The Beauty of a Catch-Phrase

Since we all know that repeating ourselves (and repeating ourselves...and repeating ourselves...) is the name of the game in parenting, we might as well as make it snazzy.  Hubs and I seem to have developed a treasure trove catch-phrases that we use over and over.  If you were to pop in to the Dryer house, this is what you'd likely hear....

"Take what you get and don't throw a fit."

Every single mom I've ever met uses this one.  I think that when you're distracted by the throes of labor, the hospital must inject this little ditty directly into your brain. 

"I am my brother's keeper." 

My Hubs initiated this one with our boys--it's taken (very loosely) from Scripture.  He has given them numerous rousing speeches about the virtues of brotherhood--really, you can almost hear the violins playing the background.  In moments of brotherly bickering Hubs has been known to call out, "I am?...." and the boys chant back (sometimes through gritted teeth) "..my brother's keeper."

We're going to conveniently ignore that the Scripture being referenced is, in fact, the story of one brother murdering another.  Though there are days when that seems all too relevant.

"Different is good."

We've used this one with Adam since he was very little.  He's not always the best at adapting to change, and we've had to coax him off a few figurative ledges by having him repeat with us, "Different is good." 

I'm predicting this one will come back to bite us someday when Stephen (who most certainly does not have trouble deviating from the norm) comes home with purple hair and an nose-ring.  "Yo, dawg...different is good!"

"See a need, fill a need." 

We lifted this one straight from the movie Robots.  Loosely translated, it's a nice way to say, "get your duff off the couch and feed the dog without being asked.  Please."

"If you're gonna play rough, you've gotta be tough."

A friend taught us this one, and we happily pull it out when there is tackle football going on in the living room.  It's basically a new-and-improved version of "it's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt," or "Don't come cryin' to me!"

"Blood, barf, bones or bad guys?" 

This is my favorite one.  Sometimes, a momma needs the older kids to prioritize their needs before interrupting.  "Don't come in here unless it's an emergency" wasn't working for my brood, because they think a misplaced Nerf ball is reason enough to call in the Special Forces. 

So, I got a little more specific.  When I need a few minutes of alone-time to accomplish something, the kids know to interrupt me ONLY if they see blood, vomit, a bone sticking out somewhere or a villain scaling the side of our house. 

And really, it just warms this momma's heart to picture them sitting around living room after my funeral someday, reminiscing about their sweet mother, and they will chant, "blood, barf, bones or bad guys," and OH, how their hearts will be warmed.

I'm turning this over to you all now.  I KNOW you're bound to have some good catch-phrases you use repeatedly with your kids--let's hear them.

Comments

[Loralee]

"There are few things more important than brothers. You have each other's backs.".

Yup. I say this. All the time.

Sometimes it seems like the only thing I have succeeded in as a parent is making sure that my two boys (Half brothers) are completely solid in their friendship and defense of the other. That they are aware how special it is to have a sibling and that they have to look out for the other and work to keep the relationship solid.

"Crap-a-doodle-do"
I think this one goes without saying.

[Elizabeth]

Well, I make up little ditty's (or steal them) for my children to repeat when there is a repeating offense.

My daughter's sullen attitude will always get her a rousing rendition of:

Put a smile on your face,
So that you can embrace,
the day that God has given us by His grace.

My son's constant defiance:

Yes its true,
I agree with you,
I will not be contrary.

My other daughter's lolly gagging around:

I will obey all the way, right away.

So those are our sayings and can't you just see the eye rolling at my funeral!!! he he he!

[Maranda Miller]

Seems the favorite phrase right now in the studio/home is

"If everyone was to jump off the bridge would you?"

Naturally others use Empire State Building or some local attraction. But just to express you don't need to be like everyone else and do what everyone else does.

This is a good one..like the Robots phrase..

[Jenny in Ca]

"mommy's busy!!" usually said in a high-pitched shriek finally, (I'm in the bathroom and listening to 2 minutes of a child calling me thru the house as they search, then find me and stand breathing at the door, waiting for me to come out.)

"you've got herd", said to a spouse as the kids surge out to the van to indicate who is watching..

[My Quotidian Mysteries (Laura)]

These are awesome - I esp. love the last one.

[kelli]

Is there Blood? Is there bone?

That came back to bite us when Kati was 6. She broke her leg in the spokes of her bike. RIpped it clean out of the skin.

Jonathan (who was 5) came in the house screaming at the top of his lungs "I pwomise there blood, there bone".

[kelli]

Oh and ...

I'm sorry did you need something"...

"Yes most wonderful and most beautiful mommy in the whole wide world".

Hehe

[Bridget]

Around our house it's always "is anyone bleeding?" The answer is normally "no" so then "I don't want to hear about it".

[Jen]

This post is GREAT! I was led over here by SingsForHim...and I love it. I'll have to compile my own list...my kids are only 6, 4, & 2, but it seems like forever that I've been transformed into a broken record of "momisms." Thanks for sharing.

[Georgia Mom]

Words to live by! We use the "you get what you get and you don't pitch a fit" one in our house all the time. Here's some of mine...

"With age, comes privledge and responsibility" I always tell our older child that she gets some privledges for being older, but she has more to be accountable for.

