Hit Me Again

In a judgemental voice iced with meanness she said, "He doesn't go to school, does he?"

"No," I replied, wondering where that look in her eye was taking this conversation.

She said, "Well, I can tell.  At school they teach children to follow the rules."

"What do you mean by 'you can tell'?  What rules is he not following?" confused me asked.

Instead of answering, she all of a sudden became too busy to talk about it anymore.


That's the short version of a conversation I had today with a part-time librarian.

The long version ends with me in tears and my pulling Reuben and Peter from the morning library program so I could go home and sob in solitude.  Are my children obsessive rule breakers and I am totally unaware?  Am I training them all wrong?  What is she talking about?  I was so hurt that she made those comments and then wouldn't talk to me about it any more.


The director of the library, Linda, called me later to apologize for the other librarian.  It seems that Audrey, the part-time librarian, thinks Peter is too old to sit and listen to story time.

"The program is for 2-4 year olds and he is seven.  He shouldn't be in there," Audrey very black and whitely declared.

Therefore, according to her, he is breaking the rules.  And I should enroll him in school so that he can learn how to follow the rules.

I was so surprised and caught off guard.  Why is Audrey out-of-the-blue slamming our decision to homeschool?  Linda has always welcomed Peter to sit and listen to story time.  It's not like this insignificant event of the librarian reading a story is happening in a private room.  They are all just sitting on the floor in a nook of the library, parents sitting around the perimeter and younger babes toddling around. She even includes Peter by letting him help pass out supplies and such.

On the phone, Linda assured me that both boys are welcome and she has never had a problem with their behavior.  She said this was not the first time she has had to apologize for Audrey's outspokenness.

Wow.  Two surprise attacks this week.  Adoption and homeschool.  I'm trying to evaluate my life to determine what aspect will be hit next.  All I can think of is something to do with me being from California or my roll as a pastor's wife.  Might as well hit me while I'm down.