Sometimes I'm still such a jerk.
We traveled with Papa last week and met some great new friends. We went trick-or-treating with them, the kids are having a great time together, and one of the dads stopped to talk to me.
Dad- Josh is great!
Me- Is he?
What the hell?! Why did I say that? I made a quick recovery.
Me- I mean, he is! Thanks!
Dad- It's nice for our boys to have an older friend, to have a "big brother" type friend.
And here's where things got really bad.
Me- Oh, yeah, I think maybe he likes to play with younger kids because they're easier to boss around.
Seriously, who is talking out of my mouth? Why can't I just accept the compliment? Why do I have to go and insult my own kid, while simultaneously insulting this guy's kids?! I could blame it on poor sleep, or being distracted in a new place, but really the fact is that sometimes that jerk parent in me still comes out.
Sadly, I spent so much time being a jerk parent that the above is still my default reaction when talking with new people. To say, "No, no, my kid isn't great. He can't be enjoying your children simply because they're also great. He obviously has ulterior motives."
I'm really embarrassed about the whole ordeal. I'll apologize and move forward. Being a better parent, not being the parent I used to be, is a moment to moment battle. It gets easier, but I'm afraid it is one that will never truly end.
We traveled with Papa last week and met some great new friends. We went trick-or-treating with them, the kids are having a great time together, and one of the dads stopped to talk to me.
Dad- Josh is great!
Me- Is he?
What the hell?! Why did I say that? I made a quick recovery.
Me- I mean, he is! Thanks!
Dad- It's nice for our boys to have an older friend, to have a "big brother" type friend.
And here's where things got really bad.
Me- Oh, yeah, I think maybe he likes to play with younger kids because they're easier to boss around.
Seriously, who is talking out of my mouth? Why can't I just accept the compliment? Why do I have to go and insult my own kid, while simultaneously insulting this guy's kids?! I could blame it on poor sleep, or being distracted in a new place, but really the fact is that sometimes that jerk parent in me still comes out.
Sadly, I spent so much time being a jerk parent that the above is still my default reaction when talking with new people. To say, "No, no, my kid isn't great. He can't be enjoying your children simply because they're also great. He obviously has ulterior motives."
I'm really embarrassed about the whole ordeal. I'll apologize and move forward. Being a better parent, not being the parent I used to be, is a moment to moment battle. It gets easier, but I'm afraid it is one that will never truly end.
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