"Do the Sweezie's live here?" That means, clean your room, we are not going to live like the Sweezies do. Apparantly the Sweezie were the family that lived down the street from my Dad, when he was a kid. And his Dad would tell him that the "Sweezie didn't live there" and to that was the cue to clean up. My Dad used that with me and now I get to pass that down to my children.

"Be kind to your Mommy. I'm the only one you're going to get". My youngest likes "tough love" meaning she loves to kiss my face so hard my cheeks hurt or she loves to jump on my back when I'm not looking, sending pain up and down my spine! I am getting old.

My favorite... "If you lined all the 8 years olds in the entire world, you would be my favorite one!". I use this for both kids (I insert the proper age of course) and my girls just light up!

I'll be using that "if you see a need, fill a need" one for sure!!

Blessings,
Georgia Mom

[heather]

brothers for life

[Monkey Giggles]

"Treat others as you would want to treated"

"Do all things without grumbling"

There are days I wish I had a rewind and play button. It sure would save me time.

[Heather @ Desperately Seeking Sanity]

"Contrary to popular belief, the world does not revolve around you..." that's normally with my daughter...

"hands on your heads or in your pockets..." i used to make them do this when I was in a store... but now, since they are older they know that just means don't touch....

[Everyday Mommy]

"We're family and we stick together."

"Flush-n-close, Flush-n-close, Flush-n-close!"

[girlymama]

Stay in bed, be quiet, and NO WAKING UP MAMA AND DADDY!

[Megan (FriedOkra)]

"Look with your eyes, not with your hands."
"Use your WORDS."
"What do you say?" (Please or thank you.)
"Good sharing!" or "Good listening!"
and
"Remember, you have to be gentle with Mama. Mama's a LADY."

[Jenny from Chicago]

My brother used to make his kids recite the rules as they entered a store.
"no running, no screaming, no lying on the floor."

[Rachel May]

We only have one -- he's three right now, but here are a few things we use:

"How do you ask?" (big boy voice w/ please)

"Criss-cross applesauce, hands in your lap!" Stole this one directly from his playschool - gets him to sit cross-legged with his hands in his lap.

I think a lot of my communication is non-verbal... I am well-versed in giving The Look, and he is really good at interpreting it and responding appropriately in any given situation!

When he's whining, I simply hold up a finger (no, not THAT one), and look away from him until he starts using his words and an appropriate tone of voice.

[Lorraine]

"Friends may come and go, but family is forever." -- got that one from my mom and dad. They were saying that long before Lilo taught Stitch abt "Ohana".

"Quiet and eat" is another one heard about 5-10 times a mealtime around here. I've got three motormouths. Takes them an hour to eat anything because they would all rather talk, at the same time.

I love the See a need one... and robots is my fav, I mean one of my kids fav movies! I will have to start using that..

and the commenter who said "be kind to mommy, I'm the only one you'll have." I will have to use that with my DS2, aka The Tank. I'm a 30 yr old with a 60yr old body thanks to high school sports... I just can't take too much of him charging into me and jumping on my back...

After that, we use the Hide 'em in your heart songs (by Steve Green) and Music Machine... all those goodies that I grew up with -- "Do everything without complaining! Do everything without arguing!" "Be Patient, Be patient. Don't be in such a hurry!" -- My mom tortured me with those songs as a kid.. now it's my turn. *S*

[Lori - Queen of Dirty Laundry]

"Just let her be wrong," For when my girls correct one another ad nauseum.

"Goonie goo goo!" Translation: it doesn't matter. Let it go.
Classmate says you're a crybaby? Goonie goo goo!
You don't like the color of your Jello? Goonie goo goo!
We're out of your favorite cereal? Goonie goo goo!

[Demeter]

**"If it's not yours, don't touch it!"** (Usually repeated for the bazillionth time on someone who has dared to mess with the other one's stuff.)

**"In or out, close the door!"** (I have an indoors-only cat who likes to sneak out. And I don't want to cool/heat the whole neighborhood, either.)

[Jane]

Oh boy do I have a few...

Similar to yours "You get what you get and you don't get upset!"

I teach English Language Learners so sometimes I say things to teach double meanings of words..."There's no cheese served with that kind of Whine."

"Drips and drops not puddles and pools" or "Dot, dot, not a lot" -to control the use of glue!

For problem solving- directions-lost things-"Ask three before me!"

"Are you asking about your abilities? Or do you want permission? Constant May I? vs. Can I? issues.

[Melene]

From my Mom-"Nothing lasts forever."

From my husband to our girls- "You Mess it up, You Clean it up!"

[Crista]

My favorite (and it comes right from scripture)?

Do everything without complaining or arguing!

[Marian]

Am I violating copyright law if I copy this post and its comments and put it up on my fridge for fresh material? =-) Having an eldest child with autism who has modeled non-coping and non-communication skills for his 3 younger siblings, we get an especially vigorous workout in the fit-throwing frustration department...

"I'm right here (i.e. you don't need to scream for me to hear you)...
I don't understand whining...
And how could you say that in a NICE way?...
Use your words...
Is there something you need to ask me? (as child is having coniption over something they need help with instead of asking you)...
Could you please try again to tell me that AFTER you have swallowed your food?...
Friends come and go, but your brother is your brother for life...
What did YOU do that was contributing to the problem?"