There’s nothing like being a parent to make one humble.
For instance, until recently, YZG and I always believed that fadichot were our forte.
Indeed, we felt that we were safely on our way to winning the highly-coveted “Most Embarrassing Parents EVER” award.
I mean, consider the evidence:
- We’re both Anglos.
- I have a blog.
- And it has a ridiculous name.
- And I insist on writing about a nonexistent language.
Does it GET any more embarrassing than that??
Well, apparently, it does.
Because, as YZG and I were recently shocked to discover, our capacity for generating fadichot is far from endless.
You see, a few weeks ago, ACST (=A Certain Shiputzim Teenager) hosted an American friend for Shabbat.
And after Shabbat, when the guest had left, I turned to ACST and, as is my wont, asked hopefully, “So, did we embarrass you?”
I smugly assumed that the answer would be very much in the affirmative.
I was wrong.
“No. Not really,” ACST shrugged. “There wasn’t anything to be embarrassed about, because [the guest] is American. It can only be embarrassing in front of Israelis…”
Needless to say, YZG and I were devastated…
How limited is YOUR ability to embarrass your children?
LOL. Talk with your kids' friends on Facebook, that'll do it.
ReplyDeleteWhat Ezzie said, and also, comment on your kids' status. My daughter's friends call our Facebook interactions the Tehila and Her Mother Show.
ReplyDeleteAw... I think this is CUTE. What it means to me is that it's not YOU who are the embarrassment - it's just that you're not Israeli. With other anglos, there's no potential for embarrassment. Because, of course, from an Anglo perspective, you're 100% normal. That's a compliment, coming from a teenager. ;-)
ReplyDeleteGive up; you can't win on this one. It's a "fringe benefit" of parenting, especially if you're an immigrant any place.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest is still young enough that threatening to kiss him in public is embarrassing. I don't actually do it, but threatening to is great fun ;).
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Ezzie and Miriyummy - Talking with my kids' friends on FB? Commenting on THEIR statuses? {laughs diabolically and rubs hands together in evil anticipation} Cruel and unusual! Awesome! :-)
ReplyDeleteJennifer - LOL! That's exactly what I said in response, "I'm going to take that as a compliment, because you take what you can get..." :-)
Batya - Reason #7883 for making aliyah: fadichot! :-)
ReplyDeleteRobin - I don't actually do it, but threatening to is great fun
Haha! I've threatened to do the same... :-)
I'm not a parent yet but so I'll write from a childs view. When I was a kid my mother got some kind of infection on her left hand and the palm turned blue and I refused to hold that hand even now i won't touch that hand and ever since she's been threatening me that she will hold me with that hand in public. But now if she embarrasses me i could just tell her that I will shut down her imamother account cause she lets me look at her imamother post and lets me even post (yes even though I'm a guy) so i she behaves to me.
ReplyDeleteSorry I have no idea to add; I was going to suggest kissing your kids in front of friends but I see that Robin has already made tis suggestion.
ReplyDeleteYekke Wannabe - Kids may have a few tricks up their sleeves, but nothing - NOTHING! - compares to the embarrassment caused by Anglo parents speaking in American-accented Hebrew to their children's Israeli friends... :-)
ReplyDeleteIlana-Davita - That seems to be a perennial favorite! :-)