Being home for the holidays is a wonderful time of the year for many throughout southwest Michigan, including my family. This time gives us all a chance to slow down and reflect on the year that has been and the many blessings we have been given. 

Part of the joy of the season is spending time with our families. As parents and grandparents, we cherish the opportunities to reconnect with our children and grandchildren and to share special moments and traditions with them. For many, reading together is one such tradition. I am pleased to offer free resources for our young people that are designed to help them learn about our beautiful state.

For the youngsters in grades two through four, the “Getting to Know Michigan” coloring book is a wonderful, informative resource. It gives kids interesting tidbits about Michigan’s history, folklore and state symbols in a fun, coloring book format.

For the older kids, I offer a student’s guide to the legislative process. It covers all sorts of questions, like how people legislate laws to govern themselves, how an idea becomes a bill, what happens in the legislative process and so forth. In addition to lawmaking, it addresses other topics, like what additional responsibilities the Legislature has.

These publications are a good way to keep kids engaged during the break and are a nice supplement to what they learn in school. Both publications are available for free on my website, along with many more. You can download them at statesenatorkimlasata.com/publications/.

I hope that you have the opportunity to enjoy this time of year with family and friends and to rest and prepare for a new year of possibility.

From my family to yours, merry Christmas and happy New Year.