When I quit working full time, one of the first things I did was rush my kids to story time. Ironflower was 18 months old, Lovebug 3 months. Lovebug mostly hung out in his stroller. I drove to the main branch of the KC library because they had all sorts of neat kids' stuff and a craft room and what have you. I was sure that Ironflower would love it because she loved (and still loves) listening to stories.
It was hell.
Ironflower did nothing but mortify me. She walked around instead of sitting in my lap. She talked during the stories. Sometimes she got up and did a little dance in front of whoever was reading, waving at the audience of parents and nannies.
The only reason I kept putting myself through the humiliation (because, even though this was a story time for young children, I got very few sympathetic looks from the staff when Ironflower acted up. Mostly they were annoyed) was because it was also my chance to check out grown up books. It takes a lot more than humiliation to keep me from getting new reading material.
At around 2 1/2 Ironflower suddenly became the pillar of story time. But that was after we moved here, so I never got to show off her excellent behavior to the people who spent 10 months glaring at me. When Lovebug got mobile, he was always an angel at storytime. I figured it was because he'd been going practically since birth.
Anyway, today ChunkyMonkey and I went to storytime at our local, small library. ChunkyMonkey has also been going to storytime since birth. He does not get up in front of our librarian when she is reading or singing songs. But he doesn't sit in my lap either.
He explores the room, stopping by to hug me frequently. He is usually quiet, but I don't think he's ever sat still for a story or a song. And I feel like apologizing to Ironflower, because ChunkyMonkey and I have a much better time at storytime than she and I ever did. I'm not embarrassed by his behavior or that he doesn't act like all the sweet, docile children (at least, not in this particular instance). Consequently he does his thing and scribbles a bit on the craft and it's all good.
Except when he inspires another child to rebel. Today 2 little girls - normally lap-sitters - noticed what a fine time ChunkyMonkey was having while walking around one of the craft tables. So they too decided to explore. And their mothers tried to corral them. Which made them run faster. And shriek. And pull on the table cloths.
It crossed my mind to make ChunkyMonkey sit down with me. That probably would have helped the other moms settle their girls down. But it also would have meant incurring the wrath of the pissed off ChunkyMonkey. This kind of wrath includes kicking, screaming, biting and throwing things. I looked at him as he toddled toward me. He wasn't shrieking or pulling the tablecloth or disrupting anything. He hugged me and gave me an angelic, then continued toddling around the table.
I totally let him. I believe the librarian cut short her book reading as the 2 girls ran around the craft tables. But that wasn't my fault, was it?
6 comments:
Becky - It's honestly never been a problem before. Maybe the heat was getting to everyone. Mimi might surprise you - I never expected Lovebug to be the one who sat still at storytime!
You are a stronger woman than I. I took the Goober to story time once and he ended up bleeding. Seriously. He jabbed himself with a push pin. There wasn't a lot of blood, but the drama was enough to make me never go back.
Oh wow. I'm actually surprised that none of my children have done that (yet). I don't blame you for not going back!
My kids never wanted to sit still and listen either. There was too much going on around them.
And they got bored, because I told waaay better stories than the librarian, or reader at the local bookstore.
Heeheehee. Sounds like young ChunkyMonkey is a natural-born leader. And you've got yourself a whole new batch of folks to give you the fish eye. Kids. The most entertainment bang for your buck.
My kids never wanted to sit still and listen either. There was too much going on around them.
And they got bored, because I told waaay better stories than the librarian, or reader at the local bookstore.
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