to hear about school. Are they thinking about a favorite book? Would they like to tell me about it so I could share it with other kids? Maybe there are kids who have ideas for GREAT books. Books about adventure of exploring or finding treasure. Or books about friends who just like to play together.

I’ve noticed a lot of books that help kids feel better about themselves. Like “It’s ok to cry” and books that make even COVID-19 a little less stressful! An author named Lori Lite writes books like that, and some of them are very funny (like The Angry Octopus)! You might want to check them out. When an octopus is feeling stressed out, it might make it a little bit easier for you to know that you’re not the only one that doesn’t like stress very much!

I wonder how moms and dads will decide if it’s ok to send their children off to school. It’s important that kids play with othe.r kids. And learning is super important. I miss the times when my children were young, but I don’t envy the parents who have difficult decisions to make, protecting their child’s safety and, at the same time, making sure they have the opportunity to experience the kind of learning that will help them grow. Learning has so many parts – it’s so much more than times tables and spelling bees. It’s also about becoming confident, being a friend to others. It’s about becoming who you truly are.

I think that most parents will make a wise decision. They love their children and will pay attention to what the public health people are saying about safety. Most of all, they’ll do their best.