Kimberly Vance-Lundsbye
Cariboo parents and grandparents have been busy reading and discussing parenting books online for the past two years. The fifth Cariboo-Chilcotin Partners for Literacy Parenting Book Club Group begins at the end of this month and will run through February, reading Divergent Minds: Thriving in a World That Wasn’t Made for You by Jenara Nerenberg.
This group aims to navigate life as a neurodivergent person with autism, ADHD, or other sensory sensitivities. Previous groups have looked at parenting ‘fiery’ children, using technology and online safety, finding and belonging to the ‘village’, and thinking about growing up as an adult in parenting. .
Over the past two years, more than 200 free books have been distributed to Cariboo parents wishing to deepen their understanding of their children and expand their parenting skills. They were offered online in a Facebook group for each book study. Each group lasts six to 10 weeks and includes weekly live video chats, interviews with experts near and far, and participation prizes.
Unlike many programs, this one didn’t need to pivot too much when March 2020 turned our worlds upside down. The original concept of the program was to be delivered primarily online so that parents did not need to find childcare or commit to being available for a certain amount of time each week. Videos and chat remain available in the group so people can watch or read at their own pace.
The only adaptation needed was to find a way to connect the participants when there were no more opportunities to meet in person. Clearance events were meant to be a chance for people to come together for fun and meet the faces behind Facebook. Instead, online clearance events have included musical quizzes and special guests. And per the day’s gathering restrictions, the band’s entertainers can be seen onscreen gathered around a classic Cariboo campfire.
To learn more about our latest online book club, visit the Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy Facebook page.
Kimberly Vance-Lundsbye is the Family Literacy Coordinator for CCPL.
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