Norman Public Library. Picture is Dan and Rachel, in the now wheat-cleaned section
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We had an issue yesterday. Number one serious issue, in that my youngest boy cannot have wheat. Can't eat it, can't bath in it, can't play with it, cannot touch it. Next to the youngest shouldn't have any. And when we walked into the library, there were smooshed up snacks all over the floor. Looked like cheezits to me. Now, we're used to using wet wipes to clean off the keyboards (note to self, bring our own dang keyboard next time, duh...why didn't I think of that before?) and we usually clean off the trains, blocks, dinosaurs, etc that he's going to play with. But frickin crackers everywhere...that's just crazy talk. Not only does it absorb through his skin and make him sick, but if he touches it and rubs his face, we're talking rashes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, excruciating leg pains at 2am, headaches, learning difficulties.
I know little kids get hungry, and need a snack, but why *in* the library? There's a great lobby to step into, chairs and all, to have a snack. And a handy dandy sign that says "No Food or Drink in Library". And why so many that they feel the urge to smash them into the chairs and carpet? Give them one or two at a time, and when they lose interest in eating and start smashing, there aren't nearly so many to smash. Anyway, note to those, please consider food allergies in these situations!
Anyhoo, long and short of it is, that Dan and Sam couldn't play in the library. They couldn't go to the picture books because they would have had to trek through crumbs. I cleaned off the back computer and one of the chess sets and set them up in the back, and then asked Ms Susan for help. She was swamped, so i did the unthinkable. I asked the custodian for help lol! that's just my issue, he's such a busy guy...I hate to bother him. But when I explained what had happened and our issues, he didn't fuss. He didn't frown. He didn't give me a hard time, or say 'later', or anything. He went back, got cleaners, cleaned off the chairs, nearby tables, and vacuumed half the kids section. Afterwards, he shook my hand and thanked me for letting him know...and when the boys came over and said Thanks, he was all smiles.
He had lots of questions, for which he apologized. He said he didn't want to seem offensive, but was genuinely curious about celiac disease. And then he asked if I was the mom of the girl...you know, that one. He asked if she had autism, and he had a dozen good questions about autism, causation AND he knew about Nick's Law and what a travesty it was to not pass.
Thanks Michael, and thanks NPL, for helping all kids access their resources.
