Correct your Mom?

[Bertelman]

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I know, I know, there are two other threads in this. But seriously, if you are out with your parents, and your mom is bragging about how smart you are, how you are the smartest at your school and will make the best doctor ever, do you correct her?

Let's say you just kind of passed med school, and you'll be happy to graduate without ever having to remediate a course. Do you correct your mom in front of the group, or wait to do this until you are at home?

What if she tells the same story next time you visit?

 

[chocomorsel]

Tell her later not in front of everyone. My family does the same. I was always the smartest one growing up and did well in undergrad so they think that I'm soo smart. I'm not. I'm in the middle of the class and there are some seriosly smarter people in med school than I. But my stepmom doesn't see it. When I call and complain about an upcoming test, or the fact that I think I failed (which hasn't happened so far, thank God) she always says, "you can do it, you always have, I have faith in you" and sometimes I just want her to say something different. Like, to acknowledge the fact that I can fail a test, and I'm not as smart as she thinks I am. My dad accepts that and he just says to keep my head above water and that's all that matters. Anything above and beyond that is icing on the cake.
Anyway, parents always brag about their kids and they will likely not see that you may be just average compared to your peers until you fail a test or something. And lets hope that doesn't happen.

 

[Orthonut]

I know, I know, there are two other threads in this. But seriously, if you are out with your parents, and your mom is bragging about how smart you are, how you are the smartest at your school and will make the best doctor ever, do you correct her?

Let's say you just kind of passed med school, and you'll be happy to graduate without ever having to remediate a course. Do you correct your mom in front of the group, or wait to do this until you are at home?

What if she tells the same story next time you visit?

oooh, toughey. Moms do like to brag about their kids...but it's very embarrassing, especially if the person (or anyone that can overhear) knows the *truth*.

For instance, Orthonut's mom tells everyone that Orthonut is a large animal orthopedic surgeon, just like the guy (Dr Dean Richardson at Penn)that operated on Barbaro I usually just "ahem, oh Mom, don't brag, I'm far from that level, I'm not graduated yet" or "it takes many years of training after you get your DVM to get to that level" and look very sheepish. It's the last part of her statement that embarrases the heck out of me. I mean, come on, what if I decide I want to be a neonatal hamster neurosurgeon? And Dr Richardson....he's like THE man (or one of them, Dr Bramledge, the guys at R&R and HEMC, Peterson and Smith, etc)

She also came up with the fantastic idea 🙄 that I should do my clinicals in the UK so that I could have MRCVS after my name and then I'd have more letters after my name than in my name. (I love the lady but she's just not that bright about veterinary education in general 😉 )


So I'd say weigh the benefits of not being embarrased (correcting your mom) versus the cost of correcting her (the *look*, perhaps not getting a homecooked meal, etc)

 

[QuinnB]

You'll always be the apple of your mom's eye. Who cares. Let her feel good even if you feel a little uncomfortable.

 

[toofache32]

Interesting. My mom keeps saying "how the hell did you get into med school?"

 

[LuckyBambooGirl]

That's not so bad. Try calling your mom up and telling her you think you failed a test and having her say "well, you can always quit school and be a stay at home mom!"