Most of us love our parents, but let's be honest, they can sometimes embarrass us in ways we'd rather forget. And for those who grew up with entitled parents, those moments can be even harder to live down.
We dove into different online threads to find stories from children of “Karens” and the embarrassing situations their parents put them through. Keep scrolling, Pandas, and you might find yourself appreciating your parents a little more!
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#41
Mom liked to throw tantrums at Walmart about the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition being displayed in the checkout aisle. She would complain to the cashier, the help desk, and try to escalate to corporate.
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7points
#42
The Germans have this word _Fremdschämen_ which means that feeling of second hand embarrassment you get when you are quite visibly associated with someone embarrassing. Basically that.
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7points
#43
My mom was a complete Karen. I used to carry cash with me to tip waitstaff because 95% she would leave extremely paltry tips if any tip at all.
You tend to compensate as the child of a jerkish narcissistic parent. I’d carry cash with me for tips. I’d always make sure I had another way home if she offered to drive. I never had to do anything like that with my dad but then he was sane.
You tend to compensate as the child of a jerkish narcissistic parent. I’d carry cash with me for tips. I’d always make sure I had another way home if she offered to drive. I never had to do anything like that with my dad but then he was sane.
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7points
#44
I didn’t realize my mom was a Karen until after I left home for college. Now I can’t stand to be around her, it’s just exhausting because you never know what’s going to set her off. Sometimes I have to look myself in the mirror and say “you are not your mother” to remind myself that I’m a good person after a personal attack from her.
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7points
#45
As a teen I was the queen of saying “you aren’t embarrassing me, you’re only embarrassing yourself” to my parents when they complained at stores and restaurants. Looking back I am so proud of my teenage attitude.
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7points
#46
My mother in law is one, luckily not as crazy as some but definitely is embarrassing. Whenever my husband and I visit, she always wants to go out to eat. We always try to say let’s get take out or offer to cook, because honestly I hate going out to eat with her.
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7points
#47
Ugh I just realized my awesome mom was once a Karen in many ways. Stomping into school to defend her kids who were ducking up because she was so neglectful.
Fired a maid for not washing the windows properly.
I couldn’t stand her when I was young.
She was bipolar and got sober when I was five and chilled out once she got old.
Maybe not from reading this thread. I love my mom but wow she needs endless attention. It’s pretty exhausting as nice as she is now.
I’ve become un talkative with age and last time she visited she ended sobbing over it. Wow mom can we simply enjoy each other’s company in silence? I realized after that that I think used to flip out on her to get her to stop and now that I don’t it’s just kinda uncomfortable.
Fired a maid for not washing the windows properly.
I couldn’t stand her when I was young.
She was bipolar and got sober when I was five and chilled out once she got old.
Maybe not from reading this thread. I love my mom but wow she needs endless attention. It’s pretty exhausting as nice as she is now.
I’ve become un talkative with age and last time she visited she ended sobbing over it. Wow mom can we simply enjoy each other’s company in silence? I realized after that that I think used to flip out on her to get her to stop and now that I don’t it’s just kinda uncomfortable.
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7points
#48
Mostly just embarrassing every once in a while. She's gotten better about not being outright rude, but she's still demanding to service staff. She acts nice but it's pretty clearly fake.
She's just not a rational person. She forms strong opinions on minor things, and just can't seem to let them go. She never asks herself why she thinks what she thinks or tries to frame things logically. Things happen and she reacts with her gut.
Tbh as a hyper rational person I think could learn a few things from her.
She's just not a rational person. She forms strong opinions on minor things, and just can't seem to let them go. She never asks herself why she thinks what she thinks or tries to frame things logically. Things happen and she reacts with her gut.
Tbh as a hyper rational person I think could learn a few things from her.
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7points
#49
My mother in law is a Karen and let me tell you it’s not a fun time. Most of the time she’s normal but my word she has caused so many unnecessary problems with random people, friends, and my family.
