House Full of Teens and a Funny Joke
My daughter is almost 18, and like any teenager she takes off for long stretches to hang out with her friends. For instance, the other day after soccer practice, she ran into some of her friends at Jamba Juice, and on the spur of the moment they all drove to the Apple store to buy an iPod cable. (Party on, Silicon Valley style! Haha)
I used to have to deal with missed curfews and late-night texts asking for the Dominos Pizza phone number, but these days those problems are gone.
My teen daughter and her friends are hanging out at my house.
They play epic games of Risk. They eat epic amounts of popcorn. (Healthy diets for teen athletes include that food, right?) They watch an epic number of TV shows off their iPod on my TV. (That Apple cable rocks.) They stay up late watching the Olympics.
My house is suddenly the cool place to hang out. Who knows why? Of course, I’m doing nothing to blow it.
The other night I was making popcorn on the stove. I have one of those Whirly Crank Handle things. I swear, it’s better tasting (and healthier) than microwave.
Sometimes my stove doesn’t light, and so I used a match to get it going. I’m whirlying away when two of my daughter’s friends came in for drinks.
“Is something burning?” the teen boy asked.
“I’m making popcorn,” I said. “But it’s not burning.”
“No, something’s burning. I smell burnt sulfur.”
Remember the movie, About Schmidt? If so, you’ll recognize this.
“You mean, like someone lit a match?” I asked.
“Yeah, exactly!” he said.
“I just used the bathroom.”
Oops. Awkward moment. Their eyes went wide in shock, they couldn’t believe I’d actually said that. Here I was, an old man sharing too much info about my sphincter.
But then I let out a hearty laugh, and they realized I was joking them big time. They laughed with me, then made a bee-line back to the TV room.
Next time I have custody, I’ll find out if my cool parent points are still at epic enough levels for the kids to hang at Dad’s house.
- What a Dad Needs to Know About His Daughter
- Teen Age Girls and Single Fathers – Run Together
- Kids in the Kitchen – WTF?
- Single Dad and His Teen Daughter’s Boyfriend
- A Single Dad Watching His Daughter Run
- David Mott Appearance on ABC News Now – ‘When Parents Flip Out’ (video segment)
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Comment by mama llama
| February 18th, 2010
Gotta keep the movie references current. Half of them might end up not getting it…then you’ll end up on the other end of the spectrum!
But THAT was funny! Good for you. That is what I hope to make my home into–the teens’ “safe” hangout.
Kudos to you, Dads! Be well.
mama llama´s last blog ..Partners
Comment by Heather
| February 18th, 2010
LMAO!!! Too funny!! I’m sure you’ll still be cool!
Heather´s last blog ..Snow….a.g.a.i.n.
Comment by Travis
| February 18th, 2010
First. I’m all about the air popper, ballpark seasoning and butter oil… It’s just epic.
I share in the philosophy that the home should be the safe place. And they think I’m funny too.
So yeah, keeping the cool parent points is important to making sure they want to come back.
Travis´s last blog ..A Very Special Public Service Announcement
Comment by Mindy@SingleMomSays
| February 18th, 2010
Does your daughter know you did that?
When my kids are having friends over I always get the pre-event prep, i.e.; “dont say this” and “dont do that while me friends are here.”
As a parent, ya gotta love messin with ‘em sometimes though, huh?
Comment by Pippi
| February 18th, 2010
David, you are cool and funny! It’s nice having the “cool house” because you know where the kids are and you know what they are up to (most of the time). I’m glad that when you lit the match nothing exploded (heh, heh).
P.S. looks like my feed is behind a day again. Oh well!
Pippi´s last blog ..Help! My Vibrator’s Battery Died and I Can’t Get Up
Comment by Cece
| February 18th, 2010
You have earned the cool dad status and I’m sure it is well deserved…the best medal of all!
Cece
Cece´s last blog ..Mid-Week Symphony: What Are You Waiting For?
Comment by kmn
| February 18th, 2010
Funny story! My kids and their friends like to hang out at our house too. I like getting to know them all and the occasional mess is a small price to pay. Here’s to the “cool parents!”
Comment by Matt Savage
| February 18th, 2010
I think you got the cool parent points, though the definition of a cool parent is really cool, it’s simply a parent that doesn’t interfere too much (like you) and makes the occasional awkward jokes. Yea, their kind of silly and lame but it lightens the mood and it’s a good catalyst for later talking points, like, “Oh man, your dad is such a dork, but he’s cool though.”
Matt Savage´s last blog ..Dealing with the Fear of Success
Comment by Mindy@SingleMomSays
| February 18th, 2010
Ha! YES!!!!
Finally!
(comment totally unrelated to this post – but David knows whats up)
:)
Mindy@SingleMomSays´s last blog ..Hey Dudes!
