Shoved to Them
Thanksgiving is one week from today. I can’t wait for the turkey, the pies, the awkward family conversations…
Let’s be honest here, the Awkward Family Conversations (AFCs) are the unsung heroes holiday get-togethers. We anticipate them, plan them, and then savor the memories with tales that will be retold to future generations.
Who can forget the time that Aunt Martha gave the unasked for details of her dating life, or the Thanksgiving dinner when Grandpa called you a Pinko Communist Pig and refused to let you have any more pecan pie? Ahhh….memories….
Those AFCs are the ones we prep for, cramming like it’s the night before Dr Mattingly’s Poly Sci final and we’ve been sleeping through class most of the semester. (I wouldn’t blame you, her class was hard to make it through. We did though, didn’t we?) AFCs are why we come loaded for bear, and are often our excuse for slipping out early. They’re the only excitement to a coma-inducing day. It’s either an AFC or sitting on the couch looking through the photo albums while Aunt Jeanette tells you again about the minute details of her wedding 43 years ago as she has every. year. of. your. life.
This is a good year for AFCs. We can start with the viability of Donald Trump as a candidate, segue into what should be done about the Syrian refugees, dash through the lightning round of Vaccines – Good or Bad?, debate racial politics and whether or not the pilgrims were the good guys, and end with a nuanced discussion of eggplant emojis…and that just might get you through the first course of pie.
Not to worry, I’m here to help. Nothing brings a family together quite like the discussion of educational choices for the younger relatives. Public school? Private? Boarding? Homeschoool? It’s guaranteed to whip up some excitement and get the whole family involved – from Grandma who says “I never heard of such a thing. In my day we just sent the kids to school.” to your self righteous cousin who demands “I suppose you think I’m a bad mother because my kids are in public school?” Nothing brings a family together like a rousing discussion about what to do with your children.
Which is why I’m happy to help!
From today (Thursday Nov 19) through Monday (Nov 23), the eBook version of my book will be free on Amazon. You can kick off that spirited discussion with “So I was reading this book…” and be filled with the self-confidence that comes from having skimmed through at least one book of the subject. (Or you could actually read it. It is pretty good.) Your family will be grateful that you did.
No need to thank me. I’m just happy knowing I’ve done my part to save you from the horrors of a boring Thanksgiving. You’re welcome, and Happy Debating!
Photo credit: Turkey By Mark Miller (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
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