Mom-isms

by Angie Felton (Subscribe to Angie Felton's posts) May 7th 2008 3:00PM

A friend and I were talking about the ridiculous sayings we heard growing up. We marveled that because our mothers (and sometimes fathers) said it, we never questioned the science or logic behind gems like:

If you keep making that face, it might freeze that way!
Clean your plate, there are children in (China, India, Africa, Ohio, etc.) who are starving.
If all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you?
Do I look like I'm made of money?
Don't sit too close to the TV, you'll go blind!
Don't read in the dark, you'll go blind!
Don't wear someone else's glasses, you'll go blind!
Do you think money just grows on trees?
You'd forget your head if it wasn't attached to your shoulders!
Don't touch that/put that in your mouth, you don't know where it's been!

You don't hear people using Mom-isms much anymore. Perhaps in honor of Mother's Day, we should dust them off and remind the next generation that cleaning behind the ears is what prevents potatoes from growing because losing mom-isms, no matter how wacky or bizarre, just seems a shame.

Comments (16)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jenni 5-07-2008 @ 3:22PM

There must be some fear about going blind; my mom told us to eat our carrots or we'd go blind.

Nancy 5-07-2008 @ 4:02PM

OMG - you sound just like my Mom! I have even caught myself more than once about to use one of the Mom-isms on your list. Luckily I haven't used it - I'm not sure what my son would say if I did.

Heather 5-07-2008 @ 4:15PM

My grandma used to give me and my sister coffee when we were younger, but she told us not to drink too much because it would make our knees turn black. :)

Anne Glamore 5-07-2008 @ 4:38PM

Actually, I use the ones about money ALL THE TIME. Do I look like an ATM?

Another one I use is "I am not wearing stripes, and that means I am not a referee. Y'all can work that fight out on your own."

claire 5-07-2008 @ 5:03PM

You forgot:
"Don't make me turn this car around!"
"If I have to come up/down/over there, you're going to be sorry."
"1 . . . 2 . . . 3."
And the classic, "Because I'm the Mother and I said so."
(Luckily I haven't used any of these yet myself, nor any from the other list, but my son's only a year old. Never say never."

Misty 5-07-2008 @ 5:35PM

When I couldn't find something, my mother always told me to "look under the first layer." I say it to my son now, although modified - "Look under everything that has an under."

And when we'd leave doors hanging open, she'd say, "Shut the door, I am not heating the yard."

beastarzmom 5-07-2008 @ 6:16PM

Been a mom for 27 years now. I proudly use mom-isms whenever and wherever they fit. What will our children have to talk about if don't give them decent, but innocuous material?!
My daughter (24) already teases me about my philosophy that "if you have arms and legs you can get it yourself". I also made up lyrics to children's songs only to find out later that it was a little embarassing to them to find out later that wasn't a "real" lyric! It never occured to me to tell them that!
Better that than other things I could have done!

Tickle Toes 5-07-2008 @ 7:34PM

beastarzmom you are so right! I now find myself repeating things (mom-isms) that my Mom told me growing up, but when I hear myself say them I smile and think of Mom.

* For all children's gifts visit www.tickletoes.com *

Hebe 5-07-2008 @ 9:55PM

I think my mom has the most beautiful voice I have ever heard in my whole life. I really love her.

karen 5-07-2008 @ 10:38PM

my son is 7 and i probably use all of those listed on a daily basis! of course i swore to myself that when i became a mom i would never say "because i said so" because it always made me mad. the first time i said it, i died a little on the inside.

Bev 5-08-2008 @ 5:43AM

My Mum is quite possibly the originator of the most random comments known to man. Favourites when my sisters and I were little include the best answer to the "Why" question ever - "Because Y is not a Z". What does that even mean??????????? I'm now 30 years old and it still confuses me - it used to shut us up though because we were too busy wondering what on eart she was on about.

Brian 5-08-2008 @ 8:18AM

From my wife.

"Those AREN'T raisins."

I hope you don't require a further explanation.

Many many more at http://thatsalovelybooger.blogspot.com/search/label/Things%20Only%20Parents%20Say

Rhonda 5-08-2008 @ 11:38AM

"If you don't pick up and put away those toys, I'm going to box them up and give them to some children who will appreciate them!" The first time I said that, I realized I was standing, speaking and gesturing with my hands EXACTLY like my mother.

And my favourite mom-ism isn't from my mom but my grandmother: "Don't sit on the cold concrete or you'll get piles (hemorrhoids)."

And my own in the vein of "if you have arms and legs you can get it yourself," "What are those things dangling off the ends of your arms? Decorations?"

Jessica 5-08-2008 @ 12:37PM

"Look with your eyes and not with your mouth"

"Take your socks off or put your shoes on"

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch"

The best in my house, though, was when Mom was flustered and about to yell at one of us (there are 4) but she couldn't get the right name out: Jes, Mic, Geo, William Wayne get your butt over here!

Uly 5-08-2008 @ 6:32PM

"You're hungry? Well, eat your right hand and save the other for tomorrow"

"You're thirsty? Pleased to meet you. I'm Friday."

"Why? So that people with nothing to say will have something to talk about."

"Why is there more than one/so many/two? So one can look after another."

Jen 5-08-2008 @ 2:23PM

One that I use a lot these days in response to my 4 and 1 year old wanting multiple things at once is "Do I look like an Octopus to you?" And my son has even gone one better, he'll say, "Watch those mommy arms move!" Too cute!!

How To Submit Photos:
If you'd like your children (any age will do!) featured on ParentDish, upload photos into the ParentDish Flickr Pool. Be sure to read our main Flickr page for more information.