Thursday 21 July 2011

Getting On


Yes, as in ‘age’ and not as in ‘coping’.

There’s nothing like kids to remind you that you’re not as young as you once were. Literally remind you.

For some reason, my kids have no trouble barging in to talk to me when I’m on the loo or getting out of the shower or changing. My 12 year old always covers her eyes and yells “Mum! That’s just gross!”
My standard response is “Actually sweetie, I think I cut quite a fine figure for a woman my age!”
Yes, I’m not entirely sure what that means either.

She is the usual culprit. She came back from a Scout camp complaining that the music at the disco ‘was soooo 2008’.  I can absolutely tell what’s 80s – in fact I can just about sing the entire decade - but knowing what’s recent and what’s a couple of years back – no chance.

Sometimes it comes as a complete back hander. My son once commented that I knew lots of stuff. Then ruined it by adding that it’s because I’m old.

And just in case I was under any illusion, on holiday last year in Malaysia, as I donned my newly acquired, one-size-kind-of-fits-all Ed Hardy string bikini, the 12 year old quipped “For god’s sake Mum, you’re not 16 anymore.” My revenge? I wore it!!!

Do your kids like to remind you that you’re getting old and decrepit (in their books anyway)? Or are mine just basically mean??




6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yep and mine are mean too! Especially the grandchildren with whom I have a very close relationship - "Let's face it Granny, you're just old [ and sometimes fat, gross" ] Perhaps I [ we ]should have plumped for old fashioned repressed respect rather than upholding honesty above all else!! Mind you I do know that they respect me deep down.

Anonymous said...

My mother never let on her age, for years I thought she was 29. I scoffed at notion of this with my own children. Though I am starting wonder at my choice. For mothers day preschool sent home a gorgeous present with a story about Mummy by my 5 year old. In it for all to see was the numbers 44, which I am sure was in larger font than those fibbing mums who got to be 26. I also get to be introduced to all and sundry at the playground with the phrase:"This is my mummy, she's 44" Should I have lied?

Mother of a Man-Child said...

LOL. I hear you MWW. My 7 year old daughter reminds me constantly that I am 46! The only saving grace is that her Father is 7 years older than me!! So I will always feel young in a bizarre kind of competitive way.
And no matter how many gym sessions I do, that damn thing called gravity is doing it's best to beat me.
No wonder I hang out with my 91 year old grandmother regularly - that makes me feel very young!

Anonymous said...

My 10 year old boy generally starts the sentence with "I dont' want to be mean ... but".

"I don't want to be mean mum but you don't look as good as you usually do today" or "Oh mum, you look like a zoo keeper" (and although i was wearing a beige kind of shirt I swear it was not a safari suit).

And the highlight is when he poked that flabby bit with his little finger and says 'whose been eating jam donuts then'? Unfortunately it was said loudly, in the supermarket, when he was bored in avery long, queue.

Mother Who Works said...

Ahhh kids! Keep you honest don't they? My daughter did think for a long time that I was 26 - until my father wrote in a birthday card - Happy 41st Birthday! The gig was up. And that was a few years back.....
We went to a very posh black tie dinner last night - and the best thing was most people there were ancient - I felt positively sprightly!! MWWx

Anonymous said...

They certainly keep you honest and sometimes have regard for their own welfare. My grand children do often preface derogatory statements with'No offence Granny - but" - Are they learning diplomacy earlier these days????

Camping People - 2022

I'm over camping. Geoff says it's because it rained and I got a shocking cold, and I should stop being such a Debbie Downer. That co...