Recently I toured the local high school. My oldest son won’t be going there for 18 months, but I’ve heard mixed reports on the school,  ranging from glowing to scathing, so I wanted to check it out for myself.

The Youth Of Today, Yada, Yada, Yada

My first impression of the school was that the grounds and buildings looked good, but some of the kids were a scruffy bunch. Where I went to school in England, we had to wear white gloves, a hard straw boater hat and a sharp yellow, blue and white striped blazer. No wonder I had to get as far away from that place as possible.

But it’s not like I’m a complete square ~ in 1990 I had my nose pierced which was unusual back then, so I don’t know why I found these school childrens’ appearances so worrying.

Fuddy Duddy Mummies Outed

I visited the school with a friend who emailed me afterwards. She was also concerned by the lax uniform and the sight of children wearing baseball caps the wrong way round to school. Here’s what she said:

“I don’t know if I’m getting too hung up on the uniform thing – I can’t get over the fact that kids would be wearing baseball caps, in that fashion, in school. Maybe it’s just me and I need to have a reality check about how things are done is Australia! Don’t suppose it necessarily reflects badly upon the school. Am I just being an old fuddy duddy, middle-aged mum? Probably!”

I love that term, fuddy duddy. Just the sound of it makes me smile. But the meaning is a bit more worrying. Is she really old-fashioned and out of touch with the modern world?

Here’s My Reply

Yes! You are a fuddy duddy mum, but I’m just as bad. I’m not so worried about my baby – he’ll only be 12 – mixing with kids who wear baseball caps backwards. To be honest, he’s always wanting to get one himself.

What bothered me was the boy with the Eiffel Tower construction through his upper lip, and the Neanderthal boy with more facial hair than a grizzly bear. And what about the girls in the dance studio wearing crotch-sucking micro shorts over heavily laddered tights? I saw them walking round the shops dressed like that in the afternoon!

Getting Old Is Old

What’s even scarier is that, if we fast forward a few years, those might even be out kids. So yes, we’re fuddy duddy mums, but you know what? I think we need to keep this between ourselves. If our kids find out they’ll have a field day. Let’s make a pact.

The Anti-Fuddy Duddy Pact

1. We will never discuss this in front of our kids.
2. We will never pass judgment on what people look like in our kid’s earshot.
3. When our kids use fashion, clothes, tatoos or jewelery to rebel we’ll say, “That looks nice darling. Have fun this evening!”

Promise you’ll help me follow the pact. I know I’ll need reminding often.

Thanks for helping me notice I’m a fuddy duddy mum. Now I can try to fight it. Though I seriously doubt I’ll be able to overcome it completely, at least I hope that my kids don’t find out!

Are you a fuddy duddy? Or are you a fresh young thing who’s fed up with being stereo-typed negatively? Please share your thoughts.

Thanks for reading

Friday is Funday on In the Hot Spot. Every Friday brings quirky stories that will make you laugh and maybe even reassess your life. Who says we can’t re-evaluate our lives and have fun at the same time?

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