Tuesday 17 July 2012

Teens, embarrassed by Dad? Surely not?

A new survey has been issued claiming that eight in ten teens are embarrassed by their dads, (the mothers got off rather lightly, I'm pleased to report.)  I have to say the figures are somewhat representative of what goes on in this house, although the embarrassed factor is 100% rather than a measly 80%.

And if other households are anything like this one, the dads don't give a hoot; in fact the sheer joy of making their teens cringe and run for the hills encourages dads to behave and dress even more outrageously. Non?

There is a certain irony in some of the teen complaints though:-

- dads "lack any flair for fashion". Oh son, so you think wearing trousers that display half your bum looks good do you? Or wearing your hair in such a way that you can only see out of one eye and you constantly have to twitch your head to keep it in place is attractive eh?

- dads "think they are cooler than they really are". Oh really? So it's cool to make fun of anyone who doesn't listen to exactly the same genre of music as you eh? And apparently even cooler to look like you've been dragged from your bed only seconds before. (Oh, wait....)

- "Behavio(u)r - OK so dads will insist on dancing like dorks if they know you're dying of embarrassment, but kids - since when is sulking and slamming doors when you don't get your own way the new standard of cool? Or coming home an hour after your curfew, and having the nerve to complain that we didn't come and pick you up?

So - let's hear it for the dads. It's hard to remain true to yourself when all around you are sneering and cackling.

Now, if we can only get rid of "that shirt", all would be well in the Expat homestead.


Sigh....

12 comments:

  1. My dad would drive me to school in an old Nova he called the "Mellow Yellow". As he drove away he would loudly rev the engine and peel off with a cloud of smoke, embarrassing me completely. Nowdays that might be kind of cool, but at the time, it was mortifying.

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  2. MM - but I hope you're training the husband to be ultra-embarrassing!

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  3. As teenagers show off half their bottoms above their pants....... I don't think they have a leg to stand on. How embarrassing is that?!
    Maggie X

    Nuts in May

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  4. I thought you'd lost your blogging mojo... You seem to be blogging lots at the moment!

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  5. And you know why Moms fared better in that survey? Because kids know what side their bread is buttered on.... upset the mom and your life becomes hell. Upset Dad, and mom will eventually get round him and he will be nice to you again!! ;)

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  6. Hysterical and true. I am so sick of the door slamming!

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  7. Ah, but my daughter who made her father drop her a block from school so no one could see them together now loves to spend time with him and makes sure her children get to know Papa.

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  8. I am a bit of a Dorky Dad enabler as I'm always trying to get him to wear his shirt from Tonga which he calls his barbeque shirt

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  9. Ha ha. Twas ever thus. Although I have to say my father was always cooler than us. Not sure how he managed that. Lx

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  10. I must admit my dad was always a pretty cool guy - in looks and in actions. Well, apart from when he had a few shandies. Then he was a little dorky!

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  11. Thanks so much for commenting on my blog. It's been so great to find a support network of other bloggers who have been through similar situations! Please keep it up, and do feel free to reach out for a guest post ;)

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