Embarrassing Parents

It is true that all children are embarrassed by their parents at various times in their lives. It can feel like your parents are deliberately trying to make you squirm but this is not always the case. Besides, you know you secretly love it when you Dad shows off his dance moves while making you breakfast, you would just rather that he did not do it when your friend comes to walk you to school.

These nuances can be difficult for parents to grasp so it can be helpful if you can pinpoint exactly what behaviour pains you, instead of just screaming “MUM/DAD You are so EMBARRASSING!!!!!!” Before you broach this subject with the offending parent, try noting down things you find embarrassing.

This means when you do choose to speak to your parents you can tell them that you cringed when they called you some pet name in front of your friends or that it was not acceptable for your mum to wear your dress to the school show. You may find that your parents had no idea that they were causing you so much pain.

However, there will be some parents who will find it funny. They are not trying to upset you; they are just trying to find a way to be a part of your life. Try to reach a compromise with them. Explain what situations make you feel uncomfortable. Just remember that while you can encourage your parents to change behaviours, you will have more difficulty getting them to change altogether so you are probably stuck with your dad’s bad dress sense for a while longer.