Lost books

I'm a librarian. I take care of books. I work with books, I let people read these books, use these books. And I expect people to take care of the books they borrow. Yet, I realize that things happen, and a book might get water damage, or pages fall out, or sometimes, they get lost. I can deal with that, I understand.

Except when it happens to my kids. I get so annoyed when my kids lose library books, or when they have overdue library books. Maybe because we librarians are a small group--we know each other. And, I expect the behavior of my kids to reflect on me. And when my kids lose library books, well, then, somehow, I've failed.

Miss Kat has lost a book. It's not a library book, but it's one she's reading in her reading class. It's important that she have this book. I saw it one night this week, but it was in her trapper, so I didn't worry.

Last night, she was in tears because she cant find the book. She wasn't in tears because she lost the book, but because she'd get an "F" on her assignment. She looked in her room, she looked in the living room. She looked downstairs. No book. She asked me what I did with it. As if I were responsible for her book.

I didn't help her look. I told her where to look, but I refused to help her. After all, I didn't lose it. She thinks she lost it at school. I suggested she check lost and found and the library.

But, I forgot, I am the stupidest Mother in the world. Miss Kat quickly reminded me that it wasn't a library book and no one would ever think to return it there. O yeah, I forgot. After all, I only work in a library. We get all kinds of lost books returned to us, whether they are ours or not. But, hey, I'm stupid. I forgot that my 10-year-old daughter knows more than I do.

I hope she finds her book. I really really hope somebody turned it into the library. Then I can say "I told you so."