I usually do this once a year, and write mostly the same stuff.  With all of the youth baseball posts today, I figured I'd add my thoughts.

Quick thoughts:  I'm old enough to have kids.  Obviously older than most of the other umpires who do youth league.  I do it because it's fun, and it keeps me active.

General Thoughts:

• I umpire in a very well run league.  I get paid anywhere between $30-$50 a game.  They usually run 1.5-2 hours.
• Because of COVID, the snack shack has been limited in what they can sell. Since the snack shack isn't making any money - there are less umpires. This leads to missed calls.
• Parents/Coaches are more angry this year than in years past.  It is remarkable the difference between previous years. I rarely have a game where parents/coaches aren't yelling at me or each other.
• Kids lack confidence.  Obviously this is well-known, but it's interesting to hear what kids tell themselves when batting. Lots of "don't strike out," "don't hit me," or "hope coach isn't mad."

Rules You Should Know:

• Infield fly- You don't necessarily need to be standing in the infield.  While the batter is out, runners can proceed at their own risk.  Ball is still live. 
• Balk - All kids balk.  Unless it's super obvious, or they're intentionally misleading the runner - I'll let it slide. Obviously it's a sliding scale based on age.
• "Offering" at a pitch - Jugement call by the umpire if the batter "offered" at the pitch.  Bat doesn't necessarily need to cross home plate, wrists break, etc.