Payback

This weekend, I spent the night at the library with the children's librarian, three high school volunteers and 27 TWEENS! For those of you unfamiliar with the new terminology, a tween is between the ages of 8-12.

All I can say is that Friday night had to be PAYBACK for the stunts I pulled as a teen and the stress I caused on all of my chaperones from retreats, youth group or choir trips.

For those of you lucky enough to know me during middle school, I was loud, immature and obnoxious. I know I drove my chaperones nuts on the aforementioned trips. One minute I was where I was supposed to be the next, I was on the other side of Lutherlyn, sled riding with no snow, which resulted in a trip to the ER. I was the kid hanging upside down from the bunk beds, jumping on the beds, running through the snow barefoot, chugging a two-liter of Sunny D (hello sugar high at 2 a.m.) or screaming like a banshee to make my presence known. Yes, I was a holy terror and proud of it during those years. I hope I have matured somewhat since then...I know I have.

Ahh middle school...I never want to relive you at all!

The funny thing is that it took me almost an entire year to realize why some of my teens drive me nuts. Well, its because they are me at that age. Annoying and loud! The screaming started promptly at 8 p.m. after the kids had been acclimated at the sleepover for approximately an hour. I was ready for some heavy painkillers to stop my headache by 9 p.m. Then the running started... Running and screaming. The children's librarian and I assumed we could get them in bed and watching a movie at midnight. Who were we kidding? Did we remember being that age? That was our youth and inexperience with children, since we have none of our own showing through. Midnight came and went. 2 a.m. came and went. 4 a.m. came and went. The screaming and running dissipated and with each hour of the night more fell into a sugar coma but some remained wide-eyed and ready to tackle a new activity. I think I slept all of three hours that night. And those were not a restful three hours.

I now have a new found respect for all of those chaperones that had to put up with my antics. It definitely takes patience to deal with middle school kids. Mine is growing and I should have more of it knowing that's exactly how I was at that age too, even worse. So, to all of my confirmation retreat chaperones, choir trip chaperones, Cedar Point chaperones, youth group leaders and librarians...my apologies. I got a taste of my own medicine. I don't know how you did it all those years.

Well, I have about six months to recover and prepare for the next library lock-in. Less sugar and more running games so that they are exhausted and ready for bed earlier!

Ahh the ever eventful life a teen librarian...