My roommate's parents were asked to teach a parenting class at their church. While at dinner the other night with our roommate, they asked for her help.
She asked what kind of help they needed.
Her father replied, "Well, we don't really remember much about raising you or what we did, so we thought you could help us with some stories or something."
Ok, there's a couple of things just plain wrong with this. First, I hope the parenting class doesn't need any real help from her parents, and secondly, why would you tell your kid this? She's 21 and close with her parents, and it would bother me a little if my parents asked me for parenting advice because they didn't remember my childhood. (Of course, my parents had alcohol as an excuse, but her parents don't drink that much.)
Maybe their advice should be to pay more attention to their kids, or to take notes or something, in case they are ever asked about it later in their life.
By the way, if you haven't read this week's Flash Fiction Friday story, please click the previous link and do so. I am not desparate for attention or anything. Really. Thanks to those of you who already read it. I am really not desparate for attention, just read it, okay?
11 comments:
Looks nice and warm.....
Rock on!
oooo! that baby looks soft! probably good for the upper back!
Wow.. that's reall sad about the parenting advice. I think the best advice is to remember they feel every emotion you do as an adult.. and probably twice as strong, so be careful, and just love them.
Damn.. now I feel all sappy.
::smooches::
Mara
My parents have a selective memory about my childhood too. They seem to remember being great parents -- hah! Must have been all the drugs they did.
Isn't it amazing some of us survived our childhoods, knowing our parents now?
Hmm...that is scary...
I AM THE ONLY HELL MY MAMA EVER RAISED...
those parents need to drink more...
My parents have developed a selective memory about my childhood. My sisters like to play this game at Christmas, it goes like this...
Remember that time I said I was at a church dance? I was really [insert any of the following]:
-in Tia Juana
-making out in the back of a van on a mattress
-doing something that could have ended with getting arrested
My parents have requested if they didn't know about it then, we keep our mouths shut now, so they can keep feeling like good parents.
That is funny and sad all at the same time. Hey, at least these people's insensitivity helped me to never waste money on parenting classes.
The great part is that her parents don't even have alcohol as an excuse.
And if they did drink, there's funny drunk, and mean drunk, and you never know which way it will go.
Ah well, I will follow up and let you know how the class went, if they end up teaching it.
The flip side to that coin are parents that remember EVERY SINGLE THING YOU EVER DID WRONG. And repeat those stories at FREQUENTLY.
And there are a lot of those stories.
ooh! I have a parent that never forgets and always shares everything I ever did wrong.
As a new mom, I swear I will never do that to my child.
Why do you think I blog? So I can remember all the mundane details of her life.
Maybe they were overwhelmed!
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