Did you ever wonder when you were a child why your parents said the things they did? Like those perfect one-liners that you couldn’t respond to and they left you thinking where your parent’s logic came from? I understand this now because I am now a parent and I find myself saying these same things. It’s like the universe’s way of making us suffer for the things we did to drive our parents crazy.
1. Calling you by your full name.
When I was a kid this was the signal that you had taken whatever you were doing to drive your parents or siblings crazy a little too far. This was serious and meant a hefty punishment for the crime committed.
2. "Because I said so."
I’ve said this a few times already when my son has questioned why I won’t let him do something. The game of because why can go on forever and finally as a parent you must pull out the “because I said so”. Sometimes it’s the only way to end the torture.
3. "I'm changing my name."
My mom used to say this all the time. My brother and I would repeatedly call her for something and at least once a week this phrase would come out of her mouth.
4. "Stop touching/doing that!"
I always wondered why my mom wouldn’t let me play with certain things. Now I totally get it. My son loves to get into the movie cabinet. It is GAME OVER when this happens. Movie discs get separated from their case and it’s just awful sorting them out. This is a big NO NO!
5. "Keep down to a dull roar."
This is more so said by dads. Brennan hears this just about every night. This means keep the noise to a level lower than the TV. He has a set of lungs, that’s for sure. Maybe he’ll take up singing.
6. "Wait till your dad gets home."
Nothing strikes the fear in a child worse than this line. My mom would use this one when she was tired of dealing with me and my brother. We would go our separate ways hoping that mom would forget. Most of the time she didn’t.
7. "I'm counting to five."
My son hears this one a lot. It’s when I’ve continuously asked him to do something and I get no results. This response usually snaps him out of it.
8. "I don't have all day."
When you’re a kid you see no reason to be in a hurry for anything but as a parent that quickly changes. Places to be and people to see keep you from being that relaxed child that you used to be. As an adult, it’s rush, rush, rush, and you wind up telling your child to hurry to in some form.
9. "Go to SLEEP!"
This is a nightly mantra. Brennan hates going to bed. No matter how tired he is. It’s the end of the day and mom’s tired. You wore her down and she’s been as nice as possible but now it’s time for you to go to sleep and for her to have some alone time.
Parenting is a full-time job and it’s tough so no wonder we find ourselves saying the same things that our parents said. They worked to keep us in line as kids so why not try it on our own.