Young people

I worked from home in the morning and got to grip with the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child - which is now law in Scotland - and its implications for our library service. I didn't realise that the only country in the world that has not signed it is the USA... Of course signing it doesn't always mean respecting it, sadly... 
In the afternoon I went to work in a branch library to support a colleague who was alone there. I tried to get on with my work but it was quite difficult while being at the service desk. There is a lot of "bad" behaviour from the kids and teens in this branch and indeed, I had to intervene quite a lot. We confiscated a football which was kicked about in the children's area. I had to tell teenagers to stop swearing (loudly) - "What, what did I say?"; "Good try! I am not going to repeat it, am I?" - and stop a couple of (play) fights. My colleague had to go and clean up some drawing of penises on the tables... You get the idea.. None of this group borrowed a book of course.  
However, I witnessed a very quick moment of softness from one of the boys. I am not too sure what it was about but he was standing behind  another boy sitting at the computer, and had his hands around his head as if he was doing some Reiki - and then just drew his hands on his shoulders and along the top of his back, very gently. It only lasted for a couple of seconds (then he went back to running around) but I was rather touched by the gesture. 
Also, when it was time to close - a younger boy was sitting quietly, clearly not wanting to leave and had to be persuaded to go.. It makes you wonder what kind of homes these children go back to...