Monday 11 May 2009

Parental embarrassment - for the love of a child

One more notch on the idiot post for you...(This is scarily starting to become a habit).

Now this little incident happened a week ago and I would have written about it before but trips to A&E and a distinct lack of food took precedence.

It's funny what turns out to be a highlight in the life of a child, whilst in your life, the same event just needs to be forgotten and brushed under the carpet as soon as possible. So I shall do my best to brush it under the carpet by writing a post about it...go figure that one!

So it's May in Brighton and what that means is that the Festival is upon us - Artists Open Houses, Street Performances, Music, Theatre, Comedy, Food, and all sorts of other exciting events which make you feel even more smug that you live in the best place in the world. Ok the best place in Britain (I'm only a little biased). Anyway, for the past 20 years, the Festival has kicked off with the Children's Parade - a veritable extravaganza of floats, music, costumes and dancing through the streets of Brighton. In my case, what that meant was, snotty crying children, sore feet, exhaustion, sunburn, ringing in my ears from the too-close proximity to persistant whistle-blowing and an overwhelming embarrassment at the lack of costume. But, and this is where the foolishness comes in - we weren't just witnesses to this fantastic spectacle. Oh no, we were part of the parade itself. I mean, seriously, what was I thinking? Whilst other parents opted out and decided sensibly to simply watch from the sidelines, I, along with two small children and an obvious lack of husband, decided to parade through the streets of Brighton in front of more than 10,000 onlookers, pretending it was Mardi Gras. Which, incidently is not on my list of things to do before I die. But seeing as it did very nearly finish me off, maybe it should have been. (At least then I would have been able to cross it off posthumously and thus achieve something). BUT, one of my small children had the opportunity to be included, so what was I to do? Well, sometimes, we just have to put our children first and deal with the consequences later.

For some strange reason I hadn't really forseen any problems. Surely it was possible for Renée to be in the parade, whilst Edie and I walked along beside her, inconspicuous, yet supportive at the same time? Ha, I'm nothing but a fool. Had I not seen the parade before? Well, yes, as it happens, but possibly before I had children, so my points of reference had been different. I had probably remarked on the beautiful costumes and the happy children and then sloped off spontaneously to sit and have a beer on the beach whilst leisurely planning the evening's events. Like I said, this was before I had children.

So imagine my surprise when, on turning up, I realised that the dress code of blue, white and silver (to tie in with out school's theme of 'Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines') was not just reserved for the children, but the parents as well. And why was I the only parent not to have realised this? Oh, the absolute shame. My embarrassment was further confounded by the appearance of a giant Queen Bee complete with a huge papier maché Beehive and worker bees which happened to walk past at the very moment I stood contemplating my ever-so slightly sombre (read dull and out of place) costume of jeans and jumper (not even in regulation colours I might add). Never before had I wanted to be dressed in purple and gold so much. I wanted to be a Bee, or a flying machine, or a dragon or a windmill, or anything else other than a Mother with a toddler in a pushchair who hadn't understood the dress code properly.

But hold on, I am perhaps missing the point of being a parent here. Whilst I was scarlet with embarrassment at the lack of costume and exhausted at having to keep Edie strapped into the pushchair for fear of her being run over by a giant helicopter made of tissue paper, Renée was having a fantastic time. Her airplane headgear and flying goggles were perhaps a little too large and meant that every two minutes she was in danger of toppling over, but she was having the time of her life blowing that damn whistle as loud and hard as she could.

As I paraded along the streets of Brighton, trying hard to be as inconspicuous as possible, whilst at the same time trying not to ignore friends who were frantically waving at me from the sidelines, I realised that it wasn't about me (duh!), it was about the children...and when Renée asked, wide-eyed with excitement..."Mummy, are all these people waving and clapping at us? At me?"...I smiled a genuine smile. "Yes darling, they're all here to watch you. You just enjoy yourself." And so she did.

Sometimes even the greatest of embarrassment is worth enduring to make your children happy. Just remind me when the next parade comes around, to at least get a costume!

27 comments:

  1. Oh the things we do for our children! That would have been me. I'm often so busy with one thing or another that I miss out on an important memo.

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  2. Aww, that's so cute. I wouldn't have known to dress up either! Good for you!
    http://fab.typepad.com/brunette

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  3. Kathryn - Thakyou!! (But never again)!!

    Marathoner - I know - I'm not quite sure how I managed not to miss out on that very important piece of information...getting ourselves to the start was enough of a challenge!

    Margarita - Thanks for the empathy - I'm always the thick one with my head in the clouds!

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  4. Oh no poor you, I feel your pain. Well done on parading through the streets...mind you, you could always have done a Lady Godiva on it!!

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  5. Renee seems to have had a blast! It sounds great. I am useless at fancy dress parties, so I would have probably been in the exact same situation :)

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  6. Wow, you Brighton-ers (sorry, not sure of the correct lingo here) sure know how to do a parade.

    And now that you know the form, you can start planning next year's costume. Better make it a humdinger too. Think papier-mache meets couture embroidery, with a customised Philip Treacy hat-extravaganza to top it off with. Plus I think there should be an edible element to it somewhere along the line - maybe rice paper shoes or a marshmallow necklace.... But maybe that's just my food obsession coming to the fore again...

