Good morning Everyone!
I did three things last week that embarrassed Kayla. None of them was particularly dreadful, so I am curious to know if any of you can explain her embarrassment.
Embarrassment Number 1: I joined Instagram. I did not post anything, just got an account and followed Kayla and a couple of other people. If I had posted weird pictures or Kayla’s toddler pictures (especially the absolutely adorable one of her looking like a mountain gnome, the bottom half of her face completely covered in chocolate ice cream from where she had tried to eat an ice cream cone in the dark FN 1), I would understand it better, but simply to establish an account?
Embarrassment Number 2: I (gasp!!!) knitted while I was in a doctor’s waiting room while she was with me. I didn’t hurt anyone, shake my needles at anyone, poke anyone’s eyes out or click the needles together loudly like a pair of castanets. I even restrained myself from knitting when we were waiting at the orthodontist’s office, only knitting while we were waiting for my allergist. (Lots of teens at the orthodontist; none at the allergist.) Apparently I still committed a faux pas.
Embarrassment Number 3: I did not mute the keys on my cell phone while I was texting. The fact that I text at all is something she should encourage, noisy keys or not. I like hearing the sound of the virtual keys; that way at least I’m sure I hit some kind of letter, even if it ends up being the wrong one! If anyone can explain this one to me, too, I’d appreciate it. And no, we were not in a crowded area, there were not any other teenagers around, and there was only one other person in the waiting room when I typed my text.
I would appreciate any enlightenment, although I can’t promise I will never embarrass her again, for two reasons. The first is that the rules as to what embarrasses keep on changing. The second is that embarrassing your 13-year-old can be a lot of fun.
Have a great day!
Nancy
FN 1. That picture was nominated for the “first time we meet your boyfriend” album as soon as it was taken. Two for, and one against, and I’ll let you guess who voted for what.
Tales from the Mom-Side 
1 & 2 sound like typical teenage oversensitiveness, but #3… are you sure “embarrassed” is the emotion she was feeling about the texting sounds?
That one could be misophonia – honestly, I want to slap devices out of the hands of people who cause them to beep incessantly in my presence (or I want to snatch their phone/camera/game/other device away and turn off all the sounds for them.)
Or, you know, you could have been calling too much (read as any) attention to your existence, which as we know is a major faux pas for the parent of a teen. (Sigh)
“misophonia” is a good word, and one I haven’t heard before. Without looking it up, I assume it means a dislike of sounds or at least of certain sounds? I’m pretty sure “embarrassed” was what she was feeling because when I refused to turn the sound off (I never keep it very loud because I find all the dings and dongs for notifications annoying, also), I got the rolling of the eyes and the half-smile that says “I love my mother but she is so hopelessly out of this century!”
Thanks for the suggestion, and especially for the new work!
Nancy
http://www.workingmomadventures.com
That’s funny! I have no answers!!