Well, more proof that larger libraries have no idea how we smaller libraries have to opperate. We got an email forwarded to us from the "head" of our cooperative about library/teenage relations. Apparently we are supposed to be sweet and funny to obnoxious kids so that they don't get their precious feelings hurt. And we must treat them like real people. She feels they are simply wonderful, yet misunderstood and underserved, people. I have placed this email in a special file called, "Proof that Administration Does Not Deal With the Public Often." She basically tells us that teens are patrons just like everyone else yet we must speak their language. In my experience this means poor grammar, closed mouths, and run together words. (example..."y' lume on 'puer?" This is translated, "You log me on computer?" What happened to the other words????)
I have to wonder how often the author of this email has had to deal with being cussed out by teenage boys. From her library's website they obviously have more computers than we do so I doubt that they have as many problems with kids fighting over the internet. I love teenagers (for the most part). I don't mind working with them but I do mind working with anyone who is rude and tries to act big and bad and as if rules do not apply to them. Remember, I work in the "ghetto." I know where she works and it's not the ghetto.
I do believe this puts me at an awkward spot...as a Christian I should be reaching out to the world. I want to reach out to these kids. I want to befriend them. I want to share Jesus with them. I want them to do better for themselves than what most of their parents have done. However, I also fight the flesh. My flesh wants to yell and scream at them and kick them out. What is the boundary between showing love and being a doormat? You act nice to them and they walk all over you. Half the time I want to ask the police department to come and do fingerprinting during summer reading so that they will have the kids' prints on file for the future.
Not all teenagers are horrible. I have several in here at this moment who are getting books for the last minute summer reading that they have put off but they seem to be good kids. My co-worker is in high school and she is great. Teenagers like them are easy to get along with. The others.....I can't wait for school to start back when we will only have to deal with kids for about 2 hours a day.
Oh, when reading the email, FrogN removed herself completely from the teenage class...something most of us have already done.
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FrogN is writing you a comment for your blog! :) FrogN would like to explain why she took herself out of the 'teen' category. She just does not like to be put in categories of any type. Categories are boxes. Please do not put FrogN in a box. They are dark and cramped and FrogN does not apreciate being forced into a square shape. Thank you for listening to FrogN's rant.
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