10 Things My Mom Did That Made Me Cringe (And Now I Do Them Too)

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As a child, I often swore I would never become like my mother. But here I am, a parent myself, and it’s almost comical how her habits have ingrained themselves in my behavior. With two teens of my own, I now find myself causing them to cringe just as she did to me. Let’s take a lighthearted look at some of the ways I’ve become my mother—whether I like it or not.

1. Tech Troubles: My mom never grasped the VCR, and here I am struggling with my iCloud account. I used to mock her attempts to record shows, but now I find myself pleading with my son for help with technology. “Can you just teach me how to save a photo?” I ask, as my daughter rolls her eyes at my request to “tape” something on the DVR. Seriously, I just want to catch up on Grey’s Anatomy!
2. Social Media Overshare: Back in the day, I cringed when my mom shared embarrassing stories at neighborhood gatherings. Now, my kids threaten to disown me if I post their awkward moments on Facebook. Oh how the tables have turned!
3. Dinner Disasters: I remember dreading fish sticks and fries, which my mom insisted we eat. I promised myself I wouldn’t force my kids to endure such horrors. However, when my son screamed over lima beans the other night, I realized that promise may have slipped away.
4. Hulk Mode: Activated: My mom had a unique way of motivating us to clean our rooms—complete with a cleaning frenzy that would leave her shirt torn. Now, I find myself channeling my inner Hulk at least twice a week when the house looks like a tornado hit it.
5. Awkward Car Rides: My mom would engage in the most cringeworthy small talk with my dates. I swore I wouldn’t embarrass my kids in the same way, but when my son requested I sit at a different table during his fro-yo date, I had to remind him that he was paying for my dessert!
6. Over-the-Top Goodbyes: The mortification of my mom’s sing-song goodbyes in the carpool line still haunts me. Yet, here I am, yelling “Tuck and roll!” with music blasting as my middle-schooler hops out of the car. I can only imagine her chuckling all the way home.
7. The Search is On: My mom always seemed to take ages looking for items in her purse or around the house. I thought it was just her, but now I find myself echoing her struggles while frantically searching for my keys—always a mystery.
8. Angry Tongues: When my mom was furious, her words became a mix of gibberish and grunts. I caught myself yelling, “Don’t look at me in that tone of voice” just last week, and I saw my son desperately trying to hold back laughter.
9. Candy Hoarding: I once discovered my mom’s secret stash of chocolate and was promptly shooed away. Now, I find myself acting like a lunatic if my kids even glance at my hidden stash of Dove chocolates.
10. The Ironic Truth: My mother often warned me, “Someday you’ll understand!” when I drove her to frustration. I rolled my eyes back then, thinking parenting was a piece of cake. Yet here I am, grappling daily with the challenges of raising my own kids, with a newfound appreciation for all she did.

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In summary, becoming a parent often leads us to adopt the very behaviors we once found embarrassing. Whether it’s technology mishaps, awkward interactions, or the struggle of finding lost items, I now understand the challenges my mother faced.