Mom, You're Embarrassing Me!

I knew my time was coming.  I've made it thirteen beautiful years without embarrassing my kids, but I guess the hourglass has dropped its last grain of sand and my time is up.  I've officially entered the ranks of "Embarrassing Mom."

The sad part is I didn't even know I was doing something embarrassing.  I thought I was cool- not kid cool, just mom cool.  Isn't that how it is.  You think you're Mom-style cool and hip, until your teenager tells you otherwise.  Bummer!  Demoted by my teen.

I'll share the devastating, teen needs to pull mom aside embarrassing story.  Once again, I'll remind you...I truly don't think this is embarrassing at all.

We were at the Angels game with a number of friends from our local Little League.  The World Series Champions were being honored on Angel Field.  We came to cheer them on.

We were sitting as a family in Row S.  About halfway through the game, our oldest moved up two rows, probably Row Q, to hang with his buddies.  That's Cool!  (See how hip I am).

Across the aisle and back one row from the boys (Row R) were a couple girls.  The girls were' doing what girls do.  Silly stuff.  Throwing peanuts at the boys.  Giggling.  Turning around looking at me.  Smiling.  Giggling.  Taking pictures of the backs of the boys' heads.  Giggling more.  It was like the Circle of Life, maybe more like the Circle of Flirt, watching the exchange.  That's the way it goes.

While watching this exchange, I noticed our boy checking his phone.  What?  The phone is for emergencies only.  It's so NOT a cool phone...more like a Cell-a-saurous.  I think it's some type of a flip phone.  He can text from it.  There's no email capabilities, or Internet.  He can make a call, take a call or text.  That's it.  Apparently, worse than that is the fact we buy minutes.  He has very limited usage because his parents don't want him blowing through the minutes carelessly.  Remember it's for emergencies.  I'm not quite sure why he even brought it.

Anyway, I popped up and asked, "Why are you checking your phone?  Who are you getting a text from?"  He turned around like the kid caught in the cookie jar. 

I then said, "Are you getting texts from across the aisle?"

He grinned.

I looked at the girls.  They giggled.

Then it happened.  I'm not sure of my exact words, but they were something like, "Don't make him waste his minutes."  I was smiling and sweet, not accusatory or grouchy. 

They smiled back.

I sat down and we enjoyed the rest of the game.

No issues.

We watched Ne-Yo for a couple songs after the game.  I thought I earned a cool mom point because I actually knew one song, believe it or not.

As we were walking back to the car, my oldest sweetie gave me the, "Mom, let's talk tug."  Usually he wants to share something that he doesn't want his brother or sister to hear.  Not this time.

He broke it to me.  "Mom, you're embarrassing me." 

What?

He then told me when I made the comment about using up his minutes it was totally embarrassing.

What?

Apparently, EVERYBODY has unlimited minutes and data usage and he's only got minutes.  And now the word's out.  His parents just buy minutes.

This makes me chuckle.  How could I have known? 

When I was growing up if we shopped at K-Mart that embarrassed me.  Now-a-days that doesn't seem to be the issue, it's what kind of phone and data plan a kid has that matters.  I've got some catching up to do.

So, to all you parents out there that have not yet heard, do not mention prepaid minutes.  It's embarrassing.  If you've already blundered the great faux pas, I feel for you.  We're in the same boat.

Fortunately, my sweet boy is very forgiving and understanding.  He knows I'm doing the best I can.