You swore it would never happen. Such injustice! Such inhumanity! “I’ll never be like you!!!” you exclaim while stamping your foot and pouting. And then one day, you have kids of your own, and without warning, it happens… You open your mouth, and your mother comes out.
I sound like my mother!
So this weekend, while we are patting ourselves on the back for keeping our kids alive yet another year, we can’t forget the proud legacy set forth by our own moms. In reconciliation for all those years of eye-rolling, the contributors of Little Lake County have gotten together to share with you those moments when we opened our mouths, and our mothers came out.
From Loralie: My mom always said, “Turn off the lights when you leave a room,” and “Don’t leave the water running while you brush your teeth.” I always thought, “Why bother?” but my mom was green before it was cool to be green. She’s O.G.!
From Hyacynth: “That’s not appropriate!!!” I used to hate the word ‘appropriate’ because she said it so much. Now I get it.
From Genevieve: “Don’t bug me . . . I’m on vacation!” I finally understand the sarcasm.
From Melissa: “There are children starving! They would eat your dinner!”
From Cheryl: “Because I said so,” and “I’ll give you something to cry about.”
From Holly: “And we’re off like a herd of turtles!” I didn’t understand the expression when I was young, and when I was older I’d roll my eyes at my mom when she would say it. As a tween, I remember being embarrassed when she would say it in front of my friends. Now that I have two little ones I finally get it! {Author’s note: I’m totally going to use this one from now on.}
From Krystal: “Don’t make me come in there!” “Don’t eat that! You don’t know where it has been!” “The dirt won’t kill you, it’s been there longer than you have!” Southern Mama, What can I say?
From Rosemary: “My grandmother says some crazy Spanish sayings that I don’t hear myself saying.”
From Tracy: “Make sure you go potty before we leave!” I’ve said it to friends, and they look at me like I’m nuts!
From Stephanie: I totally grind my jaw and can speak with my teeth clenched. I always thought it was hilarious when my mom got that mad. Now my 2-year-old laughs at me and my older one introduced me as a dragon at her dance class last week. Awesome. I also tend to use the exasperated, “jesusmaryandjoseph!” That’s my grandmother coming out, all one word. “You’ll get over it before you’re married.” “She’s like a bull in a china cabinet.” {Author’s note: My mom also clenched her teeth while yelling at us. Now I do it too. Stephanie and I are gifted.}
From Maureen: My mom always said “You’re just tired,” and it drove me crazy. I say it to my kids all the time because they are just tired, but it probably drives them crazy too.
From Heather: “Well, let’s go to the store and get a new mom then since you are not happy with this one. I hope you find one as nice as me. Good luck.” This is not working as much anymore as they are getting older and have realized that you really cannot shop at a store for a mom.
What do YOU say that your mother used to say to you? Spill it in the comments below! Then share this post with your own mom to prove that you really were listening.
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