The Time I Embarrassed My Child The Most

It isn't often that I embarrass my children. At least, I don't think so. They may, however, beg to differ.

When my youngest son was in the 4th grade, however, I did embarass him one day. I don't think he could have been any more embarrassed than I was. Then again...maybe he could.

I used to pick him up from school each day. I would get in the car pool line and just drive up to where students and teachers were waiting. Most days I would get there near time for the final bell to ring, so I never had to wait longer than a couple of minutes.

On this one particular day, however, I arrived earlier than usual. I was on my way home from a particularly exhausting day at work. Rather than go home first, I decided to just wait a bit longer in the car pool line. I got there approximately 20 minutes early and was surprised there were already at least 20 cars waiting in line ahead of me. So I turned off my engine like every else, waiting for the final bell to ring.

I'm not sure how much time had passed before I heard a knocking sound. The knocking sound turned out to be one of the teachers knocking on my driver's side window, yelling, "Taking a nap?"

Mortified, I opened my eyes. All of the cars in front of me were gone, having already moved forward to pick up their child. And there I was, snoozing away while the cars behind me blew their horns in frustration.

My face turned every shade of red as I frantically turned on the car and moved forward. My son was standing there waiting with the other remaining students. My son gave me an eyeroll as if to say, "I can't believe you just made such a scene." He got in the car and said, "How embarrassing."

I agreed and added, "This will be one of those funny stories you will tell your children one day."

He just looked at me. He wasn't laughing.