It keeps happening and I can’t stop myself! I find myself dispensing unasked for advice more often than I like. The majority of my coworkers are under 30. That in itself is a novel experience and probably the source of my annoying behavior. I’m probably older than most of their parents and that seems to bring out my maternal side.  One of my goals is to work on my listening skills and not feel the need to jump in and fix things. Can you say failing, boys and girls? I mean, young adults. I leave my older coworkers alone. Granted, I’m the oldest one here but treat them as peers, not kids.

I’m pretty certain that I’m annoying the crap out of the young ones. They’re adults and have mothers of their own to nag them. They don’t need me giving sage advice on everything. I’m not really sure when it started.  Once I catch myself, I desperately try to back pedal but the harm is already done. No one is ever rude but I can feel the eye rolls behind my back. I try to remember what it was like in my twenties. Marriage, babies and work but most of it is a blur.  Any coworkers in their mid-thirties seemed ancient! One of my favorite people at work is all of 21 years old. The other day I realized that I’m forty one years older than her. It quite took my breath away. I had to go and sit down for a while and fan myself.  So much for being current.

Today was a perfect example. The 21 one year old is having her one year review at work today and was telling me how nervous she is and couldn’t sleep. Instead of just listening and making sympathetic noises, I made a speech about how it will be fine, don’t worry, blah blah blah. Ugh.  I’m going to try my damnedest to stop this behavior. Whenever I feel the need to mother people, I’ll call my own kids. They figured out how to ignore me years ago.