An unexpected advantage of having a teenager in the house is that I have all of my potentially embarrassing actions pointed out to me in real time, giving me the opportunity to immediately evaluate my behavior and see what needs tweaking as I travel the road to the holy grail of parental perfection. Using the frequent eye rolls and not too subtle sighs as my scorecard, I realize I have barely begun my journey. Sometimes, especially in a crowd, I get the very slight, but ever purposeful double eyebrow raise.
How could I have been so indecisive about selecting a parking space? Why did I think it necessary to strike up a conversation with a stranger at her school? Why would I walk through the side entrance when everyone else used the front entrance? And I certainly wouldn't stop a utility worker to ask directions, now would I? Out of the four, I decided that perhaps I hadn't needed to fret over the choice of parking spots and next time I'll try to be more decisive. That was valuable input. The other critiques I let pass without comment, or with only minimal comment as in "see this entrance is equally effective."
All of the unsolicited input is more than counterbalanced by the times when it is just the two of us and we enjoy a shared moment of joyous laughter or both reach for the radio dial to turn up a favorite song.
Of course I can hear it now, "you did not just post that on the internet!".