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  7. Magnumlady - Thanks!! Hmm doing a Lady Godiva hadn't ocurred to me thankfully!! I think I would have got terrible sunburn if I'd given it a go though!!

    PHM - Yeah Renée had a great time - I think I would have curled up in a ball and cried if she hadn't!!

    Mamma Po - I think it's Brightonian!! Although I could be wrong...(I'm from London originally but...shhhh...that was a few years ago)!! Ooh costume extravaganza sounds far too complicated for me - can't you just make me some of your cupcakes and maybe I'll give the parade a miss?!!

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  8. LOLOLOLOL....this was just toooo funny! I KNOW I would have been in the same situation. Some moms get and some don't - oh well!

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  9. Great Story... I can feel the heat from your burning cheeks from here! I had to endure sitting in the middle of a parachute and being spun around with Small Child on my lap because she wouldn't do it on her own at her birthday party! And there was a photo to capture the moment for posterity... excellent! Still...it was worth it to here her squeal with laughter!

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  10. Aah, so that was you was it? Thought I saw you....standing out like a sore thumb!

    Only joking - missed it myself - Olly cant take the noise. Festival season is upon us, break open the bubbly....x

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  11. I want to move to Brighton! Sounds like great fun, even with any embarassment taken into account. And of course the important thing is that Renee enjoyed it!

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  12. Momsweb - Thanks for the empathy. Not quite sure why I was so crap about it all (maybe I just always am...I'm not sure). Will make more of an effort in the future!

    thatgirl? - Oh yes - I can imagine that would turn my face red too! But liek you say, as long as it makes them happy...!!

    RM - Hee hee...yes you didn't need to be there to know it was me - I was visible 5 miles away - the only one not in costune. I'm hoping no photos turn up... Indeed, bubbly already open!!

    Tasha - Ooh it is..it really is the best place. Come, come, come...(remember - you are hilarious)!!

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  13. I do believe some of the female participants of the Mardi Gras in New Orleans, parade topless. Then you wouldn't have needed a costume anyway!

    CJ xx

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  14. Awww, how sweet. I bet she had a fantastic day, you sound like a really lovely mum.

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  15. Now why is it that Bridget Jones springs to mind?!!

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  16. CJ - Ha ha! Yes indeed - but as I said to Magnumlady, it was a very hot day and I would have got terribly sunburnt!! Obviously, if it hadn't been for the sun I would have been straight in there stripping off!!! Hmmmm...

    notSupermum - Bless you. Yes, I am, I am. I am a fantastic Mum. If I keep saying it over and over do you think people will believe me?

    Reasons - Ha ha. You are too kind!! Yes, I was kind of thinking a female Mr Bean...but maybe Bridget Jones is slightly easier on me!!

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  17. Sounds like a blast. Renee's probably still talking about it. Good for you for seeing it through without a costume. It still amazes me at how much you accomplish without your husband around. You're my superhero.

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  18. Awwww, it sounds fabulous, and I bet Renée will enjoy it forever more.

    I used to take my daughter to a 'singing group' when she was a toddler. It was held in the local old people's home, and the toddlers all sang and danced, etc. But of course the toddlers' parents had to sing and dance too. I found it excruciatingly embarrassing that we were, in effect, the floor show once a week. But the kids loved it and for the old folks it was the highlight of their week.

    I'm kind of glad my two aren't toddlers anymore though!

    x

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  19. better not to when you should than to do it when you shouldn't. A friend of my mother's wasn't really listening, & turned up at something dressed, yes, as a bee, only to find that the fancy dress element was only being taken up by 8 year olds and not by men in their 50s! He was stuck there all afternoon, too. Hilarious.

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  20. SAHM-I-AM - Aah that's so lovely. I wish I was a superhero (things would be much easier then) - but it's very sweet of you to say so.

    Kitty - Ha ha - yes definitely sounds like you were the entertainment - but just to see how happy you can make people sometimes (babies and oldies alike), is worth it...

    Milla - Oh that poor friend of your Mother's!! Think I would have had to turn round and go home there and then! You're right though - it would have been a whole lot worse to have been the only one in costume. Maybe I should count myself lucky!!

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  21. You HAVE been a superhero: Supermum disguised as mum. And the bright red head on top of the costume was your chimney to let off superhero heat. Erm... Just trying to be creative...

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  22. Happy Birthday Lovely Lady!! Hope you enjoy your day and look forward to hearing all about it!! xx

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  23. AMM - Thanks. Cute afterwards perhaps!!

    MM - Hee he - love the creativity!! Ok, I am a SuperMum - I shall embrace it...

    that girl? - So lovely for remembering - and even before my Birthday post...Right back at you girl x

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  24. First peak at your blog but this is a lovely story and one that you should print and keep for your daughter along with the photo of her and you together in the parade. This year you wore your heart of your sleeve because you are a great Mom! So next year you will wear the costume. What matters is that special moment when she asked you if they were clapping just for you and you said yes..now that was Magic!
    joyce

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  25. Joyce - Hi there and thanks for visiting. Do you know what? And now you've said it, I feel terribly guilty - I don't have a photo of her in the parade?? Oh dear :-(( What kind of Mother am I??? I will have to ask around and see if anyone else took one. But yes, thanks, it was a special moment and I would do it all over again just to see her so happy (even without a costume)!!

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