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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

101 ways to embarrass your teenager.

187 replies

LoisInTheMiddle · 20/08/2010 12:16

I have discovered what fun it can be embarrassing teens. And so easy.

I always knew that teenagers found their parents embarrassing and my 14 year old DS has now reached that stage. What I didn?t know was how little it takes to cause intense embarrassment and humiliation.
I have turned into Lois from Malcolm in the Middle. Apparently I am the most embarrassing person on the planet. Did I dance at his school disco? Kiss him in front of his friends? Wear something unsuitable for my age? No, nothing like that

This is what I did.
We were on holiday in a self service restaurant at the pool bar. Alongside the cutlery were some table mats so I took four knives and forks and four table mats and set them out on our table. DS1 sat down and said, while looking as though he wanted to crawl under the table,
?Mum , how could you??.
?What have I done??
?The mats. No one else has table mats.?
?Well I thought they improved the sticky plastic table?
?Mum, I beg you, please never do the table mats again?

Of course I made it worse by laughing.

Mums of teens tell me yours. Have you managed to humiliate your teen with anything as trivial?

OP posts:
PurpleOne · 07/10/2010 01:27

Mine dont complain YET

Although, I do like to drop a wholesome and smelly fart when the DCS are in the suprmarket with me. I walk off chortling before the smell hits them.

They dont know whether to laugh or cry.

Grin
Lemonylemon · 07/10/2010 15:18

Gah! I really think I need to get a sense of humour about my DS. He's 13 and last night threw an absolutely humungous tantrum in Sainsbury's, walking away from me shouting "Jesus Christ......" blah, blah, blah.

I was so embarrassed I had to walk the other way and just left him to it......

tinkgirl · 07/10/2010 21:20

I threaten mine (routinely) that if they don't behave then I will put rollers in my hair, dig out a pair of PJ's, the oldest dressing gown ever, no make-up and drive them to school. DS has once tried to call my bluff on this by saying that we've got blacked out windows in the back of the car, counter-bluffed by saying that I'd jump out of the car and run across the yard to give him a big sloppy kiss. DS has only just started in Yr 7 so reckon that this one should keep him in line through to Yr 11. He has also called my bluff a couple of time - never worked needless to say Grin

peppermum · 18/10/2010 20:23

I want some UGG boots but have been told I can only wear them in the house "NEVER outide" DS age 14, DD age 11

peppermum · 18/10/2010 20:24

Oops - I mean "outside"

Liquidpea · 10/03/2011 09:16

Threaten to update your FB status & tag him. I noticed that we were running low on towels even though I had done the washing. My 14 yr old DS had tidied his room - hahahah - he had stuffed everything on the floor under the bed & carried on playing PS3. when I looked under the bed & recovered 5 damp towels he shrugged. When I whipped out my iPhone to update my FB status with 'My darling son has 5 damp towels & crusty boxers under his bed' he moved like greased lightning to put the towels in the washing machine!

lemonmousse · 11/03/2011 13:55

Taking my DD (12) on a shopping trip last week - she said,
"Do you have to wear that coat? It makes me feel sad".
"Oh is that because I wore it to Grandma's funeral?" I asked gently.
"No it just makes me sad to be seen with you while you're wearing it" Shock

As for the recent revival of denim jackets I dug my old one out of the wardrobe with the intention of wearing it and was told "You can't possibly - it's got NEXT stamped on all the buttons!" (said the girl who loves a spending spree in Primark).

ModreB · 12/03/2011 12:32

DS1 was 16 and DS2 was 14, we were away on holiday on a Greek island, in a small resort. We were due to go home the next day, and had to get up at some ungodly hour to get to the airport. They wanted to go out for the last night out, we agreed on the condition that they were back at 11pm.

At 1 am Angry I went, in my pyjamas and slippers, bedhead and all, and dragged them out of the teenage pit that they had been hiding in, and gave them a good telling off while I did it. Very loudly. DH hid round the corner, sniggering.

In front of all their new holiday pals (and girlfriends) I was evil personified Grin

Churchlyn · 16/03/2011 16:21

I was once accused of trying to "hump" the door frame and am now known by some of the DD's friends as the "poledancing" mum but the close friends think I'm quite cool 'cos I took them to see My Chemical Romance (but only 'cos I enjoy their music too)

mollyfinn · 01/04/2011 18:58

i was driving my dd to the college bus stop i was told to turn the music down even though it was'nt on loud i let her out 50 mtrs from bus stop and drove further up the road to turn around,on the way back past the stop where she was standing with other students i slowed right down to a crawl wound down the window turned up the volume to the sound of honky tonk woman and did a few head shakes for added affect. PRICELESS

Debbiecakes · 06/04/2011 21:22

I exist............. therefore I embarress !

I apparently embarressed her because I walked up to the bus stop !! We leave for school/work at the same time and both do the same 200 yd walk. My bus stop is outside the entrance to her school. Therefore I am now informed I have to leave 5 mins after her so as not to embarress her ! I haven't entered the ministry of funny walks so have yet to understand how exactly I embarress her

I am also embarressing because I am the secretary of her PTA - if i help at any event i.e. the school disco I am "not allowed in the main hall" where she is.

