Imagine you're an amateur painter. You're walking down a street, perhaps in France, and you come across a fellow artist painting a landscape. As you pass by, you see that he is rather adept at his art. You might just stop to watch him, perhaps pick up on a few tricks of the trade.
So is it really that different if you replace 'amateur painter' with 'father-to-be' and replace 'walking down a street in France' with say..., 'shopping at Ralph's'? Well, the answer is yes. It is very different... it's creepy.
I've always been what you might call socially awkward. Growing up I managed to surround myself with bigger personalities. I tended to hide in their shadows and, as a result of this, I didn't quite master the skills of interacting with my fellow man. It might be why I speak too quiet for anyone to hear or why I rarely say hello to my coworkers as I pass them in the hallway. But with all my ineptitude for social situations, even I know it's creepy to stare at some random parent as they talk with their child.
However, trying not to be creepy is harder than it sounds right now. For some reason over the last month I find myself zoning out and staring at parents interacting with their children against all my good judgment. And I don't mean just a glance; I'm talking a full-on stare. Perhaps I actually am learning. I picture the scene in T2: Judgment Day where Arnold learns to be more human from John Connor by being taught to say "Hasta la vista, baby." But more likely, I am just enthralled by the idea that these scenes playing out before me are now only 6 months away and the reality of the situation is hitting me harder than ever.
So as I watch a dad leaving the grocery store ahead of me, holding a balloon in one hand and his son's hand with the other, I can't help but watch intently. As the automatic doors open and the air blower above them turns on and blows the balloon backward, I snicker as the dad pretends he is thrown back by the force of the balloon also. His son laughs and I make a mental note: balloon trick = good.
I'm right there with you on the whole socially awkward thing. If I didn't know any better I'd think you were writing about me LOL.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the dad stuff you can watch others all you want but you'll find your own way is a whole lot easier. It comes as second nature(after the first few days of panic and exhaustion).
Next time, try bringing binoculars so you can get some distance. But wear running shoes just in case...
ReplyDeleteAh don't sweat taking notes. I don't know why or how, but the ability to come up with weird games and mannerisms to amuse our offspring is just built into a guy's DNA.
ReplyDeleteWhich is probably why you'd stare at me as I do my Dinosaur/Monkey impression in a public setting just to garner a few snickers from my 14-month-old. Nothing cures a case of social awkwardness like making raucous animal noises in front of strangers!
And in case you're wondering, dinosaur because he likes my "roar" and monkey because he mimics the monkey sound and it makes him crack up.
Enjoy!
It's okay to stare, just don't touch.
ReplyDeleteI'm a people watcher too. People tend to stare at my kids when we go shopping. As long as they don't follow me, I don't mind. It is actually a compliment. Watching parents interact and then discussing what we have seen has helped Norman and I become better parents. We pick and choose and make it our own. :)
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, I always felt out of touch with my "goofy" side. Only on rare occasions or with the help of lots of social lubricant could I ever really cut loose and just be goofy...until I became a father. Don't sweat it man--daddy Files is right. You'll be a natural!
ReplyDeleteYou've got quite the fan base here all with good advice. Just articulate when caught looking "I'm observing, not staring" people are more agreeable if they think you're acting a professional capacity.
ReplyDelete