Lately, I’ve been getting the distinct impression that my tween daughter thinks I’m from another era. When I suggest she grab a sweater for school, she gives me an exaggerated eye roll, tossing it into her backpack as if it’s just a way to humor me.
When I ask her to call a friend for carpool arrangements, she flashes a grin and dismisses my suggestion as if it’s a relic of the past, quickly opting to shoot off a text instead. And when I get excited about her wanting to borrow a vintage piece I unearthed from my closet, I soon discover she plans to wear it ironically rather than with the earnestness I once had.
I try to instill some wisdom by saying, “Never do anything you’d be embarrassed to see on the front page of a newspaper.” She looks at me, bemused, then sweetly replies, “Oh, you mean don’t post anything you wouldn’t want to show up on Instagram?”
Just the other day, during one of our playful moments, I jokingly hit her with a pillow and shouted, “Makeup!” She giggled but then asked, “Why do you say that?” I realized she had no clue that was the cue for old-school movie directors to get the makeup crew in action. When I attempted to explain, she nodded as if saying, “There, there, old-timer, we all have our fond memories.” Honestly, she makes me feel almost charmingly outdated.
But I assure you, I’m not sitting here in a rocking chair knitting with a dozen cats. Nope, I’m not even sporting mom jeans! So why does she view me as a quirky throwback? Maybe I should ask her while we’re out today.
“Omigosh, Mom! Is that a fanny pack?” she exclaims.
“No, no!” I protest. “It’s a fancy fabric pouch for your money that clips to your belt loop! It’s called a Hip Clip!” I show it off proudly.
“Oh, Mom,” she chuckles, wrapping her arm around mine. “You’re just the cutest!”
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In summary, while my tween might see me as a charming artifact from the past, I’m just trying to keep up with the times and share a laugh along the way.