Of all the things that make me feel like a bad mom (and believe me, there are plenty) one that always seems to make me guilt ridden is the library. Crazy but true. As I'm driving to the library and planning how I'm going to tell the librarian that I can't seem to find 3 books even though I just de-junked my house, and yes my child spilled a little something on that book and I know that all my books are late-- the guilt and anxiety start to wreak havoc. I feel like I have to admit to a clergy that I was necking. As I was talking to the librarian he made some very friendly suggestions, such as look under the couch (my furniture has all been moved to clean carpets) or try under the beds (cleaned those during de-junking.) I feel like some sort of negligent mom who can't keep track of things. Which, apparently, I can't. Even with my newly applied efforts at organization, where we have 1 place for library books, they still get lost.
But, it gets worse.
Last week in an effort to return things on time I quickly went through the drive-thru to drop off some stuff that I knew was late. I returned home to find a message from the library where the lady not-so-kindly informed me that a book on tape was returned with something on the case that "looked like dried blood as if someone had a bloody nose all over it." OK, that is disgusting. BUT NOT TRUE. I know we lose books and Eden isn't always soft with them but my kid would not get a bloody nose all over something and then I just return it to the library all willy-nilly. Now, I'm worried that I've been blacklisted. It is on my account. Everytime I call in or check something out I will be flagged as the lady who turned in the bloody nose stuff. Wonderful. Just wonderful. Should I avoid going to the library all together? Or get a card out under my daughter's name so I can have a fresh start?
Maybe it's just me. Or my library. I have to say, in the new town we're in these librarians are much more like the kind I was scared of in school than the sweet old lady type.
Please people, am I the only one?
PS
I did pick up the offending tape case which OBVIOUSLY had chocolate on it. I cleaned it myself to avoid the $1.50 fine of them cleaning it. Chocolate/Blood, anyone could mistake the two.
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6 comments:
You're definately not the only one at odds with your local library! 90% of the time we are late returning our books - a habbit I'm really trying hard to change since Hawaii library fees are incredibly steep - $1 a day per item! The first time I realized that was shortly after moving here, I ended up owing almost $20 in library fees - definatey more than the books were worth! I find myself buying books more often than borrowint them now...
that's awesome! i don't have that problem. cause we just don't go to the library-see, now who's the worse parent, the one who returns books late/missing or the one that doesn't even bother to get their poor kids books to read? think of that the next time you feel bad and you'll feel a little better...
if the only thing I had to feel guilty about as a mother was returning books late or dirty or not at all........then I would have been a wonderful mother like you....You are totally awesome. Cut yourself some slack and know that you are doing what is most important right and don't sweat the little stuff.....You really are a great mom
love.........your mom
See, I saw the first sentence or two of this and thought, "yes, the library gives me mom guilt too" but it is because I RARELY go. I used to. I am sure you aren't the only one with lost or damaged books. Which library is it? I haven't ever had a problem with the librarians, but again, I don't go much.
Maybe it feels that way because the library is so quiet. It's like being disobedient in a courtroom or something!
So we have a missing book that I need to find to take back to the library. If I don't find it I have to pay $15 for the book plus a $5 restocking fee plus the $2 fine. And this is the part that kills me--f I do find it I have to pay a $10 fee for having a lost book in the first place and the $2 fine. To top it off, it's a pretty lame picture book my kids picked out.
So I have library problems too!
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