母亲常会和女儿说：“你不能那样穿！”但在我和女儿这里情况却反过来了。在女儿想把褐色头发染黑时，我对她说：“你看我把头发染成紫色怎么样？那可是你爸爸最喜欢的颜色……”
The true meaning of the bumper sticker, which says, “Live long enough to embarrass your kids” has new meaning once you have a teenager. My daughter just turned 15 and suddenly I am now the most embarrassing person she can be seen with. Rather than take this personally I have decided to revel in the power it gives me.
Of course many of you have had the “You aren’t wearing THAT” argument but I turned the tables on my daughter. She was wanting to wear midriff tops and tanks with bra straps showing … both of which I had been carefully taught were fashion no-no’s. The other day I picked her up from school and stopped at the grocery store. “Mom! You can’t go in dressed like that!” “I am staying in the car!”
Imagine ... a 50-year-old dressed just like her 15-year-old, and she does not want to be seen with me. Well ... I admit the embarrassment was worth every moment...she has now dressed a bit more conservatively. She HAD to go in the store with me as it was too hot to sit in the car. It was a priceless moment that also was a bit cheeky of me to enjoy so much.
Recently she wanted to dye her beautiful auburn hair black. Yes she has naturally beautiful auburn hair but wants it to be black because she states, “Auburn is SO boring!” Of course my reply, “Oh my gosh … women all over the world for die for your hair!” was ineffective, however, as I plopped the box of purple hair dye onto the counter and said “Sure, just as soon as I am finished dying mine purple.”
Yep, the purple dye sat on the counter ... I had called her bluff. “Perhaps if we both wait a couple weeks and you still insist on dying your hair black, mine will be purple just in time for me to chaperon your next school dance. That is coming up in two weeks, right? I bet your friends will think I am the coolest mom there!” She is visibly cringing. I can see thoughts racing through her mind. Her mom with purple hair at her school dance.
I am praying, please, PLEASE don’t dare me to go with purple hair, but I stand firm. “Yes, I think I’d be pretty with purple hair. It is Dad’s favorite color.” She knows it really is his favorite color. Finally she shrugs and says “Nevermind.” Whew ... she changed her mind. I am so relieved but I keep rambling on
She knows I would do it. I have done sillier things to prove a point. I am not sure how long I can keep this up. I am praying she does not ask
Yep ... I can be pretty silly. Looking at life with humor makes it bearable sometimes. It isn’t all fun and games.
相关单词：bumper
bumper解释：n.(汽车上的)保险杠；adj.特大的，丰盛的
bumper例句：
The painting represents the scene of a bumper harvest.这幅画描绘了丰收的景象。
This year we have a bumper harvest in grain.今年我们谷物丰收。
相关单词：decided
decided解释：adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
decided例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
相关单词：revel
revel解释：vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢
revel例句：
She seems to revel in annoying her parents.她似乎以惹父母生气为乐。
The children revel in country life.孩子们特别喜欢乡村生活。
相关单词：straps
straps解释：n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带
straps例句：
the shoulder straps of her dress 她连衣裙上的肩带
The straps can be adjusted to suit the wearer. 这些背带可进行调整以适合使用者。
相关单词：embarrassment
embarrassment解释：n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫
embarrassment例句：
She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。
相关单词：bluff
bluff解释：v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗
bluff例句：
His threats are merely bluff.他的威胁仅仅是虚张声势。
John is a deep card.No one can bluff him easily.约翰是个机灵鬼。谁也不容易欺骗他。
相关单词：cringing
cringing解释：adj.谄媚，奉承
cringing例句：
He had a cringing manner but a very harsh voice.他有卑屈谄媚的神情，但是声音却十分粗沙。
She stepped towards him with a movement that was horribly cringing.她冲他走了一步，做出一个低三下四，令人作呕的动作。
相关单词：racing
racing解释：n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的
racing例句：
I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。
相关单词：shrugs
shrugs解释：n.耸肩（以表示冷淡，怀疑等）( shrug的名词复数 )
shrugs例句：
Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany shrugs off this criticism. 匈牙利总理久尔恰尼对这个批评不以为然。 来自互联网
She shrugs expressively and takes a sip of her latte. 她表达地耸肩而且拿她的拿铁的啜饮。 来自互联网
相关单词：rambling
rambling解释：adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的
rambling例句：
We spent the summer rambling in Ireland. 我们花了一个夏天漫游爱尔兰。
It was easy to get lost in the rambling house. 在布局凌乱的大房子里容易迷路。
