I had just started my job at the Bellevue branch of the King County Library System when my husband and two-year-old son decided to meet me at the library for lunch. There was a special holiday story time in the morning and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity for my husband to experience story time with our son.

I was wrong.

Anyone with a toddler knows there are good days and bad. This was one of the bad. It was an all-ages story time, with stories about gingerbread men and candy canes, but my son was probably the youngest kid in the room and just not interested. Ultimately he was booted from story time because he just wouldn’t sit still.

Booted is probably a strong word. I think he was invited to explore other parts of the library because he was just too wiggly. I didn’t get to witness this because I was upstairs on the reference desk slinging information.

Because I was fairly new to the branch, the librarian didn’t know my family yet. She was embarrassed when she learned that my son was the one acting up during story time. I found the whole situation hilarious and it’s now a favorite story in the department.

My husband was mortified. Besides having the youngest kid in the room, he quickly realized he was also the only man. My husband isn’t easily intimidated, but 10 pairs of mean-mom eyes from what he described as the Momfia made him feel out of place very quickly.

Dads always belong in story time, but several men in the library have mentioned that they often feel outnumbered. With this in mind, the Bellevue Library has an all-ages family story time for fathers, uncles, grandfathers and other male caregivers. Family Story Times With Dad will begin a new session on March 17. These take place Monday nights at 6:15 and run until April 28. Registration is not necessary.

Story time is led by Bellevue children’s librarian Larry Wawro, who chooses a wide variety of books everyone will enjoy – and he brings his guitar. A current story time favorite is the bean bag song.

Ladies, it’s your turn to sit this one out. I suggest booking a pedicure appointment for Monday evenings. Guys, bring your kids to story time with Larry. Make some noise! (But quietly, please. You are in a library.)

Darcy Brixey is the teen services librarian at the Bellevue Library. She’d like to tell you she loves to read, but it’s an expectation of the job.