My husband and I are both avid readers and we read to our 26-month-old daughter every night before she sleeps. We also take her to the library every Saturday or Sunday to borrow pre-school books.

Our daughter loves to go to the library and have someone read to her. Since she is a well-behaved kid who does not exhibit anxiety with strangers, we decided to take her to the library to listen to story-telling by another adult, accompanied by other kids.

When my daughter and I reached the story-telling room, the female librarian had just started reading to the children. We walked in quietly and stayed at the back.

The librarian stopped reading on seeing us and asked me my daughter's age. I told her. To my surprise, she bluntly told me the story-telling session is meant for children aged four to six only. She said my child was not ready and asked me to take my daughter out of the room.

Must the rule be so strict?

Anyway, I tried my luck by asking her very nicely if she can allow my daughter to try out and I promised I would take my daughter out if she misbehaved.

The librarian replied: 'No. In my experience, children of her age group will cry, make noise and hence will disrupt the story-telling session.'

She again asked me to please leave the room with my daughter and she continued on with her story-telling.

I was disappointed and frankly, a little angry.

I tried to persuade my daughter to leave the room with me but she pleaded with me. She kept saying: 'Read book here. Read book here.' She walked further into the room and sat down on the carpet to listen to the librarian.

I kept trying, but she just continued to sit and listen. She refused to move. So I stayed beside her. To that, the librarian again stopped reading and asked me to please take my daughter out.

I was pretty turned off by her incessant request. Couldn't she see my daughter was eager to listen to the story-telling? She was neither making a noise nor disturbing the other children.

Hence, I told the librarian, quite defiantly, that if I forcefully carried my daughter out of the room, she would surely cry or scream and that would disturb the other children.

Guess what? She still refused to give up.

She said: 'Then will you please leave the room? Parents are not allowed in. When you leave the room, then your daughter will sure cry and leave with you.'

The librarian stopped reading and waited for me to react.

I spoke softly to my daughter, telling her mummy would wait for her outside the room, and left.

I stayed outside at the door to monitor my daughter.

My daughter did not sit throughout the entire story- telling session though. She walked to one of the tables and took one of the books placed there for the children, went back to her original place, sat down and read the book while the librarian continued reading to the older children.

I thought that was all right since she did not disturb anyone.

The story-telling session soon ended. I went into the room to take my daughter out after all the children had left.

The librarian stopped me on the way and said: 'I hope you can understand. This story-telling session is meant for four- to six-year-old children. Your child is not ready. She's not listening at all.'

I ignored her and took my daughter out of the room.

On what basis can the librarian judge whether a child is ready or not? Besides, she repeatedly said my child is not ready, in her presence and that of the other children. Won't that discourage a young child?

I don't think I am kiasu to take my daughter to attend such a story-telling session. I am just trying to encourage her and expose her to different things. Anyway, doesn't the Government encourage parents to engage their children in reading-related activities?

Tay Su Hwei (Mrs)