Story Time is Apparently for the Uptight

Have you gone to your local library’s story time?

Gwyneth and I have ventured out a couple of times, and I can’t help but be confused. Here it is, a toddler story time that is meant for children from nine to 18 months. This is a stage in life where they are unable to communicate aside from yelling, are learning how to crawl or walk and exploring the world around them.

So can somebody please explain to me how and why a story time that is meant for this particular age group expects children to sit and listen to a librarian read a book or follow directions to a song?

Gwyneth is in the running amuck stage and I am powerless to control her unless I want a temper tantrum to occur. Unless she’s in danger, she can run where she wants, especially in a room full of children that is designed and meant for children. I expect nothing but the same from the other parents and their children.

Unfortunately story time is full of a bunch of uptight strict-o parents who like to force their children to sit still, conform and not play with the other children. Lest not forget about the librarian who expects them to listen and gets bitchy when they (the one year olds) approach her while she’s reading.

I honestly expect story time to be children running amuck, touching each other and playing with one another. But there we all are, sitting in a room, judging. God forbid my baby run up behind the librarian, run to the door or gasp! not sit down and listen. Or better yet, call the press when my child touches or interacts with another child.

Instead of a relaxing, encouraging atmosphere it’s a room full of stressed out parents looking over their shoulders making sure their child isn’t playing with other kids or interacting the wrong way with the librarian. And the kids are frustrated with being told no constantly, which just causes them to act out more.

I can’t decide if we should continue going or not, simply because of how crappy it makes me feel as a parent. Why is my child the only one running up front and not sitting down? It just plain makes you feel like shit.

 I feel a calling to go and let Gwen do whatever she wants and not care what anyone thinks, just to prove (mostly to myself) that it's okay. What’s the worse that can happen? We get kicked out of a story time meant for young toddlers for letting my daughter be a young toddler?