How have I survived 39 years of life without the guiding aid of my 14 year old daughter?
Somehow she has formed this notion in her head that it is suddenly her responsibility to rescue me. Otherwise I will most certainly embarrass myself in every situation. Every place we go. And then I will embarrass her, especially if her peeps from school might be around.
Which brings me to her latest rescue attempt. I will be teaching some classes at Hope's school this week. So, she has developed a sudden urgency to train me in all things cool. Otherwise I just might kill her whole high school career with the few hours I'll be spending standing in front of her class.
Here is Hope's advice with my response in parenthesis.
* Wear your cool jeans.
(I wear jeans to be comfortable not cool. And I'm not sure that is the most professional look for my brief high school teaching job.)
* If I give you this look it means stop doing whatever you were just doing.
(Thank goodness Hope will be there to monitor my every move. And to think I've been standing in front of audiences all these years without her sitting in the front row. Teaching none the less. Without her cues. Sakes alive.)
* Please don't talk to us like we are little kids. We are very grown up highschoolers.
(Yes, so grown up that you still care about whether or not people think your mother is cool.)
* Don't give homework or schedule a test.
(Ummm... I am teaching about Spiritual Gifts and I'm actually giving you a Spiritual Gifts Test with the first lesson. Bummer.)
* Please don't use the word cool.
(Hunh? I am supposed to be cool but not say the word cool. Very interesting. Especially in light of the fact that I have reached an age where I could care less about my coolness factor.)
I love you sweet Hope. We will survive. As a matter of fact, I feel so tempted to bust out in that Gloria Gaynor song. And I can throw in some pretty bad mama jama dance moves as well.
Come on... you know you think that would be very cool.
Somehow she has formed this notion in her head that it is suddenly her responsibility to rescue me. Otherwise I will most certainly embarrass myself in every situation. Every place we go. And then I will embarrass her, especially if her peeps from school might be around.
Which brings me to her latest rescue attempt. I will be teaching some classes at Hope's school this week. So, she has developed a sudden urgency to train me in all things cool. Otherwise I just might kill her whole high school career with the few hours I'll be spending standing in front of her class.
Here is Hope's advice with my response in parenthesis.
* Wear your cool jeans.
(I wear jeans to be comfortable not cool. And I'm not sure that is the most professional look for my brief high school teaching job.)
* If I give you this look it means stop doing whatever you were just doing.
(Thank goodness Hope will be there to monitor my every move. And to think I've been standing in front of audiences all these years without her sitting in the front row. Teaching none the less. Without her cues. Sakes alive.)
* Please don't talk to us like we are little kids. We are very grown up highschoolers.
(Yes, so grown up that you still care about whether or not people think your mother is cool.)
* Don't give homework or schedule a test.
(Ummm... I am teaching about Spiritual Gifts and I'm actually giving you a Spiritual Gifts Test with the first lesson. Bummer.)
* Please don't use the word cool.
(Hunh? I am supposed to be cool but not say the word cool. Very interesting. Especially in light of the fact that I have reached an age where I could care less about my coolness factor.)
I love you sweet Hope. We will survive. As a matter of fact, I feel so tempted to bust out in that Gloria Gaynor song. And I can throw in some pretty bad mama jama dance moves as well.
Come on... you know you think that would be very cool.
40 Comments:
LOL. You're such a good sport. I had to make a speech to my 4th-grade son's class last year. Beforehand, he warned me, VERY solemnly: "Mom, DON'T say "awesome."
You are one brave soul, there. LOL
Good luck and have fun.
Rock their world!
Just like Joe Cool.
I will be praying for your time there. I hope that Hope sees what a cool mom she really does have -- if not now then when she has a 14 year old daughter!
Of course you could always tell her that when it comes to embarrassment, "Turn about is fair play!" and remind her of when she was two and did something to embarrass you!
I love it! Enjoy your time with the kids - she'll still love you after school.
Great post...later today I have to post on what my soon to be 15 yr old said to me this weekend!
Gotcha on the jeans....I just learned a few years ago there is a name for those jeans we wear.."mommy butt" jeans. I have to admit I succumbed to the pressure and went to a little lower waisted jean and to my surprise found they tuck my tummy in better!
