Bawling Babies

The library is supposed to be a quiet, serene, place. Not so. A day does not pass in my library where one child does not sit down in the middle of the floor and start screaming its head off. The screams of these children and babies are more than fits they are temper tantrums, angry bawlings and yellings that always happen to take place right in the middle of the library. This week I was sitting back in the staff room, far away from the main floor when I heard a piercing scream from behind the door. It sounded as if a tiger was mauling a young child. The screaming continued, increasing in intensity. Upon further questioning from my coworkers the incident started because a marker was taken away from this one toddler.

I understand that children and babies cry. It's in their nature. What I do not have tolerance for is their parents who sit with them for several minutes while they cry and cry trying to soothe them. It is clearly obvious to the dozens of people in the library that the parents soothing does not help the child as the screams become ever piercing. But the parent does not seem to understand this and thinks that if they just say the "right" words their child will turn into an angel again. What I want parents to do is as soon as their child starts screaming to take them OUTSIDE the library and then calm them down. It will make the library experience better for everyone. I wish I could make a sign that says this and every time a child starts screaming I could just point to it and motion to the door.

What was he thinking?

I do a baby/toddler storytime each week for caregivers and their little ones. It's a highly interactive experience where the attendees can't be afraid to sing along and look a little silly. Once in a blue moon I get a Dad to participate in these storytimes and I'm always happy to have them. However, I wasn't so sure about the Dad that showed up this week at my storytime.

He walked in, all tatooed, and on his shirt proclaimed the slogan: "Watch midget porn: it will make you feel larger." The mothers with their babies looked at this Dad warily out of the corners of their eyes and shifted in their seats. I think I saw one grip her toddler a little tighter. Now this Dad was great during the storytime and there were no further incidents.

However, afterwards, I asked myself: "What was he thinking?" When he was picking out his clothes in the morning did he say to himself: "Okay, well I'm going to a baby storytime, perhaps the midget porn T-shirt is most appropriate." I don't know what his thought processes were, I'm just glad none of the babies can read yet.

Clever Babies

Babies are clever little buggers.

I do a baby storytime for newborns to toddlers once a week and those little tots keep me on my toes. This week there was a pair of twins, a boy and girl who I believe had devised a devious plan with each other before the start of storytime. These twins were a dynamic duo, moving around stealthily out of my vision while I did the songs and stories of the storytime.

I believe their twin conversation before the start of storytime went like this:
"Okay, now I'll go for that thing that makes the music that she's always messing with while you go around the back for those wonderful shiny things that Mommy always plays with."

So one twin distracted me by pounding on the CD player nearly stopping the songs and whilst I was paying attention to him the girl went around the back of the small table which the CD player was perched for my keys which were under the table. Their mission was completely successful. The little girl grabbed my keys and went back to her seat to (literally) drool over her trophy.

This has taught me two lessons: One is to put my keys in a higher place, and also that babies are clever little buggers.