DH has decided its time to get our own back and actually do something properly embarressing.................so has done the following to our 11yr DD recently

  1. Grabbed her hand in middle of the shopping centre and Skipped through the precinct (hes 6'1 !!) This also worked at the airport !
  2. Picked her up and put her in the freezer section in the supermarket - in between the frozen peas !
  3. Gone into the school playground to collect her and ran across the playground with outstretched arms screaming her name.
  4. He trips her up (carefully assisting her in falling to the floor), then yells at her to get up and stop playing around.
  5. Joined in at the school disco doing the Cha Cha Slide - that one was classic !!!!!!
  6. Grab her outside the house where she meets her mates to walk to school - and kiss her all over her face

So now we are truly embarressing !!!

wotifwotznot · 15/06/2011 17:10

Take them to a coffee shop that isn't starbuks or cafe nero and make them sit in the window seat.

gotolder · 15/06/2011 23:02

I was asked by DD2 to "please dress like a mother" to go to school Speech Day when she was 15. I still don't know what I wore that made me "not a mother" and that is 30 years ago: she couldn't and still can't explainConfused.

circular · 16/06/2011 08:43

Several without even trying (too hard) - DD1, 13:

Going to customer services in supermarket when overcharged at checkout .
Mentioning her name at PTA meeting (especially if it's to a parent of someone else in her year)
Putting family photos on facebbok and tagging her so her friends can see.
Showing bab/toddler pictures to her friends - and one video in particular, when she was being a real brat.(Can;t wait for the first boyfriend)>
Calling out her bra size when out clothes shopping.
Being in the PTA group picture on her school noticeboard with messy hair.

DH has the real classics though :
Was so worried about her on first ever school holiday (age 10), he called on one of the teachers mobiles. They teacher was so concerned about how worried her sounded, called DD to the phone, away from her group of friends.

When DDs best friend asked DH why he was ironing a skirt that DD no longer needed, he told her he might want to wear it himself sometime!

wicketkeeper · 25/06/2011 13:50

Ah - takes me back. I remember ringing DD's friend's house (no mobile phones way back 12 whole years ago!!) to ask DD something. Friend answered the phone and called to DD. As I was waiting for her to come to the phone I overhear this conversation between Friend and Other Friend (they were all 14 at the time) - 'It's ...'s Mum. She's a bit weird, but kind of cool.' Nicest thing anyone's ever said - and I thought I was just an embarrassment...

katieconundrum · 28/06/2011 23:09

Getting out of the car when I pick him up - especially coming to the door at parties to collect him.

Having dyed my hair too dark whilst he was on an exchange visit in France (informed by his elder sister, with photo) to have him text me from Fance to check I had 'not been out of the house' or been seen by any of his fiends.

Hurtful.

katieconundrum · 28/06/2011 23:10

For 'fiends' read 'friends' or maybe not.......!

whysolate · 28/06/2011 23:17

When I was at high school my mum dropped me off right outside the busy school gates. Embarrasing enough when you're a teenager but to add insult to injury she had wrapped toilet roll around her neck like a scarf and had it flapping out of the window as she drove away screaming "Have a good day Whyso, mummy loves you!!!"

I can't wait until my DC's are old enough for me to do it to them. I think I will start a family tradition.

royaljelly · 29/06/2011 00:44

I skip or sing when my DS is trying sooooo hard to be cool, (although never near school. I am not that cruel). It is a mothers right to make her child cringe infront of his friends. Althougth I should remind you that in my own experience my father can embrass me when I visit him in London and I am in my 30's.

mumsamilitant · 29/06/2011 15:27

Well! this one is cringingly embarrassing for me and my DS.

A couple of weeks ago I started taking his Blackberry SIM off him at night as he was constantly on it. He gave it up too easy a couple of nights later and I found out he was using another SIM, so confiscated whole damn phone!

Same thing happened again.... far too compliant with mummys rules so decided to do a "Kato" on him and burst in. Low and behold he did have something under the covers, his IPOD, took that and he still looked cagey so started to pull the covers down more stating he had something else! Well! there were the tisses and boxers. He screamed MUM! I went OHHH, threw the ipod back mumbling "you may need this (to finish the job)" and practically ran from the room. YES, youve guessed it! he was having a "you know what"!

mumsamilitant · 29/06/2011 15:28

"tissues". What a clean boy! lol

bossboggle · 02/07/2011 15:59

We breathe - we are an embarrasment full stop!! It does improve over time by DD's are in their 20's now and no problems!!

bossboggle · 02/07/2011 16:00

Mumsamillitant!! Oh God!!

AnneWiddecomesArse · 15/07/2011 08:29

On holiday around pool and DD being stroppy, constant maoning; totally unreasonable.
Her dad and I synched our ipods to Cecilia by Simon & Garfunkel. We then stood next to her sunbed, did very exagerrated and energetic dancing complete with gurning facial expressions.
No one could hear what we were dancing to obviously and the Germans looked shocked and mesmerised also.
And then we just laid back down on our sunbeds as if it was perfectly normal, without speaking.
Really freaked her out and she was lovely for the rest of the holiday.Grin

mumsamilitant · 15/07/2011 14:39

My DS has just totally embarrassed me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Went to his school this morning to get his report etc.
Have to admit Im a bit "old school" and dress up for the occasion..... Not in a cocktail dress I may add, just make sure I dont look like a Battersby.

Anyway, sat down, teacher did her bit. I then began to converserse only for my little darling to say... "Mum, why are you trying to talk all posh". Oh My God! I could feel myself becoming hotter and hotter and hotter!!!!!

Dont ya just love em!!!!!