From my conversations with kids this week:

A little boy, about seven, came up to me and said, with no preamble:  “Why don’t they have robots fight wars?  If robots did the shooting, then no people would die.”

From the same child, later in the same conversation, after he had explained to me how wars were fought by the Empire’s droids in Star Wars:  >sigh<  “People today just don’t get it.”

From a newly minted sixth grader, about moving up to the middle school:  “It’s ok, I guess.  You have a lot more freedom, and no one’s standing around watching you all the time.  But I miss recess.”

From a seventh grader, who spent Thursday afternoon doing her homework on my desk, and was reading a bit of her textbook aloud to me:  “It’s hard for me to pronounce the words today because of my palette expander.”  [my heart broke as I heard her read, because I can tell she’s very dyslexic and she really, really could use my help – how to offer tutoring to her parents for free without hurting their feelings?]

From the seven-and-a-half-year-old regular visitor to the children’s room, who always comes in without her mom and has long conversations with me:  (running back towards me as she’s about to leave – big hug for me…) “You smell good!” (…then runs back to the door) “Bye! Bye! Bye!”

From another new sixth grader:  “The new school’s ok, but it’s weird at dismissal time because everyone just scatters.  I don’t know where my friends went.”

Me, to the random bunch of kids I don’t know who invaded the children’s room Friday afternoon:  (whispering) “Guys, you need to use your library voices while you’re here.”  (I walk away)

The kids:  (titter titter, sarcastic tone)  “Use your library voices now.”  (titter titter)

I was mocked.  I could feel their eyeballs drilling holes into my back view as I walked away.  Sigh.

From the seven year old with the thoughts on war robots, as he ran back into my room for the tenth time that day:  “The library is my FAVORITE place to be!!!!  I LOVE it!!!”