Fireworks Bucks - or How I Went Broke for Summer Reading

July 09, 2012

My seven year-old likes to read, but not every day. I kept asking him to read for his first free book at the Library, but the progress was slow and my nagging was annoying us both. Boom! An idea exploded in my head. I would match his summer reading time with fireworks bucks, fifty cents for each minute he reads!

His reading exploded like a rocket. He started out by reading an hour the first day. He read another hour the second day. Thirty minutes here, forty five there; I was thrilled that he was making the most of his reading. The first week I was so proud of him, and he was excited about his progress. As the month of June ended, I realized that I was going to have to get a raise at work to pay for this hugely successful program. 

The day we went to the fireworks stand was like heaven for him, not so much for me. I realized that I was going to go broke, but he had earned every smoke bomb, parachute, and sparkler in his basket (plus, I would have ended up buying all of this stuff anyway). The smell of smoke and used punks is proof of a successful reading program this summer.

Thank goodness he still can earn another book from the library for the Summer Reading Program! MCPL's Summer Reading Program ends July 31st. Now, I just have to come up with another great idea to keep the momentum going. Wish me luck!

Kat W.
Edgerton Branch