Bossypants

~ susie

The one thing that I’ve noticed about being middle-aged is that now my kids are always trying to tell me what to do. I don’t think they know me as well as they think they do; they know pieces of me, which is different.

“You know, Mom, you really should [fill in the blank].”

And I think to myself, “You know, you really should [fill in the blank].” I don’t say it out loud, because they mean well and I don’t want to fight. But still.

Published by susie

8 thoughts on “Bossypants”

  1. wow, I don’t ever remember giving unsolicited advice to my mom, maybe I did, but I don’t remember it. Well meaning relatives can be a drag.

  3. Seriously— I know. Suddenly the tables are turned and they have become the caretakers?

    I’m always saying to my (sweet) daughter: What? So you think I’m an INVALID now?

    No, I’m not even Jewish.

  4. I dunno. I think you’re still a bit young for this, but be careful you aren’t just turning down the advice because it comes from your kids and some sort of desire to stay in control. I still remember my parents trying to give my grandparents excellent advice, but my grandparents repeatedly refused to listen. Sometimes that didn’t end so well for the grandparents. Other times, another friend or relative would give the exact same advice and because it didn’t come from their children, they’d take it. But all in all, I’d say the end of my grandparents’ lives were much more difficult – and it made my parents’ lives more difficult – because they refused to take even simple steps my parents suggested to make things easier. Not that I didn’t enjoy the screaming match I had with my grandmother to get her to go to the doctor and get her high blood pressure treated (after my parents and uncle had already argued themselves blue) because it was a real treat.

    Again, I’m sure this isn’t you, but having watched it, I feel the need to say something.

  5. BDBLUE you made me squint to try to understand WTF you were talking about.

    Thank goodness susie is not like me at all. SHE’LL figure out what you mean.

    YAY.

  6. P.S I’m 57 years old. Sure, I’m young at heart. That’s the thing right?

    Please don’t make me eyes glaze over anymore.

  7. I think you are right in that your children only know parts of you but they think that they know all of you. It seems to be just another manifestation of the old ‘push-pull’ of intimacy. And you are definitely better letting it go rather than fighting about it. Happy Mother’s Day!

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