Have a great day!
Have fun with the Lysa! go be COOL!!!
In His Graces~Pamela
Oh my goodness, this made me laugh because JUST THIS MORNING, on our way to the high school, I saw a friend of mine in the car behind me, so I waved at her. My middle daughter yelled, "Mom, don't wave!!!" She was in an absolute panic, but calmed down a bit when I told her I was waving at my friend. Oh, those high school girls--Lord help us moms!
I love that you are teaching spiritual gifts to High Schoolers. You are cool, and you don't even have to try. I have a friend who is uber cool and her kids think so too, now that is a magnificent feat in this day and age. My kids are getting to the age where I am not cool to be around with their friends ; (
I'm glad I'm not the only one having "cool" issues. I was firmly instructed the other day that I was not to help with the Jr High classes at church in any way since my daughter would be humiliated by her most embarrassing mother! She also didn't like it the other day when I was taking her and her friend to basketball practice and our conversation was on "The Wizard of Oz". I thought it was cute and totally appropriate to start talking and singing like a munchkin - I guess it wasn't as again, I was labeled the most embarrassing mom. Oh well, she'll get her chance someday to be the embarrassing mom but for now, I want to do my best to keep my title.
Lysa, She forgot one...not to mention her or use her as an example or talk about her in any form or fashion-LOL! That was my instructions from my 12th grade boy when he found out I was teaching 12th grade girls in Sunday School. Hope all goes well.
We were embarrassed by our parents and now we are embarrassing our kids. Isn't this a rite of passage or something like that?? ;0)
I am the type of mom that would do her best to not embarass her kid, but will torture said kid endlessly with all the ways that I could. :)
What a great opportunity! It is so great to be able to speak and share with teens that God has ALREADY made them with special talents and abilties. Helping them find them and strengthen them and use them to glorify God is an amazing responsiblity and privilege that blesses us just as much as them.
Just remember to be COOL about the whole thing. :)
My 9 yr old lives in fear that I may sing or dance in front of her friends. The other day she forgot her lunch and I dropped it at school, and as I left I inadvertently said (Out loud!) "Love you!" HOW EMBARASSING - I mean that your mom loves you. e-gads!
I just told her the older she gets the more embarassing I will become until just the very sight of me in public will be on heaps of humilitation. Ah, the teen years.
This brings back so many memories of being that age and doing the same thing to my mom. To get even one day she had me paged at K-Mart. : )
Aren't the teen years painful?
My daughter is 12. At one point, she told me not to 'dry my fingernails in an embarassing way'. I told her I'm pretty sure that wasn't possible -- everything I do is embarassing! So, we have an understanding that I take great glee in being embarassing, and the more she fusses about how embarassing I am, the more delight I take in it! It really is hilarious.
I was just wondering if your children go to Chrisitan schools or not. I'm thinkin' yes now since you are teaching a clss on spiritual gifts! :) What a blessing that you get to not only sew into your daughter's life, but now also her classmates. (I'm sure she'll see it as a blessing...someday.)
It's a good thing I don't have to worry about being cool yet. I can just be plain old, couldn't be cool if I wanted to be, me. :) But I know my day is coming!
Hope your weekend in Atlanta and Chicago was great!
I remember when I was cool....it was so long ago. With 3 teenage boys I feel as if I am walking on eggshells at all times!!
Since they are boys, and are hungry ALL the time I spend more time providing food and drink for their friends and less talking. THEN I am cool! Hey, I take what I can get!!
Hope you and Hope survive...just think there is 2 more daughters coming along!!
have a good week!
Kim
oh you should so break out some Hammer pants and wear them!! hahaa
She is blessed beyond measure to have such a "cool" momma as you!
My 18 year old son has not allowed me to hug him in public for years! But, if he hugs me first, it's ok. Whatever! As long as I still get the hugs from him, who cares.
Luckily, My 6 year old is still proud to hug me in public. Probably won't last long.
Oh, the joys of motherhood!
Lysa,
I guess your only saving grace thus far is that your usual audience is all the rest of us totally cool moms!! I admire your bravery!
