Speaking Volumes

There have been many families in the library over the past few weeks that are preparing their children to start daycare, pre-school, kindergarten, or who have children that will be attending their first ‘long’ school days in first grade. There have been kids in the library who are new to town, and regulars in that are moving and will be starting school in a new town. The first days and weeks of a new school year are often fun and exciting; students are getting to know their teachers and meeting new friends. But for many children (and some parents!) that excited feeling is accompanied by some anxiety. Will I like school? Will I make friends? What if I miss my parents?

It’s important to talk with children about their fears and give them tools to help them overcome anxious feelings. As is written in the foreword, The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn, is "a story for any child who confronts a difficult situation." This book is a gentle story of a mother's love for her anxious son, and is a perfect tool for starting a conversation with your child about their fears. “When Chester the raccoon is reluctant to go to kindergarten for the first time, his mother teaches him a secret way to carry her love with him…" Chester’s mom teaches Chester the ‘very old secret’ of the kissing hand- and you can teach your child too.

Use this beautiful story to talk to your child about things that make them scared, such as starting something new or going someplace for the first time. Use it to talk about what it means to miss someone. And, use it to give your child their own kissing hand, because a kissing hand will stick- it won’t wash off and they can always carry it with them!

Stop by the library to check out our copy of The Kissing Hand, or its sequel, Pocket Full of Kisses. Good luck and best wishes to all those starting a new school year!