What Constitutes a Horde?

I simply do NOT do hordes of children very well.

The definition of a horde: A large group or crowd; a swarm; a vast crowd; throng; mob; Horde: a great company, esp. of savage or uncivilized people

By definition, I am just in saying that I spent a better part of the week with "hordes" of 11-13 year olds.  They were a large crowd....a swarm.....a great company of savage and uncivilized people.  I'm over exaggerating you say??  Let me clarify.

Try to corral 12 "tweenies".  They are a swarm, resembling somewhat of a pattern, going in the same direction, but widely dispersed. Easily distracted, they wander back and forth, rarely listening to direction.......beyond frustrating!

But, surely they are not "uncivilized".  Yes!  Place a family pack sized box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch on the counter and watch most of the boys of the "throng" descend in a sugar induced frenzy to "savagely" devour 3 bowls at a time, without a single thought to the rest of the group!

Not to mention the girls.....giggling....talking till 3 AM.  WHAT do girls that age have to talk about till 3 AM???? Politics.......religion.......boys.....ah yes, boys.....little do they know that future conversations about men will fill up infinitely fewer moments of time as they grow older.  Young love.......sigh.

My friend was visiting once with her 2 children........at that time I had only one left at home.  The kids were wild and running a muck when I said to her, "I don't do hordes of children very well"!  To which she replied, "3 is not a horde".

I beg to differ.........

GermanG