This entry was inspired by Hope over at Am I There Yet? She's been inundated by Christmas-letter-type success stories of former classmates who, pre-reunion, are all revealing that they have spent the last two decades scaling high mountains, corporate and otherwise. She reminded me of the misery induced by the similar comments frequently made by the Super Mommies (and sometimes Super Daddies), a group to which, I regretfully admit, I have sometimes belonged. I apologize profusely for every single time that I have ever demonstrated this pathetic tendency toward one-upsmanship.
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They spread across our nation last a vast horde of locusts, wearing capri pants and sunglasses, choked up by a condition that seems to last, in some cases, at least a quarter of a century. I offer herewith some conversational evidence, incorporating questions, responses that might have been appropriate, and the unfortunate actual responses.
College mom to college mom: Hi! How's your son and what's he doing this summer?
Appropriate Response: He's lifeguarding.
Actual Response: He's the Head Lifeguard at the Country Club.
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Mom of Senior to Mom of Senior: We haven't visited College XYZ yet. I wonder if we can fit a trip in this spring.
Appropriate Response: I know you'll enjoy it if you can go.
Actual Response: Luckily, we've already been. We can't make it to the Prospective Honors Week-End because Son is representing the state in the National YouNameIt Competition that Saturday.
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College Mom to College Mom: Hi! How was your daughter's year?
Appropriate Response: She loved it -- how about yours?
Actual Response: It was great, but I'm so worried about her. I think she might have gotten her first B ever, in Honors Physics, and I'm so afraid that if she continues on that kind of downward spiral she'll jeopardize her Presidential Scholarship.
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Mom of Pre-College Student to Mom of Pre-College Student: My son's AP scores haven't come yet.
Appropriate Response: Our daughter's came yesterday. I bet yours will be in the mail today.
Actual Response: Our daughter's came yesterday. She's so pleased; she's going to place into the highest college level for every one of her AP subjects.
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Mom to Mom she hasn't seen since their children were in twelve years, since their children were in Middle School together: Hi! How's your guy doing?
Apprehensive Response: Well, you know, he never did finish high school. That drug problem -- I'm sure you heard -- it really took its toll. He just couldn't get it together. But his year he'll be 25, and I think we've finally turned the corner.
Appropriate Response: Come on, you can figure this one out. Or can you?
6 comments:
LOL. I hope I can learn from this :-) Pamela
Hehehehehe...LMAO!
V
Hahahahahahaha! May I name names? You've quoted verbatim the mommies at my son's theatre group. Not to be hypocrite, I tooted my children's horns once or twice too. Funny stuff...
Trouble is, you don't know whether to laugh or cry. Reminds me of story in Dear Abby years ago. Mom wrote in about the one son who didn't want to go to college. Seems he was really good with wood and wanted to do custom work. Mom was more worried about what her neighbors and friends would think than anything else. Abby's reply was basically "as long as he's happy, does good and honest work, what's your problem?" :-)
Jackie
LOL! EXACTLY. We all brag, pathetically hoping that people will like us if they are impressed by us (or impressed by our children). It doesn't work that way. People like us cuz of how we treat them, not how much we impress them!
I loved this journal entry. I can't stand competitive parenting either. I'm hoping that more of my responses in life fit into the appropriate category.
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