We survived Parents' Weekend at the girl's school.
It was fine. Tiring. She ditched us pretty much the entire time, which speaks well for her adjustment and made me proud/sad. That's a melancholy feeling. The husband and I met some nice people. We also dropped some cash on school swag, which I didn't even do when I was in college and should have had some sort of school spirit.
The other things we did were to meet with staff and teachers. I always feel so weird during those meetings, because I either ask too many questions - so many that they start to seem nonsensical and repetitive to me - or I can think of nothing at all.
What do you do in a situation like that? I get Answerer Anxiety - if someone asks if there are any questions, and no one raises their hand, I start frantically trying to think of one, first hoping to come up with something smart or interesting ["What do you think about the curricula for 9th graders - is it developmentally appropriate?"], finally just hoping I can form several phrases into a sentence ["Me like sunshine hair. You are yellow pretty?"]. And the best part is, the husband almost never asks any questions. So if it's just me, him and the teacher? It's just me and the teacher.
Do you do this? Please tell me I'm not alone. What social situation makes you feel most awkward?
Hoo boy - my personal fav is when I'm at the dentist and she's got both hands and a bunch of pointy stuff jammed in my mouth, and then - she asks me a question. And I'm, like, what the hell - HOW DOES SHE EXPECT ME TO ANSWER THAT?!
ReplyDeleteAlso high on the awkward list? When I run into someone who starts chatting away and I have no idea who they are.
my most awkward social moment is when i'm in a situation where i have to talk to someone i don't like. since i don't want to hear anything they say, i start babbling rapidly about anything just to fill the air. it becomes ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with sunshine hair?
ReplyDeletep.s. Although most people probably can't tell, I feel awkward in most "social" situations. If there is a large gathering of people, I sweat and twitch. I am so not yellow pretty. At all.
silence is one of the most awkward things ever invented.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Simone silence can be unbearable! I get nervous and turn into Jerry Lewis. The last parent-teacher conference I had I almost got on the table and did a little jazz hands jig. They should really serve xanax at those things.
ReplyDeleteOh, I absolutely do this. I hate the "cricket-cricket" sound after someone asks if "there are any questions." I make up questions to things like I should already know like, "How is classroom methodology aligned with state standards?" or "Is your management style more authoritarian or authoritative?" or "Is chicken or fish being served in the cafeteria?" or "Seriously, 'X Factor' or 'American Idol'?" or "Does my fat make me look fat?"
ReplyDeleteAll social situations make me feel awkward.
ReplyDeleteAll of them. I feel awkward in all social experiences. But I married a chatter box, so I just sit back and listen. This is only unfortunate when I actually want to say something, because I usually can't get a word in to save my life.
ReplyDeleteAwkward silence gets me everytime. I cant handle it, and for some reason when it happens I feel like everyone is waiting for me to break it! Uncomfortable!!
ReplyDeleteLynn
Not. Alone. I always feel sorry for the person, like they DESERVE to have someone ask a question. When really they are probably thinking just nobody ask anything so I can GTFO. But I always do.
ReplyDeleteI will have my very first parent teacher conference being on the parent side of the table next week, and I'm sure I'll be nervous. Gah.
ReplyDeleteI'm a nightmare in most social situations. That's why I married a talker. Whenever we go anywhere he does all the talking and stare into space and wonder when we'll finally go home.
ReplyDeleteThe band director of my high school band would moonlight on Broadway as a percussionist. This allowed him to get really, really great deals to shows, and always would involve a Q&A with the cast, crew, and us.
ReplyDeleteAfter going through a little bit of what it's like putting on a show, they'd open things up for questions - and, with everybody else being high-schoolers, nobody ever asked anything . . . but me. So, I'd have a good 20-30 minute back & forth, in front of 80-100 of my classmates, with the music director.
i am SO bad about having to fill silence. it's ridiculous. i just can't bear silence, be it awkward or not. i have a compulsion to start talking. so i get it.
ReplyDeletewell I don't feel awkward but I hate silence in a conversation so I have been known to get diarrhea of the mouth to fill the space that is quiet. then I try to relate on their level etc..it gets ugly fast. Soon we're talking abut my shoes and not my sons. which is what I want to be doing anyway. Sheesh. ;)
ReplyDelete