Embarrassing things our parents did when we were growing up

[Anonymous]

My mother would sing along with whatever music was playing in any of the stores we visited. Now, that would be bad enough, but she didn't just sing the song as the singer had. She would harmonize. And it wasn't quiet. Everyone around us heard and stared.

[Anonymous]

My mom used to wear an umbrella hat to soccer games in the 80s.


https://www.walmart.com/ip/4-Pack-Rainbow-Umbrella-Hat-Cap-Hands-Free-with-Head-Strap-for-Sun-Rain/845548740

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we went on vacations, my parents didn't want to spend money on alcohol in restaurants, so they'd split a can of beer from a cooler while in the car in front of the restaurant.

Clearly, not horribly embarrassing, but when you're 12 or 13 and seeing people in the parking lot looking in the car windows, waiting for them to finish that beer seemed like it took forever.

They needed a drink that badly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom used to wear an umbrella hat to soccer games in the 80s.


https://www.walmart.com/ip/4-Pack-Rainbow-Umbrella-Hat-Cap-Hands-Free-with-Head-Strap-for-Sun-Rain/845548740

Do you see this now as a sweet memory? My dad wrore that hat with a straw and hung 2 soda cans on it. It was hot and my games were long. He also probably did it just because he knew it would embarrass me. Now I think back so fondly. He died of skin cancer a few years back, all those years sitting in the sun watching me play. Whenever the guilt starts to creep in, I look at his stupid hat and smile. My dad loved me.

[Anonymous]

Not parents, but one day DW and I were in Costco in the area near the pharmacy. I was at one end of the aisle and she was towards the other end. I held a Costco-sized box of Depends above my head and asked her, in a slightly raised voice, if these were the right Depends she needed.

A black guy in the aisle couldn't help but snicker.

Plot twist: She doesn't use Depends.

[Anonymous]

My mom and my best friend Laurie’s mom were the only moms to come to the discussion after the fifth grade girls saw “the movie”. (About menstruation). All mother were invited. It was 1975. When the nurse asked if either of them had anything to add, I wished I could melt into the floor.

[Anonymous]

My dad was constantly, CONSTANTLY commenting on my weight and appearance, and I wasn’t even fat! He’d call me porky or chunker, and make comments about how I needed to do sit ups, and would say it in front of any and everyone. I bulked up around 10-12 years old as girls do, but then puberty hit and I grew in height but not in weight, and didn’t hit 100lbs until college and was/am 5’6”. I had body dysmorphia for a long, long time, and can still be very self critical. At 125lbs and a size 4, I still think I could stand to loose 10-15lbs. If I ever said that out loud, people would think I was mental.

And yes, my dad is an a-hole and I don’t talk to him anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we went on vacations, my parents didn't want to spend money on alcohol in restaurants, so they'd split a can of beer from a cooler while in the car in front of the restaurant.

Clearly, not horribly embarrassing, but when you're 12 or 13 and seeing people in the parking lot looking in the car windows, waiting for them to finish that beer seemed like it took forever.

They needed a drink that badly?

half a beer? It was probably more of a ritual.

[Anonymous]

My Mum used to sing professionally so when God Save the Queen or Oh Canada was played publicly she wouldn't just mutter-sing along. She would stand and belt it out and get people clapping for her. Sometimes she would even be invited up to sing it again. Embarrassing as hell but it did make me secretly proud as well. I do it to my kids now- but living here now, I have few opportunities for either song in the US.

She also had a million pairs of the same style 'high heel pump' in various colours- and would ask the family before an event which colour matched her ensemble. If she got a split vote, she wore one of each- unashamedly. When I go back home now, people still bring up those memories though she has been dead now sadly for over 10 years. Haven't tried the shoe thing myself yet in front of any of my kids.

[Anonymous]

When I was a teenager my house was the hangout house. My mom would always yell down to us in the basement asking if we wanted any snacks.

As an adult, I can see absolutely nothing wrong with this but I was so embarrassed every time she dared try to feed us. Mom, I'm 15, I can get my friends chips.

[Anonymous]

They were pretty rigid in the ways things had to be done, even if it was very rude/inconsiderate to guests.

For example, our kitchen/family room was basically one big room. If I had friends over to watch tv, they would start the dishwasher. It was definitely not a quite dishwasher, it was really really loud (late 80's/early 90s.) Once it was started, they refused to pause it, they claimedit destroys the dishwasher to pause it once it's been started. So basically, my friends and I wouldn't be able to hear the tv, or even just have a reasonable conversation without shouting. I was not allowed to have friends in my bedroom, so basically that meant the end of my friends visit. I thought it was really rude of them and embarrassing.

And no, this wasn't a situation where my friends were staying so late/over wearing their welcome and my parents were trying to do that as a gentle hint to go home. These were friends my parents actually liked/approved of, at a reasonable hour (like 7 pm on a weekend--we were in high school.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mother would sing along with whatever music was playing in any of the stores we visited. Now, that would be bad enough, but she didn't just sing the song as the singer had. She would harmonize. And it wasn't quiet. Everyone around us heard and stared.

I LOVE your mom!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not parents, but one day DW and I were in Costco in the area near the pharmacy. I was at one end of the aisle and she was towards the other end. I held a Costco-sized box of Depends above my head and asked her, in a slightly raised voice, if these were the right Depends she needed.

A black guy in the aisle couldn't help but snicker.

Plot twist: She doesn't use Depends.

Plot twist: The fact that the guy in the aisle is black is completely irrelevant. You're one of those people. Lovely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dad was constantly, CONSTANTLY commenting on my weight and appearance, and I wasn’t even fat! He’d call me porky or chunker, and make comments about how I needed to do sit ups, and would say it in front of any and everyone. I bulked up around 10-12 years old as girls do, but then puberty hit and I grew in height but not in weight, and didn’t hit 100lbs until college and was/am 5’6”. I had body dysmorphia for a long, long time, and can still be very self critical. At 125lbs and a size 4, I still think I could stand to loose 10-15lbs. If I ever said that out loud, people would think I was mental.

And yes, my dad is an a-hole and I don’t talk to him anymore.

Wrong thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mom used to wear an umbrella hat to soccer games in the 80s.


https://www.walmart.com/ip/4-Pack-Rainbow-Umbrella-Hat-Cap-Hands-Free-with-Head-Strap-for-Sun-Rain/845548740

Do you see this now as a sweet memory? My dad wrore that hat with a straw and hung 2 soda cans on it. It was hot and my games were long. He also probably did it just because he knew it would embarrass me. Now I think back so fondly. He died of skin cancer a few years back, all those years sitting in the sun watching me play. Whenever the guilt starts to creep in, I look at his stupid hat and smile. My dad loved me.

Aaaww. That's sweet. I can see how that would have been embarassing back then. And really nostalgic and sweet now.

When I was 12 we moved from a big city to a small crappy southern town. My dad used to come to my games wearing a suit, straight from the office. Totally blue collar town, nobody's parents wore suits to work. Everyone always stared. I found it embarrasing that he didn't change. Now I'm just glad that I never told him that.