I read an interesting blurb in the Fred Rogers Company’s Professional Development newsletter about the power of listening to young children.  A good reminder in busy times, that young children need us to give them time to talk, and to show them that we hear and understand what they say.  It talks about the importance of letting kids say things that you are a little uncomfortable about hearing, and also about how good it is to get down to their level, so they can talk to you while looking in your eyes (and not strain their necks).

Come to think of it, people of all ages crave a listening ear…as librarians well understand!  Cindy Beyer, a youth services librarian from Port Washington and a participant in last year’s Youth Services Institute, put it this way:  children’s librarians are like the bar-tenders for stay-at-home parents.

So, thanks for listening!