Growing up, lots of my friends had horror stories about walking in on their parents having sex (some more horrible than others! I didn't need to know details!). These stories traumatized me because I never walked in on my parents having … uh … because my parents never had … um … because … ack … I don't even have parents and surely not sex-having parents!
{{{Shakes head to clear residual thoughts}}}
Even though catching parents in the act and, equally, I imagine, being caught in the act has to be everyone's worst nightmare, tonight's "Caught in the Act" episode of Modern Family had me in stitches. I mean, you gotta laugh because it's so horrifying, right?
In the episode, Claire and Phil's three kids try to surprise their parents with breakfast in bed on their anniversary, only to walk in on their mom and dad "in the act." The scene is so well choreographed — the kids immediately screaming and scramming to go wash their eyes and minds in the kitchen and Claire and Phil yelling "Noooooo!" as if that can somehow change what just happened. Claire also adds in a perfect motherly, "I'm sorry …" while Phil throws out a "Nothing's happening!"
Hilarious.
Here's a clip from the episode in case you missed it:
Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY5YjRGpNPI
Unfortunately, the hilarity of this situation only exists when we watch it on TV. I've never been on either side of this parents/kids caught in the act business (oh, the horror!), but watching an episode like this does make me consider how we will discuss "the act" when the time comes.
Claire and Phil want to talk about everything because their own parents talked about nothing. Sounds familiar … but how do you address this perfectly natural but perfectly personal act in a way that is healthy and appropriate and doesn't freak everyone out?
An acquaintance of mine once revealed she doesn't try to hide her and her husband's lovemaking from their kids. She feels it's healthy for her kids to know they have sex. No, that doesn't mean they do it out in the open or anything weird. They're just very open about their sexuality, and it's not a big hush-hush secret. I wonder if their kids want to die …
I really don't know how I'll deal with this issue when it arises. I mean, kids do get to the point where they know about sex and realize you're having it no matter how "on the down low" you try to keep your sex life. Like Claire in the episode, it seems talking needs to happen on some level in order to encourage healthy feelings about sexuality for your kids. However, when I think about having to have this talk, all that comes to mind is Noooooo!
Did you watch this episode of Modern Family? Have you ever been caught in the act by your kids?
