Being Boring - The Joy of Parenting

11 y o brought home a letter from the school to say she had to spend a day with one of her parents at their workplace.   11 y o says “ergh.  Why can’t you or dad work in interesting jobs?”  Pause.   Me “and an interesting job would be what?”  11 y o “well, blah blah’s mum is a beauty therapist so at least she can get her nails done.  “   Me “well, I’m so sorry my whole career choice wasn’t based on whether you can get your nails done whilst on work experience.”   11 y o “it’s okay, it’s not your fault”.   Me “Thanks.  And anyway, I’ve got a friend who’s a beauty therapist and it may be okay sometimes but other times it’s boring.   Although her waxing stories are often a good laugh”.

This got me thinking.   Not the waxing stories, the idea about work experience.    Imagine Angelina Jolie’s daughter going on work experience “yeah, well, it’s sooo boring ‘cos mum has to do this thing with Ryan Gosling and I like, have to wipe away the sweat from his forehead in between takes”.   Or Beyonce’s daughter “ergh, I had to go to this recording studio in a limo and I was like “are you serious, this is soooo boring” and then I had to talk to all these up and coming rappers and go to this Awards ceremony.   Tch.    Jemma’s mum’s like a hairdresser and stuff and she gets to have her hair done all day.  It’s sooo not fair.”.

Or Neil Armstrong’s daughter “yeah, well dad made me go to NASA and I was sooooo bored, cos I had to sit in a rocket and stuff and press buttons.    I was like, seriously, this is not happening ‘cos Stacey’s dad works at a funfair and they spent all day on the Wurlitzers. 

You can’t win.