to really despise boastful parents?

[UpYourViva]

I have one such friend:

"oh little Jimmy can count to one million"

"He can speak fifteen languages fluently and he's only three"

IMO it's a really horrid quality to have

ahhhh kimi did you not read the whole thread? the umpteen times where is stated that being proud is completely different than being boastful?

I will say it again- being proud of you children is fab, having a 2 way convo about your kids achievements is also fabtastic, blatent boasting i.e. 'little jimmy is by far the most cleverist child in the whole kingdom' is not so fab is it

As a first time mum, (16 and a half years ago!!) I remember being thoroughly put down and feeling very inadequate when a mum at baby and toddler group with a baby of 6 months like my DS1, told me that her daughter was "very good" at getting her teeth through because she had 4 already-as though it was an achievement!

I felt inadequate because DS1 had none and I was paranoid and convinced he would not get any at all!!

Fast forward to our children being toddlers , 12 months or so, and the same mum waxed lyrical about her daughter's "superb" "spatial awareness" which allowed her to do shape sorters unaided!!!

.... Whle my poor DS1 continually rammed the triangle shape at the square hole!

I remember crying to DH that DS had problems with his spatial awareness and needed to see a doctor

Many years later DS1 is marvellous, doing A levels, off to uni etc , and three children later I can see through desperate parental boasting to the parent behind it who is using his/her child to boost their own self esteem.

"By UpYourViva Wed 17-Mar-10 17:00:05

But who says boastfulness is due to insecurity?"

LOL! Well, on this thread the 2nd post, 5th, 18th...

[snort]

oh oh can I join in! I love it when people talk about their children and share funny stories. e.g she has started doing this really cute thing .......

But i hate that smug arsyness you sometimes get. I once went to a birth board meet that went like this........

Introductions, then straight into her "so is my baby still the only one who is walking unaided"

me "oh izzy took some few steps since we last "

her "well E does it even better now!"

arsehole its the competitiveness I cant stand, very unhealthy.

Exactly wiz

soup i meant it's not a fact that boasting is linked to insecurity!

Anyway im off to bed, mini viva sleeps like a dream, she's a better sleeper than any other child ever so i know ill get a great nights sleep

I do inverted boasting

Although it was possibly a mistake to tell a crowd of parents that DS had been forging my signature in his journal all year.

A recent study said that something like 86% of us are insecure. Interesting.

Have these parents not got grandparents to boast to? Us grannies will listen for hours to ever little detail of what the DGC have done and will never cease to be amazed at how clever they are!

Took my DGD 20 months to the Dr.

While we waited our turn she said "I'll sit on this yellow chair".

Receptionist thought she was very clever.

I didn't tell her that DGD called every colour yellow.

Just happened that the small plastic table and chairs were yellow.

Of course it's not a fact that boasting is always due to insecurity

The most boastful people I know (as i keep banging on about) are highly confident. And no they aren't pretending, they just like to tell everyone else how wonderful they are all the time. I'm sure they don't even realise they are doing it.

Maybe some people just like to think that people who have a lot going for them and are confident enough to tell everyone about it (at length) are secretly highly insecure. Well think that if it makes you feel better, but it certianly not always true!

granny23 yes that's how it works round here

C'mon...ALL parents do it! Subconscious or not - even my DH who detests such behaviour...

to quote my mum: "it doesn't matter what you achieve or don't achieve, I love you because you're my baby"

said every time something goes horribly wrong, or to the siblings when they're jealous of one of the others.

and coralanne that's brilliant!

It isn't a fact that boasting is due to insecurity but I can't think of any other reason. They think it reflects on them and for some reason it proves they must be a good mother.

Thanks nickelbabe.

DGD is now 2.3 and really does know her colours now.

Your mum sounds lovely.