When My Son Gives me a Blank Look.
When I’m talking about past things whether it be music, football etc I find it amusing that what I’m saying is falling on deaf ears and he will give me his blank face look as if to say dad what are you on about. At that moment I realise there is a generation between us and after all why should he know, he is 17 years old?
Here are a couple of my favourite moments that brought a smile to my face. I will admit they are usually music or football related.
1. Recently I watched a number of the EURO 2016 matches with my son and had numerous conversations about matches and players. I vividly remember watching Euro ’96 and watching the last world class player England have had, Paul Gasgoinge, and what an amazing goal he scored against Scotland and explaining it all to my son and he replied so dad who is he?
2. One Saturday afternoon we were all sitting in the lounge and my son was on his phone. He lifted his head and said to my wife and I, have you ever heard of Dave Grohl? My shock and disbelief was probably written all over my face. The fact that I was a huge fan of Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, I found it difficult to comprehend that my 17 year old son had never heard of Dave Grohl. One of the greatest rock stars of the last thirty years.
After my wife had given me oxygen,which made me fully conscious,and pick me up off the floor. I tried to explain who Dave Grohl was,but in truth I think it fell on deaf ears.
Of course what it did do was highlight the huge generation gap and as a parent I foolishly thought I was up to date with young people’s thoughts, not a chance.
However, I do love some of the sayings that he comes out with nowadays, here just a few.
When I was growing up and we all went around somebody’s house it didn’t matter if it was six or sixty of us, it was party time usually because their parents were out.
Moving on to my sons’ day, if they get together just a few of them, OMG! That’s not a party Dad! It’s a ‘gathering’ it has to be a lot more people to be a party. Silly me! Actually I always think when he says that of some black magic ritual meeting!
Another one that always makes me laugh is when growing up I had friends like most of us and yes a few very close friends. In my 17 year old sons’ world his close friends are known as ‘my group’ and its almost as if you would have pass to some sort of intiation test to be accepted!
The generations are forever changing and using new phrases to describe the world they live in, which of course is very different to the one I grew up in!
12 Comments
Dad’s Diary
August 20, 2016 at 10:20 am
Amazing post as always Nige! It's not just your son though because I get this all the damn time with young adults in an office. Whenever I discuss anything awesome from the 80s. And then I feel sad and shocked for them that they don't know what I'm on about! http://www.dadsdiary.co.uk
Nigel
August 22, 2016 at 11:11 am
It's depressing really but you have to laugh or I would cry thanks for commenting
Saira SAH_Grumbler
August 22, 2016 at 9:38 am
This made me laugh! I remember my dad thinking the same thing about me when I asked him questions about the beetles or dire straights (although I was much younger than 17!!). My eldest will soon be 3 and already my words are falling on deaf ears….I wonder if each generation gets worse! Ha! 😂😂
Nigel
August 22, 2016 at 11:12 am
Thanks for commenting glad it gave you a laugh 🙂
Sarah MumofThree World
April 4, 2017 at 2:23 pm
The words ‘son’ and ‘blank look’ meant I had to read this post! I am the proud owner of 15 and 13yo sons and the blank look is what I normally get back from the eldest, whatever I’m talking about. Funnily enough, I went to great lengths to explain to them who Dave Grohl was recently too – giving them a potted history of Nirvana. They probably just wanted to know what this ‘rubbish’ on the radio was and didn’t expect to hear all about Kurt Cobain’s suicide and how I had tickets to see Nirvana, but he was already dead before the concert.
#TweensTeensBeyond
Kim Carberry
April 4, 2017 at 5:36 pm
hehehe! It’s a shame the youth of day don’t know how great Paul Gasgoinge used to be.
I get the same blank looks from my girls when I talk about things or people from years ago.
#TweensTeensBeyond
jeremy@thirstydaddy
April 5, 2017 at 3:14 pm
My daughter thinks I’m a complete idiot that knows nothing about the world, but I do feel some pride whenever she leaves the house in a Nirvana or Led Zeppelin T shirt. She got that from riding with me #teens,tweens,beyond
Mary Mayfield
April 9, 2017 at 12:02 am
I don’t find it happens so much with music (though if it’s anything popular and current I’m likely to be the one with the blank face) but I’m frequently surprised when she hasn’t heard of a film that I consider a classic
Mary Mayfield
April 9, 2017 at 12:03 am
forgot the #TweensTeensBeyond! Sign of an ageing brain 🙁
Sharon Parry
April 12, 2017 at 1:17 pm
This was so funny Nigel. I really don’t get the ‘gathering’ thing. We got home on a Saturday night to find around 20 teens in our house with a lot of loud music. Apparently, this was a gathering – but it looked like a party to me!! Thanks so much for sharing with us at #TweensTeensBeyond.
Jo – Mother of Teenagers
April 14, 2017 at 5:36 pm
Nigel this is so funny not only because I can relate to the whole teenage boy, blank look scenario but believe it or not in my former “work” life I handled the PR for Snickers who were the major sponsor for Euro’96 and so was very much part of it. So during Euro 2016 when the comparisons were being made with the team of Euro’96, I kept regaling my son with my stories from that time, the photo shoots with Terry and the team etc. Rather than think of me as that cool mum he was just “So?? Who are you talking about anyway?” It was all wasted on him! At least the husband enjoyed it! I will have to share my tales with you one day and don’t get me started on the whole “gathering” or “pre” debacle! Thanks for joining us again. #TweensTeensBeyond
Nicky Kentisbeer
April 20, 2017 at 3:05 pm
The problem is that the Paul Gascoigne days don’t seem that far away! Yet scarily a whole 20 odd years ago. I am trying to draw some correlation with time passing quickly when we are adults – one that lulls us into a false sense of security around being ‘current’. The best bit is when our stuff makes a resurgence and the youngsters suddenly become an authority on it! It’s painful isn’t if for all of us who never thought we would be ‘that’ parent. Here’s to us and thanks again for joining at #TweensTeensBeyond