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7points
#50
It’s embarrassing. My mom has no friends because she is such a jerk and I try to not go out with her because I know if I do, she’ll insult any minimum wage worker we encounter and be super unpleasant.
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7points
#51
They treat wait staff like trash, and when you’re a kid there’s nothing you can do. Now I just don’t go out to eat with her.
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6points
#52
Just how rude she is to workers and others for no reason. I’ve had to thank them when she refused. I’ve even gotten on her in public and then gotten in trouble. I’m 38. It’s embarrassing.
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6points
#53
Daughter In Law/Niece of one...
She was embarrassing growing up. She would scream at anyone and anything who would be forced to listen.
She would also say "watch this." In restaurants and would scream at the poor staff to try get free food because she was a loyal customer even if it was her first time at the location.
She was embarrassing growing up. She would scream at anyone and anything who would be forced to listen.
She would also say "watch this." In restaurants and would scream at the poor staff to try get free food because she was a loyal customer even if it was her first time at the location.
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6points
#54
It’s all muttering through fake smiles “shut up Mum, just shut up! It doesn’t matter, just stop!” all the while giving the poor service workers a crazy-eyed look that says ‘I’m so sorry, I want no part in this. I am normal, I promise!’.
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6points
#55
Trying to return something months after the return window and arguing with some poor teenager for half an hour over company policy to try and get their 21.99 back for whatever stupid stuff they bought.
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5points
#56
I was always stressed in restaurants and taxis, or when ordering pizza. I never knew when my dad was going to go off at the servers.
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5points
#57
My mom once started arguing with someone in a parking lot and I just stayed in the car. She came back 10 minutes later still mad and I was like Cool can we go home now?
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5points
#58
My mum was not a karen but she was a weird narcissist and I feel like this story fits the vibe.
I was 19 and having a miscarriage. She was recently divorced and drove me to the hospital. I was in a lot of pain and having contractions and moaning and groaning a lot. A porter pushed my chair to the room where tge Dr would examine me and she decided to flirt with him loads and make it all about her, giggling loads and acting like a schoolgirl, she then disappeared "for a cigarette" and was gone with the porter for an hour and a half leaving me on my own with a tank of gas and air (which was honestly the best thing for me).
I was 19 and having a miscarriage. She was recently divorced and drove me to the hospital. I was in a lot of pain and having contractions and moaning and groaning a lot. A porter pushed my chair to the room where tge Dr would examine me and she decided to flirt with him loads and make it all about her, giggling loads and acting like a schoolgirl, she then disappeared "for a cigarette" and was gone with the porter for an hour and a half leaving me on my own with a tank of gas and air (which was honestly the best thing for me).
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5points
#59
Going to restaurants was really hard and still is today, the waiter always looks to me for guidance (like stares at me in fear to make sure I can guide them both through the interaction if something goes wrong) now that I’m an adult and she’s an “old lady” so she has more of a pass for her behavior as I think a lot of people think it’s dementia or something.
But anyway as a kid and teenager it was absolutely mortifying. Being disrespectful to the waitress with a crazy tone, sending back food and insulting it, demanding refunds and saying drinks aren’t made right.
Also one time we were on a flight and she got impatient with the flight attendant about her drink or something I truly don’t remember, and started to get upset and act inappropriately/say something way over the line and the flight attendant asked her name and my mother refused which is illegal on a plane so she almost got arrested when we landed.
No our relationship isn’t very good Lol.
But anyway as a kid and teenager it was absolutely mortifying. Being disrespectful to the waitress with a crazy tone, sending back food and insulting it, demanding refunds and saying drinks aren’t made right.
Also one time we were on a flight and she got impatient with the flight attendant about her drink or something I truly don’t remember, and started to get upset and act inappropriately/say something way over the line and the flight attendant asked her name and my mother refused which is illegal on a plane so she almost got arrested when we landed.
No our relationship isn’t very good Lol.
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4points
#60
My mom is a Karen. We used to joke that she was the final boss at the end of a video game. She was pretty entitled in most situations. The worst was when she was at restaurants. She’s unbelievably intolerable to be around.
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4points