Image was important to me from an early age. I blame Barbie with her perfect little nose and weirdly arched feet.
Peaches-n-Cream
I always tried to play it so cool. Never wanting to look like a dork in public. But those days are long gone now. Mom is synonymous with uncool.
Nothing was more humiliating when I had to wear my glasses to school in the second grade. My mom even made me talk to the principal about wearing them…which was even more mortifying. As I got older, I was subjected to my dad picking me up from school in our mini-van — level 9 on a 13-year-old’s embarrassment scale.
I’ve noticed since becoming a mom that I don’t mind looking like a nerd if it makes my baby happy. I’m finally learning not to care what anyone else thinks (it’s only taken me 30 years!). I’ll merrily go along sticking out my tongue or speaking like a chipmunk in broad daylight if it makes my daughter laugh. She has turned me into one of those desperate comedians who will beat a joke to death if it garners even one little pity laugh or smile. “Give me a high 5!” My voice getting louder and more high-pitched with every prompt.
I just can’t help myself.
Trying to be the “cool” mom seems really tricky. How would you know when to be a friend and when to be a parent? Is there a middle ground for this kind of stuff?
I don’t know what kind of mom I’m going to be later but I’m content with being uncool for now. Because my daughter doesn’t know any different yet, and the longer I can keep her in the dark, the better.
One Funny Mummy 
Looking cool is in the eye of the beholder!
Other things that mom’s do: http://spotthestereotype.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/4-the-airport/
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That’s true! Thanks for reminding me of that. : )
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Great post. You will get to be the bane of your teenager’s existence just like your parents were. That’s part of the deal! I used to drop off my kids at high school and yell from the car “Make good choices!”. But if you’re cool – you’re cool and parenthood doesn’t change that. I think coolness is about “getting it” – and you obviously do!
But to your point about when to be a parent and when to be a friend – they will have lots of friends in their lives, and only one mother.
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Thanks! I love what you say about only having 1 mother. I don’t need to be her friend until she’s much older (like in her 20’s or beyond) until then I want to do what’s right for her so that she can make good choices — just like you said. : )
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Glasses and an eye patch in kindergarten. I know a thing or two about uncool.
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I’m right there with you…I didn’t bring up my eyepatch because I like to keep that hidden way down deep, but yes I too had to wear one of those for a little bit. Not even the cool pirate kind — the flesh-colored sticker thing that stuck to your face. Hideous and uncomfortable. I still love to make my mom feel guilty for that one.
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You are the coolest person for your child right now. The cool factor declines as a child ages, so that by high school you are the ultimate in uncool.
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Thanks for saying I’m the coolest to her right now. That made me smile! : ) And I think it’s true…she loves everything I do these days.
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