The ways I embarrass my son

When I was a child there was plenty my mum used to embarrass me with. I’m sure a lot of it was done intentionally. But most was just my mum being my mum. Now I’m a mum I can make the most of it and be embarrassing back to N. Because it can be fun sometimes, and I’m sure but in future he will do the same to his children.

The one thing that really used to embarrass me was being out in restaurants sitting in the no smoking area. My mum would point out to smokers that their smoke was coming into the non smoking area. I was always mortified, but if the smoking ban wasn’t in existence I’m sure I would be just like her pointing it out. And asking to be moved to a better less smoky area.

Things I embarrass my son with

Mum dancing or at least encouraging him to join in

I love to dance and always have done since I was girl and although I’ve not been for quite a few months now I do still dance around the living room and kitchen. But trying to get N to join it isn’t the easiest. He’ll sometimes dance around himself, but if I try and join in, no chance. He’ll stop straight away. Occasionally he will throw out some shapes when I’m dancing in the kitchen but he certainly won’t dance with me as a partner. It’s a shame, because partner dancing is a great way to get noticed and impress the girls later on in life.

Blogging

As you know, N refuses to be on the blog and social media anymore and he does get a bit embarrassed with me always taking photos for it. I don’t think he realises that without a blog people still take photos. He has started to show a bit of interest recently, in asking what kind of things we write about and he keeps wanting to know when he can make some stop motion videos to put on YouTube. That’s about as far as his interest goes.

National trust and garden love

N always moans when I say we’re going to National Trust property but thankfully at the moment I can usually get away with it with the promise of an ice cream or lunch box at the end of it. As for gardens you should hear the moaning. I’m not really surprised because he is only 7. But most of the moaning is about the stopping and starting to take photos. He doesn’t seem to notice the other people do the same and that really it’s not that embarrassing. And just this week he was standing there asking me to take photos of him so I don’t really think he can moan when he’s turning into a poser himself.

Winning in public mini golf

We love to play a game of mini or crazy golf and his uncle’s currently teaching him golf in the garden. But N really doesn’t like the fact that when we play it always seems to be me who wins. I don’t even run around shouting, screaming and celebrating, but I don’t think he likes to be seen to lose. I tried to explain that there are various factors like luck, concentration, and standing still when you hit the ball that make a difference. But he still has a moan and likes to point out how unfair it is when other people are around.

Giving him a kiss

I’m with him on this one because I really wasn’t a fan of having a hug and a kiss when I was a child. N isn’t usually like that as he’s usually quite a huggy and kissy child. But he would be mortified if I tried to give him a kiss in public.

Making him dress in funky t shirts

N isn’t usually fussy about clothes, but sometimes he does have a moan. The last episode was about some gorgeous St Berts t shirts I bought in the sale. He’d okayed me buying them online, but when they arrived he turned his nose up at them.  He couldn’t believe I would make him wear them. But we took them camping (with limited options so he had to wear them), and since then has worn them with a few protests at first.  I thought it was great that no one else would have similar t shirts, but he didn’t want to stand out. I had to explain that no one would notice, and if they did, they’d think they were cool retro t shirts. Phew, that one covered.

Making activity suggestions

Any activities where N thinks he might look silly are a big no. Although he is starting to get dressed up and act out silly things in public if we’re out somewhere, where before he’d have refused point blank.  But he obviously thinks I have no idea about the sort of things that children will enjoy with some of the looks I get when I suggest things.

I have to admit that I’d have been the same at his age too – neither of us are good at hiding what we really think of things. And neither of us are keen on looking stupid or embarrassing ourselves in front of others.

What do you do to embarrass your children?

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