Tag: Teens

Events for Children and Adults the Stoughton Public Library

Stoughton Public Library will host events this week for people of all ages.

On Tuesday, April 14, Stoughton Reads Together will host a book discussion on “The Widow’s War” by Sally Gunning. The discussion will begin at 2:00 p.m. in the Library Community Room and is hosted by Christine Iacobucci. Registration for the event is required. Those interested in attending can register by clicking here.

Photo: Stoughton Public Library

Also on Tuesday, teenagers can visit the Teen Space. The Teen Space is open Tuesday-Thursday 2:30 p.m.-4:45 p.m. and features gaming systems, arts & crafts, board games, and card games.

Children ages 5-12 and their caregivers can come in on Wednesday afternoon for Drop in Chess. Instruction is available, but children are expected to have some basic knowledge. Drop in Chess is held in the Children’s Area.

Wednesday evening is Teddy Bear Storytime for children ages 4-7 and their bedtime friends. Beginning at 6:00, Peggy Sewyck will read a story in the Children’s Craft Room. Children are encouraged to wear their pajamas for this event to wind down from a long day of playtime and other activities.

While the little ones wind down, adults can bring whatever craft they are working on to the Bring Your Own Craft Club (BYOCC). The BYOCC provides a relaxed, social space for you to start or finish that project. Light refreshments will be served and registration is required. The event runs 6 p.m.-8 p.m. on Wednesday in the Community Room.

Families are invited to Family Storytime on Thursday, April 16. Storytime starts at 10:00 a.m. and is open for children ages 2-6. Not only will children be able to hear an exciting story, but they will also be able to sing and dance while attending!

Babies will get their own story time on Friday. Beginning at 10:00 in the morning, Stoughton’s littlest residents will be able to attend an interactive story time in the Community Room.

The week wraps up with a Brain Building STEM Event on Saturday in the Community Room. “Mad Science: Phenomenal Physics for Kids & Caregivers” will run from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Community Room. The event is open for children ages 0-6, and a link for required registration can be found here. More information about the event can be found on the same link.

Pizza Bagels, Video Games, and Batteries

I needed to drop one of my children at their friend’s house last week. I know the father, so I stayed for a bit and talked over a beer. We were in the living room, where one of his kids was playing video games.

Video Games

I’ve met a lot of kids over the course of parenthood, foster parenting, coaching, school pickup and drop-off, and a variety of other circumstances and duties. I think teens are the funniest, and this encounter with another life expert who is still in high school was no exception. Loyal daddies and mommies are familiar with our friend Wilt. Wilt was a child of another friend who seemed to know everything about life, especially basketball. Check out the link I so generously provided. If you have teenagers, you’ll understand what I’m telling you.

I think teenagers are the funniest, and this encounter with another life expert who is still in high school is no exception.

My child and I arrive at the house and the younger children quickly disappear upstairs. I remain downstairs, where “15” is dealing with one of the many challenges you face when trying to assemble a team on a video game. Dad is also in the living room finishing up work before getting ready to go out for the evening. It’s not an easy time for “15”. He’s playing a soccer game on his console, and he’s trying to assemble a national team. Apparently American soccer players are few and far between, and the good ones are even harder to find. I would like to help him, but I know nothing about who plays soccer, let alone where they hail from.

My friend and I watch “15” scroll through lists of players and their attributes. I offer whatever advice I can, but nothing works. The game works in a certain way, and you can’t just create a player and place him on your team. I literally haven’t played a soccer video game since last century, so I’m pretty much useless.

The Smoke Alarm

It gets harder for “15”. Not only does the field of available players lack what he needs, but the battery in the living room’s smoke alarm died, and there is an annoying “chirp” signaling the need for a new one. Each shrill call for a new battery is grating on the virtual general manager, who is having enough headaches with his lacking roster. He’s finally had enough, and he marches to the smoke detector, pulls it from the wall, and then the real struggle begins.

“15” has the smoke detector in his hands. The battery needs to be replaced, but first the old battery needs to be extracted. The Chinese water torture is getting to be too much for the lad, who can get the compartment open, but can’t get the battery out. Dad is enjoying this and so am I, to be honest with you. Finally, I show mercy to the poor child and take the battery out for them. After said extraction, I hold up the 9-volt nemesis and sing, “Ta-daa!” Now it’s time for a new battery, but there is no 9-volt battery in the house. So, the smoke detector sits on the end table sans battery for the time being.

A New Battery

I return home to take care of some chores and duties while my child is away at her friends. My friend has plans that evening, so I am sure to be there promptly to take my child home. I arrive at the house with a gift for “15”. A brand new 9-volt battery. To this day, I am mad at myself for not putting a bow on it.

Loaded and ready

I proudly present the lad with the gift and the life lesson. He installs the battery and places the smoke detector back in its proper place. Dad and I are proud of the child for doing his part to keep the house and his family safe and secure. Now, it’s back to video games where he has moved on from soccer to basketball. Dad and I are watching him scroll through teams and players. “15” makes some comments about Larry Bird, causing Dad to educate his child about Bird and Bill Russell. Meanwhile, we continue to watch him play.

“Hey, Auerbach,” I say.

“What?”

“I called you ‘Auerbach’.” Dad laughs. The child has no idea what I’m talking about, nor does he understand the reference to his basketball personnel moves.

Pizza Bagels

It’s time for a break in the action. “15” needs food. His dad follows him to the kitchen for a beer. “15” wants to make a pizza bagel. Dad and I watch the child struggle to slice a pre-sliced bagel. We remind the child it’s already pre-sliced, but this doesn’t matter to him because it’s not, “pre-sliced enough”. He gets the bagel sliced and prepares with sauce and toasts it. When it’s done, he has enough grated parmesan cheese for a dozen pizza bagels.

“Hey, Fieri,” I say after a sip of my beer, “Do you want some bagel to go with that cheese?”

One of the beers I received.

He tells me he has a solution and carefully shakes some cheese from one slice of the bagel onto the other slice. He then proceeds to eat the bagel while standing up, back turned to the counter. Crumbs fall to the floor. I tell him I’m willing to bet Dad has invested in some plates for the house. Dad tells me he needs to constantly remind him to use a plate when eating. I had no idea it was so chronic.

Driving home with my child, I ask how things went for them. I get home and enjoy one of the beers my friend sent home with me. My daughter and I watch some important, informative video on Harry Potter. While sipping my beer, I wonder if parents of teenagers were really meant to survive.

My new book, “A Collection of Short Stories” is now available on Apple Books.

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