Last Friday one of my mum friends was surprised and slightly hurt to be asked by her children not to attend their school Sports Day on the grounds that she would embarrass them by making too much noise (cheering, shouting words of encouragement, that kind of thing). Her solution? 'I put on a fluro pink t-shirt and yelled at the top of my voice,' she laughed.
Sooner or later most children become embarrassed by their parents. It'll soon pass – I hope – but meanwhile, here are my own top tips for embarrassing your kids. You may wish to avoid all or none of the below:
1. Call your child by their family nickname (especially if it's something babyish) in front of their friends. Particularly if they're having a sleepover.
2. Clap very loudly at their school play/concert.
3. Sing (particularly anything by Take That or Abba) or even worse, mummy dance. Even in the comfort of your own home.
written by Liz Jarvis