Watch your kids or accidents can happen.

I currently volunteer at my local library for up to 5 daily, hours starting at the peak of the afternoon. I was stationed at the children’s room, doing the usual, which was placing the fallen books back into the designated shelves. Since the beginning, I’ve always dreaded organizing the shelves in the children’s room, simply because it looks like a tornado passed through. Okay, maybe that was an over exaggeration, but basically imagine children wrecking havoc, running like the library is a playground and screaming in high-pitched rounds.

I understand that children can be out of control. Wild and careless. I accept the general notion that children are unaware of the world, while also learning their surroundings.

BUT.

Please please please fucking be with your children at all times. Especially wild ones with little to no sense. Seriously. Today, a small girl ran around, giggling, no parent in sight. I already anticipated that something bad was going to happen to her. And as soon as I did, BANG. I heard books fall and metal ringing. A piercing wail immediately followed after. I stopped what I was doing, shelving. A few seconds passed by and STILL no parent came to her. The audacity. I followed after her cries and she was there, curled up in such a vulnerable position with one leg out, showcasing a cut imbedded into her delicate skin. I was annoyed, yes, but concerned. I bent down and calmly asked her if she was okay and that I was here to help her. I knew in her eyes, she saw me as some feral beast of a predator. She suddenly stopped crying, surprisingly. Her eyes were huge and round, staring at me. I held out my hand to her because I wanted to help her up. She slapped it away. Fair enough. I kept wanting to help her up, maybe even find her parents if they never showed up to find her wailing.

FINALLY

A grown man sluggishly appeared, phone in one hand with a bright screen (it was turned on). He appeared out of nowhere. He was mumbling like “yeah, yeah she’s fine, ok?” Well, NOW she is. If he had appeared minutes ago, he would’ve seen a a different girl, bawling in a ball.

I get it. Parenthood is hard. Especially if you’re new to all this. But that doesn’t give you an excuse to let your kids run rancid. If you need to rest, rest with a watchful eye. Make sure your kid(s) are in sight. Guard them. If I wasn’t there, who knew what would’ve happened. What if someone grabbed your kid right there and then? What if nobody even came to help?

So fed up.