The Things Parents Say

Every family has them... the little things they say, the things you repeat over and over again. Some are funny, some are adorable and some make you sound just like your mother. Some are things you never in your life thought you would say. Last week on my Facebook page (can like it over there ---> in the sidebar) and a SoCal ladies blogger page I belong to I asked for others to share those things they say in their house.  Some are funny, some are serious but they all become a part of our family culture and help cement our families together.

I asked this question because not only do I believe it is so important to have a strong family identity, as really in the end of the day friends come and go but family is what will still be there; but also because last week I found myself saying something I never thought I would.... that will come at the end.

I broke the sayings down into categories: (you can click their names to get to their awesome blogs!)

Work: trying to get our kids/family to work a little harder
 
   Megan of meganBlogs:  We say: "First we work, then we play."

   My family says: "Stick to a job till it sticks to you; beginners are many but finishers are few."

Misbehaving: when your kids aren't doing what they should

Bethany (my college friend) "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit"-- this was a popular one that a lot of people said!

Teresa of A Single Mom And A Teenage Girl: "No does not mean ask me again."

Janette of the Johanson Journey:  She will ask "Where has my Ryan gone. Someone took him? Where is my sweet Ryan."-- (I totally do this one with my kids!)

The Rehan FamilyBlog: My most frequently used words are probably "one, two.... THREE!" followed by "take deep breaths and count to...." 10 for minor offense, or up to 100"

Dee of Dangerous Cupcake: "Make good choices!" I say this to my teen dd all the time.  (I think she hates it and barely tolerates it by gritting her teeth, though I preer to think of it as a joke designed to slightly nudge.

Love: These are the ways you show love in your family

 Julie of Wrong Way Peach Fuzz: My girls ask for Babaloos from me. Then I play the bongos on their tummies and sing (off key) "Babaloooooooooooo-eeeeeeeeee"

Xenia of Raised by Culture: Our family does a lot of "He's not your baby, this is my baby!" "You don't love this baby" and hug and kiss on the baby and tease each other about our love for him.

A.J of Confessions of a Fat Girl: In my family, my mom and I say "As much as all the clouds in the sky and all the trees in the forest."  That's how much we love each other.

Maribel of Stroller Adventures: Our family motto is: "The family!" Our 3-year-old son loves when the 4 of us sit at the table for a meal, he extends his arms and holds hands with the person next to him, we all end up holding hands and moving our hands up and down together we say "The Family!" he then sings something and yells "...and STOP!" so we all let go and continue our meal."

Lizzie of Peach on Earth: When I read to the kids they like saying "the end!"  Once the story is over then we say together, "front cover, spin, back cover: something we picked up from my son's preschool.


Repeat: Things we say again & again or say and now our kids say it too

   April of illi style: "You're killin me smalls!"

  Romania of Just Another Hat: To our 5 year old son: "Pee IN the toilet, flush, then wash your hands with soap, please!" Every single time.. I should just record it.

Melissa of the ValentineRD: My 6-year-old says "actually" quite often but the shocker to most is when my kid falls down and people ask if he's okay, he quotes his very klutzy mothers and says, "I'll live."

Carolyn of This Talk Ain't Cheap: "My middle daughter is pretty accident-prone and always says really bizarre things... whenever she does something like this, we all say, "It's Mandy" in a sing-song voice."

So now to mine-- why did I ask this in the first place?   Well my family has all sorts of things we say... but I have recently added a new one.

You see Ryder isn't a big fan of fruit.  He likes applesauce and bananas and that is about it, oh and avocado too.  So when you only like a few fruits, two of which are the "stopping-up" kind.. well you get stopped up a lot.

In hopes of him eating more fruit,  I am constantly giving him new fruit and have developed a chant of sorts "Fruit helps you poop! Fruit helps you poop!"   Which he of course is now repeating.

I guess my family culture now includes chanting "fruit helps you poop!"

What does your family say?