Talking to my parents has become a drag nowadays. Somedays I'm so used to the quick efficiency that is necessary for finishing homework that having conversations seems like slow motion. I feel this struggle the most whenever I talk to my mom about school events.
"Hey Mom, can we make sweet potatoes for Food Pantry Club for Monday?" I ask, while I finish my dinner.
"Sure. What is the sale for?" she asks.
"Food Pantry's Thanksgiving Sale."
"When is it?"
"Monday."
"Can you say more?" She asks, turning to me, slightly irritated.
At this point, I am annoyed, and kind of confused. What more could I say about this topic?
"CAN WE MAKE SWEET POTATOES FOR THE FOOD PANTRY THANKSGIVING SALE THIS COMING MONDAY?" This is a mouthful, and it makes me exhausted, but I make sure to cover everything. Take that mom.
Other times, my parents ask me how my day at school was. After my mother banned me from casually saying "Good." as an answer, this question was like a curse. At the end of the day, after embracing the comforts of my home, I'm in no mood to revisit my school day. Each time this question is asked, it makes me think hard for at least thirty seconds.
What did I do at school that is worth mentioning? ... I got it: My lunch, that was leftovers, looked disgusting; tons of white radish, a few bits of old chicken, rice that was hard as stone, and some slimy-looking spinach. But, it tasted much better than expected! It was a nice surprise. Wait. Hmmmmm. Better be academic related, otherwise they'll get worried.
"In Japanese class, Sensei said that there's a meeting for the Japan trip."
"When is it?" my mother asks, checking her calendar.
"Tomorrow at 6." I reply, too lazy to elaborate, but fully aware of what's to come.
"Can you say more?"
Other times, my parents ask me how my day at school was. After my mother banned me from casually saying "Good." as an answer, this question was like a curse. At the end of the day, after embracing the comforts of my home, I'm in no mood to revisit my school day. Each time this question is asked, it makes me think hard for at least thirty seconds.
What did I do at school that is worth mentioning? ... I got it: My lunch, that was leftovers, looked disgusting; tons of white radish, a few bits of old chicken, rice that was hard as stone, and some slimy-looking spinach. But, it tasted much better than expected! It was a nice surprise. Wait. Hmmmmm. Better be academic related, otherwise they'll get worried.
"In Japanese class, Sensei said that there's a meeting for the Japan trip."
"When is it?" my mother asks, checking her calendar.
"Tomorrow at 6." I reply, too lazy to elaborate, but fully aware of what's to come.
"Can you say more?"
I am so close to strangling Tiger, whose sitting in my lap with his eyes closed. But maybe I'm overreacting?
I tend to have the same problem; it's almost like I'm scared of telling my parents that I want to go spend my out-of-school time on school-related events. And a lot of times I forget to mention things until the last minute, so I feel like I'm being really abrupt and lacking long-term planning.
ReplyDeleteAnd Vinay, your writing style is awesome.
I totally feel the same way when talking to my parents! I always tell them the bare minimum they always expect me to explain everything. >.< It's kinda exasperating. Especially after I've had a long day at school and I just want to crash on the couch. But I can't really explain that either without using more than three words.
ReplyDeleteAlso were you the one who made those AMAZING sweet potatoes for the food sale???? They tasted absolutely wonderful.
Thanks! We made the sweet potatoes with the nut-covering on top. We followed the recipe online very closely!
DeleteOh awesome! Do you have the link? I would love to add these to our list of Christmas holiday foods. :D
Deleteallrecipes.com/video/925/yummy-sweet-potato-casserole/detail.aspx?prop24=RR_RelatedVideo
DeleteThat's the video WARNING: There's a ton of butter and unhealthy stuff. Also, when we made it, we kept the skin for nutrition so we wouldn't feel horribly guilty for selling it. Enjoy!
I think you are completely justified in keeping your answers brief. You give all the information specifically asked for. In your shoes, if I ever got asked "Can you say more?" I would simply answer "No." That's way too vague. If your parents want more information they should ask an actual question. In the first example, the two real follow-up questions were already contained in the very first thing you said, only to be punctuated by "Can you say more?" and you restating yourself. Perhaps something like "How many sweet potatoes do we need?" would be more welcome.
ReplyDeleteI have similar conversations with my parents. They follow a similar template for conversation. Almost everyday, when they pick me up, they usually ask what I did in school that day to which I respond with "nothing." My parents may be inquisitive, but they are that way because they care.
ReplyDeleteI can complete relate to you on this one! By the end of the day I'm exhausted and just want to get home to get a little energized and finish my homework. It's not that I don't like to talk to my family, and not that you don't either, but it's just something about talking that just eats up my energy by the end of the day. Good and relatable post!
ReplyDelete