I'm cooler than my kids think I am
Liz Atwood is here with Tween Tuesday:
Sometimes I’m astounded at how little my children know me. Oh, they know the basic biography, my name, age, where I was born and where I went to college. But they don’t really know me.
Take the other day when we were riding in the car and the 13-year-old made a comment insinuating I am completely clueless. That led to a debate over how cool I really am. I asserted that as moms go, I’m pretty cool. The kids saw it differently. Then I pulled my trump card—“I’m so cool, I’m on Facebook—and I tweet.”
The younger one didn’t know what I was talking about, but you should have seen the look on the older one’s face. He had no idea that I’ve been on Facebook for nearly a year. (I didn’t tell him that lots of folks my age and older are using the Web site to stay in touch.)
But it got me to thinking what other things my kids would be surprised to know about me. How about you? Do you kids really know you? What would they be surprised to find out?
Comments
I'm sorry to tell you this, Ms. Atwood, but the first and surest way to invalidate any speck of "cool" you may have is to actually SAY "I'm cool" or "I'm cooler than. . . "
And, of course, you have just guaranteed that your children will flee Facebook promptly. After all, how "cool" can it be if--ick!--their PARENTS are using it?!?!?
Posted by: Alexander D. Mitchell IV | September 29, 2009 7:48 AM
My son (9 yrs) would be surprised to know that I have a tattoo. Come to think of it, my parents would be surprised too. (I am almost 45 and have had the tattoo for about 13 years.)
Posted by: PlainJane13 | September 29, 2009 1:30 PM
The older one immediately started compiling the list of changes to make and pictures to delete on his profile page.
Posted by: bluzdude | September 29, 2009 1:45 PM
Well, here's the thing, we all have "secrets" that took place before our children were born...If my children knew half of my life before I settled down, got married and had children, they would either run screaming for the hills or think it would be okay to do certain things because hey, mom did it. So we keep our "coolness" hidden in order to maintain the persona of responsible, got-it-all together parent. My children don't know what happens when my husband and I go on vacation and leave them with grandma for the weekend, nor is it any of their business. Once kids are in the picture, it's okay for them to think you're out of it or not cool, that way you can slam them with knowledge later or totally surprise them when you are calm and sensible in a situation that you can vaguely recollect being in. Think of yourself as a Marvel comic character-soccer mom during the day, with all your coolness hidden under your layers of Ralph Lauren and Ann Taylor.
Posted by: Happy | October 5, 2009 6:07 PM