وَصَلَتْ لُورِينُ إِلَى قَطَرَ قَبْلَ وَقْتٍ قَصِيرٍ. وَفِي شَهْرِ يُولْيُو سَنَةَ ٢٠١٩، ذَهَبَتْ مَعَ أَطْفَالِهَا إِلَى مَكْتَبَةِ قَطَرَ الْوَطَنِيَّةِ فِي الدَّوْحَةِ. وَهُنَاكَ، فِي مَكْتَبَةِ الْأَطْفَالِ، كَانَ بَرْنَامَجٌ لِلَّعِبِ. وَكَانَ لِلْأَطْفَالِ الصِّغَارِ حَتَّى عُمْرِ ثَلَاثِ سَنَوَاتٍ، وَلِأَطْفَالٍ يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَى دَعْمٍ خَاصٍّ، وَلِأَهْلِهِمْ. وَفِي الْبَرْنَامَجِ، كَانَ الْأَطْفَالُ وَأَهْلُهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ مَعًا، وَيَصْنَعُونَ أَعْمَالًا يَدَوِيَّةً. وَكَانَ فِي كُلِّ نَشَاطٍ شَيْءٌ جَدِيدٌ لِلْحَوَاسِّ. كَانَ الْأَطْفَالُ يَلْمِسُونَ أَشْيَاءَ نَاعِمَةً وَأَشْيَاءَ خَشِنَةً. وَكَانُوا يَرَوْنَ أَلْوَانًا كَثِيرَةً، وَيَشُمُّونَ رَوَائِحَ جَدِيدَةً، وَيَسْمَعُونَ أَصْوَاتًا مُخْتَلِفَةً. وَكَانَتِ الْأَنْشِطَةُ تُعَلِّمُهُمْ أَيْضًا كَيْفَ يُشَارِكُونَ فِي مَجْمُوعَةٍ. قَالَتْ لُورِينُ: «هَذِهِ أَوَّلُ زِيَارَةٍ لِي إِلَى الْمَكْتَبَةِ. وَأَنَا سَعِيدَةٌ، لِأَنَّ فِيهَا أَنْشِطَةً كَثِيرَةً لِأَطْفَالِي. وَأُحِبُّ أَنْ أَتَكَلَّمَ مَعَ الْأَهَالِي الْآخَرِينَ هُنَا.» وَقَالَتْ أُمٌّ أُخْرَى اسْمُهَا سَنَاءُ: «هَذِهِ هِيَ الْمَرَّةُ الثَّانِيَةُ الَّتِي أَحْضُرُ فِيهَا نَشَاطًا هُنَا. فِي هَذِهِ الْأَنْشِطَةِ، يَتَعَرَّفُ أَطْفَالِي عَلَى نَاسٍ مِنَ الْمُجْتَمَعِ. وَأَنَا سَعِيدَةٌ لِأَنَّ مَكْتَبَةَ الْأَطْفَالِ تُنَظِّمُ بَرَامِجَ مُمْتِعَةً لِلصِّغَارِ، لِيَقْرَؤُوا، وَيَلْتَقُوا بِغَيْرِهِمْ، وَيَتَعَلَّمُوا.» أَمَّا لُورِينُ، فَقَدْ شَعَرَتْ بِالتَّرْحِيبِ هُنَاكَ. وَكَانَ الْجَوُّ فِي الْمَكْتَبَةِ رَائِعًا فِي رَأْيِهَا. وَقَالَتْ إِنَّهَا سَتَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهَا مَعَ أَطْفَالِهَا كَثِيرًا.
Lauren had arrived in Qatar not long before. In July 2019, she went with her children to Qatar National Library in Doha. There, in the Children’s Library, there was a play programme. It was for young children up to three years old, for children who need extra support, and for their families. In the programme, the children and their parents played together and made crafts. Each activity had something new for the senses. The children touched soft things and rough things. They saw lots of colours, smelled new smells and heard different sounds. The activities also taught them how to take part in a group. Lauren said: “This is my first visit to the library. I’m happy, because it has lots of activities for my children. And I like talking with the other parents here.” Another mother, named Sanaa, said: “This is the second time I’ve come to an event here. At these events, my children get to know people from the community. And I’m happy that the Children’s Library organises fun programmes fo