ODing on people at school functions bragging about their kids

[tblue]

I'm talking about in-person, at parent get-togethers and other functions at and related to school and sports. This is NOT about DUers who just want to share their good news. I'm all for that!

So many parents I meet do it and it gets old. Real old. I have a kid, too. But bragging about him to another parent seems insensitive to me. What if that parent's child is struggling in that area? It's not unlike saying, "I have a Rolls Royce. And a chauffeur. And a penthose in Paris." (Did I ask you?)

I'm glad someone's kid is a Regents' Scholar, or enjoys going to Differential Equations summer camp, or is playing in their sport two levels above their grade. What am I supposed to do with that information? And how do I make it stop? TMI!!! TMI!!!

I was raised by parents who were always very humble, a trait I value and teach my kid. I am not the type to turn the tables so the conversations are one-way streets, where I just say, "Wow. Cool." and wish I could phone a friend.

My apologies for the rant. Really. I feel better just getting this off my chest! Thx, y'all!

[PaddyBlueEyes]

1. I know where you are coming from

the town I grew up and now reside in, has undergone a HUGE demographic shift in the last 20 years. When I was growing up in town, we were all middle class to lower middle class kids, a blue collar bunch. My kids are growing up in the same town, and all their friends are the offspring of Fortune 500/Wall Street folks, most of them very nice, but also with no clue how the real world works...

[Pithlet]

2. Oh, I know what you mean.

I don't think you can make it stop. You just sort of perfect that smile and nod and oh, that's great! thing. I know it can be tricky at these things, because topic of conversation is naturally just going to run to the kids, but unless you're talking to the grandparents, care should be taken not to sound overly braggy, and make sure you're not dominating the conversation about your kid.

[LeftyMom]

3. I think those parents are very insecure and going to fuck up their kids.

I was in gifted programs with some extremely, freakishly smart kids, some of whom were very talented in other areas as well, when I was growing up. As a rule (and I can't even think of an exception but I'm sure there was one or two) their parents didn't brag about them, or hover, or micromanage their activities.

The parents who did that were the ones of the only slightly brighter than average kids they were pushing to the edge of their abilities. Those would be the kids who were up past midnight on school nights double-checking every answer on their homework after a day of extra classes and a sport they weren't all that great at that they did to have a well-rounded college application, the kids who were scared to death to come home with a B+ and ruin their A average, and who begged and pleaded for grade changes or extra credit to make sure that never happened, because god forbid they get a B, they'd never go to college with a grade like that. And those kids, almost to a man, got drunk/high as fuck every spare moment they could in high school, most of them slept around too, and every one that I heard from after high school crashed and burned in college.

[MiddleFingerMom]

4. Look at them sincerely and pronounce:

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"Our Bobby/Susie has finally stopped picking his/her nose.
We are SO proud of him/her.
.
.
I GUARANTEE they will stop boasting to you about their own child's
exploits.
.
.
Worked for MiddleFingerMomMomAndDad. Not that I ever really stopped...
it was the CLAIM that was the important thing.
.