Comment by Kandid Kelli
| February 18th, 2010
HAHAHA!! You crack me up. You remind me of my stepdad (in a goodway) he’s a big joker & when I was in HS and he would crack jokes like that (he was more of a dad to me then my real father) my friends always came back. They finally realized they could joke w.him. Now that we’re all older the jokes still flow but in a different (more “mature”) way… Im sure your daughters friends will be the same way! Keep up the great job dad.
xo
K
Kandid Kelli´s last blog .."Convo w/a Toddler"
Comment by BigLittleWolf
| February 18th, 2010
Too funny! Since my little house is often the gathering spot for teen spillage, I find that making myself scarce is the best way to deal. I rarely show my face, except to make sure they’re all still alive, and sufficient food is on the premises.
BigLittleWolf´s last blog ..Full spectrum parenting: Can we do the same for ourselves?
Comment by Sandra
| February 18th, 2010
My dad would’ve totally gone out of his way to humiliate me and my friends. When I was on Myspace he would look at my female friends and ask me to invite them over. (He did it to get a reaction out of me)
Your children are lucky that you are nothing like my dad.
Sandra´s last blog ..I miss her
Comment by Sandra
| February 18th, 2010
Oh and P.S: I don’t know if you accept blogging awards, but I nominated you because me love you long time !
Sandra´s last blog ..I miss her
Comment by AngryDad
| February 18th, 2010
My daughter is 5, and i always thought i had plenty of time to remain funny until she hit her teens and dad isn’t funny anymore. but nope yesterday i made a joke and she just looked at me and said dissapointingly, “dad…”
AngryDad´s last blog ..The Slut and September 11th
Comment by notasoccermom
| February 18th, 2010
That is so great. I speak from experience when I say- the off-color jokes are the ones that keep them coming back. I tend to blend in with my teen children and their friends.
we all tease and they dont feel uncomfortable when i am in the room.
I have been told that a lot of their friends look up to me. and I am sure your kids friends feel the same.
but then, I am a young looking mom and get confused for my daughters now and then…. haha
notasoccermom´s last blog ..Ever wonder what to do with cube steak?
Comment by dadshouse
| February 18th, 2010
AngryDad – she’s 5? Rough crowd!
Mindy – yeah, my daughter knows I cracked that joke. She doesn’t mind. One time I was driving her and her friends home from soccer. Their gym bags were in the back. The first girl got out and I asked “do you have junk in the trunk?” The girl didn’t know I knew what that meant. She kept a straight face and said yes. My daughter cracked up.
Kelli – my kids watch Craig Ferguson with me (on DVR, so we aren’t up late), so they are getting used to the “mature” jokes. Though, @CraigyFerg tells a lot of potty humor. I guess it’s mature to realize adults crack up over stuff like that. Someone’s got to tell the “off” jokes. As a dad, I’m happy to do my part!
Comment by Vinomom
| February 18th, 2010
My house was definitely NOT the cool house with my friends. I don’t remember really having one specific cool house though.
Be thankful they are there where you can keep an eye on them!
Comment by Danielle
| February 18th, 2010
Why is everyone talking about poop today? I am getting a complex. :)
Danielle´s last blog ..Rabid Pit Bull or Something Else?
Comment by Nicki
| February 18th, 2010
Yeah. You’re still cool. You may just to work a bit on the comedic timing. ;)
Glad you have such a great relationship with the kids.
Nicki´s last blog ..Seeing signs…
Comment by Elizabeth
| February 18th, 2010
You have such a daft sense of humor that it’s cute.
It’s wonderful that your kids want to have their friends over. And they’ve probably already figured out that, when it comes to your house, a dad’s place is in the kitchen!
Elizabeth´s last blog ..They are the young Americans
Comment by Kelly
| February 19th, 2010
That is hilarious!
My kids are 4 and 7 — THEY are already embarrassed by me!
I will sing along to their favorite songs and hold the note just a little too long and a little too loud, on purpose. Their friends giggle and my two darlings give me “the stink eye”, trying not to smile.
I recently taught a group of kids the sprinkler dance move at the gradeschool dj-led jam. I thought my daughter would die until her friends begged me to teach them more, then, it was ALL GOOD.
My brand of goofiness plays well with the young’ns, but I am afraid of tweens.
I thinks your potential infraction was very minor and probably endeared you. :)
Comment by QTMama
| February 19th, 2010
*laugh* Very witty Mr. DH, very witty indeed. ;)
QTMama´s last blog ..A Letter to My Daughter
Comment by Ginger Magnolia
| February 20th, 2010
My dad was always cracking jokes like that with my friends, although his favorite movie lines to use with them were ones from Encino Man. “Wheeze the juice, bu-ddy.”
Ginger Magnolia´s last blog ..Group Work Can Get Bent