My Mom Turned My Family Against Me for Asking Her to Stop Telling an Embarrassing Story

Teenage years are complicated for most people, especially when it comes to our relationships with our parents. But what can you do when your mom keeps telling others an embarrassing story, despite you asking her repeatedly to stop?

One Reddit user asked for some guidance online.

I'm my mom's second child, and for my older brother, she wanted to know his gender, and she found out and named him. For me, however, she decided to keep it a surprise.

[edited] My mother was convinced she was having a daughter, so she named me after her. Her name is Alexandra. When I came out as male, she simply adjusted the name. So, she named me Alexander.

[edited] However, she would constantly tell everyone she befriended, if we were together, the story on how I was named. She tells this embarrassing story to everyone, despite me asking her to stop.

It embarrasses me to no end, and I've told her over and over to please not tell that to every new friend her, or I make. She even told all of my friends' parents the story, despite me asking her to not tell them (she wants to meet my friends' parents for the first time if I want to sleep over for whatever reason).

This all boiled down to Thursday. When my mom and I went to the grocery store, some charity workers asked us if we were willing to donate to their cause.

My mother, being the social butterfly she is, sparked up a conversation with them. As the two introduced themselves to us, my mother followed suit and, of course, told them the story I dreaded she would.

[edited] I flipped out when she said: "My name is Alexandra, and this is Alexander. My son was supposed to be a girl and take my name. But he came out a boy, so I named him after me."

I got a bit angry and told her: "I really wish you wouldn't tell every stranger you meet on the street that, it makes me feel embarrassed and mad." It got silent, and my mother's face twisted, and just told the charity workers that she'll donate next time and started walking to the car.

The car ride home was silent, and when we got home, she told me that I really embarrassed her back at the store and that I should have told her something after we got in the car that I didn't like her telling that story.

I've said to her that I've told her repeatedly that I don't like her telling everyone with a pulse that she befriends that story, and that I got fed up with her blatantly ignoring me and my request to stop. She just told me to go to my room and not to come out.

She, of course, told everyone in my family what I did, and my stepdad and grandparents said I shouldn't have embarrassed her like that and to apologize to her. My brother and best friend told me I was right to call her out since I've told her many times to stop embarrassing me with that story and that she needed to learn what I felt.

I do feel bad and want to apologize and talk to her, but at the same time, I still feel like I'm right and that she needed to feel what I feel.

Some Reddit users shared their thoughts, most of them defending the teenage boy.

One user said: "Honestly, it sounds like a covert way of dealing with her thwarted wish to have a girl. And not nearly covert enough because she's doing it in a way that puts the bad feelings on him. I don't like this lady very much. She doesn't care that he doesn't like it, not one bit."

Another added: "Your mother's story is not even a good story. It’s not even a story, honestly."

One user was also quick to notice the father had a bad reaction to the situation as well: "And your father is worried about her feelings being hurt? Why is she embarrassed? Because she realized she was hurting you? But she had to reframe that in terms of herself."

All of us have our share of embarrassing stories. But if you're up for some really cringeworthy ones, here's an interesting list we've found online.