I haven't got the right script

 

I haven't got the right script
25 March 2014

I often feel as though I haven’t got the right script.  The one I’m supposed to be reading from and memorising.  That I’m not quite on the same page, as the kids in my family. 

Now if only they’d share this performance winning screenplay with me, I’m sure I’d get it right.  Do better.  Not spend so much time annoying them.  (Though annoying them has it’s fringe benefits.  From a purely entertainment point of view you see.  They’re terribly soft targets, and sometimes it’s just too easy.)

They talk to me and tell me stuff.  And quite often the response I give them, is not the one they require.  Nor want. 

In fact, it leaves them wanting.  And by default me too.

To illustrate, upon fetching Luke from school the other day, the first thing he said when he got in the car, was that he had made it to the hockey team he'd been aiming for.  This is a huge achievement.  Something he had strived towards and was aiming for.  Especially as he had initially made it to a much lower team first.  His trials had been shocking and he was feeling terribly flat about not making the team.  And so, when he shared his news, I immediately gave a loud “whoop!!!”, and clapped my hands.  Shrieking.  Now I’m pretty sure no one heard us.  We weren’t parked real close to other people.  No one close to our car.  Everyone else, absorbed into what they’re doing.  Not even glancing at us. 

WRONG!

Apparently, my response was totally lame.  Sooo uncool.  Perhaps a manly chest bump, would have been more apt.  Or a demurely murmured, “jolly good show old fellow”.  Who can tell.  I certainly can’t.  Chances are he would prefer it if I gave him money, as a token of my pride.  Grrr!

But here’s the thing – I knew how important this was too him.  How much value he placed on this, and in that moment, I was just so excited for him.  I let it go, and showed true emotion.  As my kids would say, “Epic Fail”.

One can be mistaken for thinking that I would take this bit of insight I got.  That I would store this knowledge, and bring it forth once more if the occasion called for it.  That I would file away this little titbit of info in the file in my head called, “Expected responses for teenage declarations of success”.

But one would indeed be mistaken for thinking I would remember.  Cause just two days later, Luke got in the car and told me about that fabulous mark he got for a very, very trick Science test he had been super worried about.

And so, when he shared his news, I immediately gave a loud “whoop!!!”, and clapped my hands.  Shrieking.  Now I’m pretty sure no one heard us.  We weren’t parked real close to other people.  No one close to our car.  Everyone else, absorbed into what they’re doing.  Not even glancing at us.  Should have just cut to the chase and hauled out my wallet – to show my pride.  Grrr!  As if.  I don’t do payment for good marks.  No financial carrot is dangled.  Cause I’m boring and old fashioned.  The reward is the mark.  I know.  I really am lame.

I clearly didn’t get the script.

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