As for what to wear - how about the lovely navy and white polka dot dress from earlier this year that you have been saving for just the perfect occasion?? A little tease of the hair (Texas style) and you're all set!!
Have a great time!
Jennifer
HA! That's great. My 14 year old son says very similar things to me all the time. I love it when he rolls his eyes, has a cute little grin and tells me that "no one says the word cool anymore." Um, didn't he hear *me* just say it?
Oh, I just double dog dare you...do all the things that will make you "not" cool - just for fun. :)
hee hee......I am the new "barista" for my our high school youth group, and my son told me that I couldn't wear my hair a certain way. If I did, I was going to be his "strange aunt, twice removed." I told him to ask all his friends (that are girls), and see what they said....it was cool, and he just didn't know it, but they did. :)
That is too funny!! I will say some prayers that you do not get too many crazy looks from Hope!!
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LOL Lysa. I wonder if this advice-giving tendency corresponds at all to her spiritual gifts. :)
Good luck to you!
Oh you gotta break out in that song and moves. She would love you forever! :)
You'll have to tell us how it goes.
Enjoy your day today!
Ahh...look at the joys I have to look forward to in the next 3-4 years! Thanks for the laugh, I needed it! :-)
This is incredibly passive agressive! Does your daughter read your blog?!
Dear Anonymous,
Yes, my daughter does read my blog and she takes it in the fun spirit it is intended.
this is too funny. All my children are in their 20 - but i so remember this season. thanks for the laughs. i loved the comments- like don't wave. I remember that one!!! Or mom, all the other parents have left, you need to go!!! God love 'em.
I once used the word "peeps" and my son gave me the look as well as a private admonition to NEVER say that again!
Ummm, can you ask her to give us an explanation or picture of cool jeans???? I might be completely uncool and not even know it! My jeans have a low rise, but the legs - should they be tight or slightly bootcut -- flared???? Oh the horror of it all -- I hate jeans shopping! On second thought maybe I dont want to know what cool jeans are.......might be best to remain unknowingly uncool.....
Bless you and thank you! After two hours in the mall on a quest for a homecoming dress last week my 14 year old unique in that she dislikes shopping turned to me and said, no offense mom but I think I'll have better luck with my friend tomorrow. No offense taken, I was quick to reply admitting my mom still brings me things I fail to see the beauty in. Still the defensiveness rose as I added, you and your friend will be in the same mall, at these stores looking at the same clothes... I dread how quickly these days are spinning by and yet know God in His wisdom limited the TEEN years to seven. How ironic is that?! Is it heavens perfect number because it sets a limit for the trials for this season?
My Dad always said: "Cool is as cool does". Lysa, I don't think you can help but be cool...just don't talk about it at school! :)
This has nothing to do with this particular post...but, the post that you made today for the encouragement for Today. Is Jesus Enough? Just wanted to thank you for that. I have decided to leave my marriage and needed to remember that Jesus is enough.
Just be your self. And act as if your child is not there. As if you are with some friends, every time I do that I hear her or some of her friends saying, you mom is so cool!!
But them bring her back to reality we are still the mom!!!
I recently spoke to my 15 year old daughter's school in chapel. The message was on discernment of their media choices. My daughter really gets nervous when I speak. Some of the things she was worried about (kids reactions to popular music) helped me to craft what I said. So I was critically reviewing the song content, instead of judging the bands or the genre's. I think it's hard on them because they are afraid what we say or do may reflect on them. May God bless you with His Holy Spirit and His words.
this post made me laugh out loud even though it's 1:30am :)
i would have been so much like Hope...only I probably would have said you were not my mom that you were my aunt or something to avoid any direct connection with any type of teenage embarassment:)
i love the relationship you have with your daughters....it is a great example for those of us still raising little ones
Love teenagers!!! Some girls that age won't be seen with their mothers in public! And, after all, such valuable advice should be recorded in a scrapbook for posterity -- and then you can display it at her wedding reception or college graduation party! And then you'll have it to show to HER children. AND tons of stories to tell the grandchildren. MY Granddaughters LOVE stories about the naughtiness of their daddy.
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