Monday, November 5, 2012

What Happens In Public

“Hi Tommy!” I called out.

I was promptly ignored.

I should know better. We were In Public which means I Do Not Exist. He’s lucky I’m not one of those parents who shows up in pajama pants. I do have unkempt hair but it’s not my fault. My hair hates me no matter what I do to it.

I pulled out my camera, prepared to take pictures. I was at Tommy’s award assembly. He made the Honor Roll. No Perfect Attendance this time, which bothered Tommy. But really, he couldn’t have gone to school the one day he was absent. He was puking everywhere.

I took a picture of the back of Tommy’s head.



It remained that way the entire time I was there. Until he was called up on stage, that is. I remember when he was little how he'd light up when he saw me. "Mommy! Mommy! It's me! Tommy!" Now? I barely get a glance in my direction.

Tommy got his certificate, smiled briefly my way (probably so I'd stop hissing, "Tommy, over here!"), and then behaved as though I wasn’t there. (Yes, he does need a haircut. No, he won't let me get him one. Yes, I'm going to make him because he looks like a shaggy pants. I figure I buy his underwears, therefore, I get to tell him when he needs to get a hair cut.)




When the assembly was over, the teachers said the students could say hello to their parents real quick. Tommy didn’t look as though he was going to do this so I took matters into my own hands. I went over and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Good day,” I said brightly.

He gave me a forced smile. “Hi.” Gosh, his friends would be shocked to know that the night before he hugged me and said that he loved me very much.

“You did a great job. Congrats!” I continued.

This got a real smile from Tommy. “Thank you!”

“Well, I love you!” As soon as the words left my lips, I knew I had said the wrong thing. Apparently you can’t say that in public to a fifth grader. The color drained from Tommy’s face. His eyes flicked around the students by him checking to see if they heard. Weirdly, I suddenly wanted to shout, “Opah!” as a distraction, which is weird because A) we’re not Greek and B) that would have surely gotten attention and people would have been like ?

“Um, well, see you,” I said, trying to play it cool. Gosh, I’m awkward. I shouldn’t be like that with my own KID but now he’s older and there are unspoken rules that I just haven’t been able to grasp yet.

“Mmmhmm, see you,” Tommy mumbled.

I so wanted to give him a hug but that was Out Of The Question since we were still In Public. So I chucked him lightly on the shoulder, then worried his teachers might be like, “Abuse!”

He did give me a wave before I walked out though so I guess I was forgiven.

Until next time.

21 comments:

  1. Tommy's behavior is so typical of kids that age....they find mothers so embarrassing! I just stopped by from SITS to say hello; I'be been here before, but it's been a while. Hope you find time to return the visit.

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  2. aw well congrats to him for award very nice!

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  3. I can relate. My oldest, an 8th grader now, stopped "allowing" me to accompany him on field trips around the 5th grade. By the 6th grade he began pretending as if he did not know me when I showed up at school. He actually ran from me in the hall once when I was there for a field trip of his younger brother's!

    Congrats to Tommy!

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  4. I remember my son sitting up in front of a bunch of kids and waving with a big grin when he saw me and then catching himself, looking side to side to see if anyone saw, and quickly putting his hand down. It was cute. Not too long after that he had a wrestling coach who constantly prompted him that the tough boys hug their moms and treat them like a queen. In his eyes, the coach is God. He's sixteen now and still eagerly hugs me in public to prove what a man he is. That was a good coach.

    My seventeen-year old daughter, however, will barely give me a hug if I beg her. Dad's hugs rock. She only hugs me to get me to leave her alone.

    Isn't it fun to watch them grow up and go through everything everyone said they would in their own little ways?

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  5. Hysterical!! I used to totally embarrass my kids as they were getting on the bus at this age. "Make good choices!!!" was one of my all-time favorites! LOL!!!

    Congrats to Tommy!

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  6. oh goodness I do not look forward to that. My 5 year old already acts all weird in public it makes me sad! Congrats for the awesome grades :)

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  7. Congrats Tommy!! It only gets worse....soon you won't be allowed to step foot in school.

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  8. i'm not ready for that! my daughter's the same age as tommy and doesn't go to school, so maybe she doesn't know the un-cool mom rule yet. maybe she'll never learn. yeah right. she'll probably shun me in public tomorrow, just to show me how normal she is.

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  9. Oh the awkward age!! Gotta love it!! It still shocks the pants off of me when my 13 yr old nephew randomly texts me to say "I love you!" It melts my heart because I know how rare that is going to be.

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  10. Embarrasing our kids is our job and our right. Besides....my doing so is involuntary so I am excluded from knowing better.

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  11. Oh I remembered when that started for my daughter :/
    Now, I do it just to mess with her. I think it will be even more heartbreaking with my sons because they are more affectionate anyways. I guess I have one more year before we start that. Love parenting and growing kids, eh? Good for your son to be on Honor Roll. Congrats to him.

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  12. I'm not looking forward to that ... I love the fact that Tiger is still willing to hug me in public.

    Well done again to Tommy!

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  13. It is the age. Just wait. They grow up to be teenagers and it gets worse. But then, something happens in their early 20s that changes things, and it generally goes back to the loving side. Hang in there!

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  14. Yikes! Luckily my boys are too young for that yet, but I'm sure it's coming :(

    Thanks for stopping by! I've popped over and now I'm hooked :) New follower!

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  15. Awkward. Like running into an ex or something... :P

    Opah!

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  16. He shouldn't be disappointed about perfect attendance. I've never seen the point in rewarding people with weird never-gets-sick-for-a-day-in-their-lives-ever genes.

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  17. I love these stories but mainly because I remember feeling like Tommy. Kids are so goofy with what embarrasses them!

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  18. Awww! Congrats on the award, Tommy!

    I used to work in childcare & a {3} yes, {3} year old boy wiped away his kiss from his mama! :( I figured when they got older but not at {3}!! lol! Have a great day!

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  19. My son and I fist bump as a way of public hugging. It works! I get the feeling that he still wants affection and he gets to maintain "cool" points. :)

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  20. Oh gosh! How old are they when that starts happening? I don't want my baby to get embarrassed of me.

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