People have been sharing the most embarrassing things their parents have done – 31 excruciating examples
Families are embarrassing, there’s no doubt about that. Toddlers embarrass their parents in supermarkets, older siblings embarrass their younger counterparts in front of their friends, and parents …well, parents have so many opportunities to make their offspring cringe that it’s a wonder there aren’t more child-parent divorce cases.
Composer and performer, Nick Harvey, shared one such moment from his life, and asked Twitter to do the same.
What is the most embarrassing thing your parents have ever done in front of you?
Mine is probably when, half way through a punk gig, my mum, having heard that I was there, turned up at the rough local pub and dragged me home.
I was sixteen.
I was also the band’s lead singer.
— Nick Harvey (@mrnickharvey) November 8, 2019
His request opened the floodgates of parental embarrassments, perhaps serving a useful therapeutic service at the same time, if these examples are anything to go by. Better out than in.
1.
My headmaster was Scottish and often wore a kilt. One Parents Day, my Mother pinched his bottom and when he turned around in pain and astonishment she said “Och Ewan, if you will wear a skirt.” I died. I am dying still.
— Minnie Driver (@driverminnie) November 8, 2019
2.
Grandparent story…hope it’s allowed. My grandad loudly farted on every single step in a department store. When he got to the bottom, he looked at the horrified shoppers and reassured them that there was no structural damage.
— Nic ⚫️ (@TheNoisyTable) November 8, 2019
3.
During the 4th encore of "Sit down you're rocking the boat" led by the wonderful Clive Rowe, at the National theatre, a cast member gasped,
"Have you seen the crazy Lady dancing in the 4th row"?
I mumbled back,
"Yes, it's my mum"….— Connor Byrne (@connorjbyrne) November 8, 2019
4.
I once told Mother that my friends and I would keep our money in our teenage girly bras so we didn’t need a handbag. She said she couldn’t do that as she didn’t wear one – and proved it by lifting her top up in the high street and singing “WOOOO” loudly.
— Mitten d'Amour (@MittenDAmour) November 8, 2019
5.
Took my Dad to the 1999 FA Youth Cup Final at West Ham. Not only did he jump up for a Mexican wave claiming “I’ve always wanted to do that” in the car on the way home, he narrated a running commentary on the locations of his every handjob, bunk up or knee-trembler to my mates
— SfH (@simonfromharlow) November 8, 2019
6.
A poet gave me an award when I was 18, and did a reading beforehand. My father slept throughout the reading. When the poet gave me my award he asked my father, very kindly, if he'd had a long drive to get there.
'No, no. We only live down the road.'
The poet was Seamus Heaney.
— Jane Casey (@JaneCaseyAuthor) November 8, 2019
7.
Home from uni one w/end to find my folks on their way to a fancy dress party. A Vicar and Tarts party. Mum dressed as a french whore, beret, stripy top, split skirt, looking really glum. My dad was in a flowery kaftan thing. And blacked up. Desmond Tutu apparently. 😬🤦♂️
— 🤡🤡🤡 (@KingDommy) November 8, 2019
8.
My Mum turned up drunk at my 18th birthday in a club and punched my boyfriend in the face for talking to another girl. The girl was his cousin. I was almost dumped on my 18th birthday.
— Life Didn't Begin At 40 (@did_40) November 8, 2019
9.
Dad got drunk on red wine round my Aunt & Uncles. Got back to my house, disappeared up to the loo for ages.
I went to check on him & he’d thrown up EVERYWHERE and pulled the sink off the wall whilst doing so.
— Chöpstick 🇪🇺 (@Chops_Top_Fives) November 8, 2019
10.
My Dad used to watch me play various sports for various teams. One time he was banned from the sideline for “inciting violence” shouting “show more aggression! Push them! Grab the ball!” As well as other, ‘stronger’ instructions. We were an 8yr old girls school netball team.
— Jennifer (@Shuttlewood) November 8, 2019
11.
As a teenager, I came home about 1am on New Year’s Day to find my parents and others doing the conga down the street, singing “Maurice is a wanker” outside one of our neighbour’s house.
— Morgs (@Davehmorgs) November 8, 2019
12.
Took my new girlfriend to meet my mum for the first time at the pub, arrived back from the toilet just in time to hear my mum, ten minutes after being introduced, ask the question 'does he have ginger pubes like his Dad' 😣
— Scott Fitzmartin (@scottfitz09) November 8, 2019
13.
Shopping with my mum in a market town, and there was a bloke sitting in a wheelchair with a charity collection tin. She put 20p in, and then saw it was a can of coke and he wasn't collecting at all…
— snowbeasty (@snowbeasty) November 9, 2019
14.
I was home from uni for summer. Sitting in the garden with friends when my mum used the toilet where the window was open to the garden. She lets out the loudest and longest fart I’ve ever heard. Spontaneous giggles from the garden. Mum was so mortified she couldn’t come back out
— paulspaceman (@SpacemanSonic) November 10, 2019
15.
I was a young teenager, got my period for the first time on a family vacation and mom bought me tampons. A bunch of us changed into bathing suits in a trailer and burst out to go swimming in the pool – my mother called out across the park, "Karen, your string is hanging out!!" 🤢
— Karen Lowry (@KarenLowry) November 10, 2019
16.
Back in the day, Mum took me and my gran to see Shirley Valentine in Windsor. Second row. Shirley's doing her stuff and saying clitoris sounds like a girl's name when gran hisses really REALLY loudly 'what's a clitoris?' Cue titters. I swear even the actress smirked. I died.
— Kirsten Hesketh (@Kirsten_Hesketh) November 8, 2019
