Bring uncool and old isn’t just a biological order it is also a chore and a part of your job description when you signed up to be a parent. Didn’t know? Well you will find out sooner or later but to spare you surprises and very very embarrassing moments here are the facts for you:
Parents will embarrass their kids, especially when the are teens. But nothing is more embarrassing then parents who try desperately to be young and cool.
Of curse you are not old, yes you are cool! We all are 😉 but there comes a time in a life of a parent where it is time to hand over the cool and the young.
You will always be cool, could always be young and awesome compared to all the other “boring parents” around you 😉 But there is nothing me embarrassing than parents trying to compete with their kids.
Life with the fact that:
- They are getting better than you
- Look better than you
- Are cooler than you
- Are freer than you
- Can wear everything well (not as you)
Moms; Can you look just as sexy as your daughter? Wear what she does? Buy pants of the same Brand as she? Go clubbing with her? Go to the concert with her girlfriends?
Dads; can you lift more weight than your son? Pump your muscles with him? Play the super cool dad, impress his dudes? Wear cool-provoking Hoodies and dress like you just outgrew high school.
Sure you CAN – the question is should you…? and to tell you the truth – no actually you can’t!
Yes you can- but you can’t… that’s the complicated situation that you have explained to our kids countless times while raising them to the age they have now. Just because something is doable doesn’t make it right to do it.
Being young forever is a society tend, being there for your kids is your job. Having fun with your kids is awesome and important but competition with your kids when it comes to being cool and young is the dumbest thing you can do. It only does one thing very effectually; make sure they find you embarrassing and make sure they avoid you.
There is no way to NEVER be embarrassing. That’s part of your job and comes with the act of parenting. Just as being uncool. But the more you try to be cool the more you lose… Make space – move over and let a new generation of cool and young rule “the world” they need to find their place, they need to take on.
Your job is to guide and raise them to the end. Your job is to be a reliable partner if they are in need. Your job is to be there if they need you and not to force yourself into them.
Your job is by far superior to being cool and young because you supervise, you oversee and you control. You are the boss before retirement. (Sorry but that’s true.) Don’t be playing cool… be a Coach.
They are too cool FOR you. They have the energy to actually be YOUNG.they can wear basically everything and look cool. They can concur the world… 😉
And Best of all…. They can do it because you taught them well and because they have you as a backup. To support them if it ever gets to though. To advise them if they need it.
So please mom, dad… scoop over and be a real parent. Pass the stick on and in secret, you are cool and young – but not to them… the coolest parent isn’t who competes with the kids – its the one that is trusted and truly respected in this advice. The one they actually come to, if they need help. But also the one that thought them to build their own life. Prepared them for independence and a parent that enjoys seeing them fly out and away knowing that this long-invested relationship they built over the years is strong enough to outlast everything.
Want to be cool? Then work on being a cool husband a cool wife or a cool partner. That will be highly appreciated. And as a bonus you’ll be soo much cooler for your kids not trying to be cool to them. Trust me.