Eight year-old Iris has long deemed her father an uncool geek (and oddly enough she parses things such that she calls herself a "nerd", which is by her lights "cool", but geekness is, unlike nerdity, uncool) but given her mother a bye. Maybe it's the tattoos and the little emerald I wear in my nose, maybe it's because I helped Iris dye her hair red and blonde, maybe it's inexplicable; but I've been coasting on my reputation for coolness with the children and their friends. Lucy gave me an unpleasant reality check recently when I was comparing us to a fictional family, and she said strongly, "But we aren't like them because that mom is cool."
"What? You think I'm not cool?"
Lucy pondered this for some time and looked for a diplomatic answer. Sweetly and condescendingly she said, "Sometimes when you give us ice cream, I think you are a little cool."
6 comments:
bribery will get you everywhere.
There is a time when you are no longer cool, just because if you are cool, your kids can't be.
Sigh. Sorry. The good news is, other kids will think you are cool, even when yours don't.
My girls declared me "OLD" last night when they were decorating my birthday card. I've always been a geek and a nerd, and it doesn't bother me. But being called OLD did.
"cool" is also so subjective. when they are older and realize with all your tattoos and Burning Man experience how "cool" you were, they will be in awe. unfortunately there won't be any cool meters for them to measure by.
Yeah, you can't really fly the ol' Freak Flag too high with kids.
They talk, and all that.
But at least pull it out from under the bed and show them you got it (or ever had it).
Figuratively, at least.
wait until they're teens and then blurt out "yeah, i smoked pot" and watch their world crumble while you laugh in glee internally.
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