awkwardness when animated shows are on TV

Hi. I've come here right now to get some support concerning the awkwardness, embarrassment and anxiety I experiance when animated shows I don't know if my parents approve of are shown of TV. I know this may sound strange, but it has caused me a lot of distress over the past few years. If such a show is on right there and then, on an ad or has clips shown as part of a news bulletin, if my parents are in the room I become tense, tachycardic and often visibly blush. I believe this is the result of the strongly negative opinions my dad took towards Nickelodeon cartoons once I became a teenager, and I feel that I need to appear to not even consider them as I would be expressing a "wrong" opinion. I often look down at my food or pretend to be focused on a book when such a situation occurs, but it does not stop my internal dred or obvious blushing. The thing is, my dad is far from being anti animation. We have dozens of disney, Pixar and other films and series at home, but I just can't help getting the impression that he will automatically have a low opinion of any animated film mentioned on TV (this seemed to be confirmed to me when dad didn't seem to like a clip from the recent well reviewed "Inside Out" which was being reviewed on the news.) I just don't want to continue feeling so distressed over such a petty thing, and would like sugestions of how to be able to feel free in my mind without being bothered about what someone else may think.
Regards, Peterthegreatworrier.

Hi Peter
This used to happen to me when I was young with kissing or sex scenes, if my Mother was in the room I would get really nervous. So I guess it is just the same for you with cartoons. Something inside makes us feel these things are wrong and our mind and body react this way. I am now a mother and my daughter gets embarassed by things but I don't think anything of it at all. I'm sure your parents don't either, so don't worry about it. As I always think to myself...in the great scheme of things, this is really not important x

My dad was always like sial's mother with sexual references, bawdy humour or sex scenes. He still is reall but it bothers me much less these days. When I was younger though, I would find it embarrassing but I guess thats how it is with many of us.

My mum is more accepting and doesn't care as much about that stuff so it's OK with here but really there is still only so much you want to see/hear in front of of your mum when you are a man :blush: