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

[Natalie]

I said recently, "We're not mean to each other! We're only mean to other people!"

I didn't mean to say this, but my kids laughed so hard at the look of mortification on my face that it was almost worth it. I was attempting to talk with my children (ages 14, 12 and 11) about being nice to people they live with and not reserving all their niceness and good manners for their friends.

Now, whenever the kids are fussing with each other, I'll sometimes hear one of them say that phrase and start giggling together.

[Jenny from Mommin' It Up!]

This one's from my grandma:
"You can poop in one hand and want in the other, and see which one gets full first."

[crystal]

I actually had never heard "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit" until my son came home with it from farm day camp. My mom or my friends have never said it. But I love it!

[Erin]

"You don't work, you don't eat." I lifted this one from scripture, but it's a convenient motivator when it's breakfast time and morning chores haven't been done.

[Lisa P from California]

This is one of your best posts and I am stealing a few of your sayings. The most common ones in our house...

"Rule #1: Obey mom and dad"

"Whine, scream or cry...you get nothing!"

"Who's the mom?" (for the 6 year old who thinks she is)

Fair does not mean "equal"

"Leave it cleaner than you found it" (We use this one everywhere we go including playdates.)

When a kiddo isn't listening..."You must need a nap because your ears have already fallen asleep".

[Stacey (Kisses From the Father)]

This one doesn't really have to do with your kids, but my grandmother always says a TON of comments and one is: if your nose itches, then "Somebody's comin' with a hole in their britches!"

Hey, it rhymes.

I know I'll come up with some good ones to post, but it's late now.

Good night!

[Barbara H.]

I forgot to mention earlier, but someone's "No pouting" reminded me of it --

I don't know if you're familiar with "Patch the Pirate," but one of his songs is "The Poochie Lip Disease," and we used to sing it when one of ours was afflicted with siad disease. He also has a catchy one that goes, "Do it now, don't delay, don't put it off til another day: Go ahead, begin it, right this very minute! You'd better do it now" and "Finish the job, finish the job, get it done! Finish the job, finish the job, then have fun!" We sang those around the house a lot when the kids were little.

[Stacey]

I love the movie Robots..I never thought of using that line with my kids.

When I go to a store,before anyone gets out of the car I say,

"now what are the rules?"

My 5 year old son says,"I know what they are,gosh! you do this everytime even though I remember!!" (he's just a little dramatic and sarcastic)

My 3 year old daughter politely says,"no whining,no fighting,no fits and no toys and we stay with you momma or we sit in the cart and come with you no more"

We also have "Git R done!"

When one of them comes out saying,"so and so called me a poo poo head!" we say,"are you a poo poo head?" they act very insulted and say "no!" then we say "so just ignore it"

If they leave something out we say,"is that where your shoes..toy..etc goes?" and they come back and put it away.

[Sarah]

Reading this post and the comments was FABULOUS!!!! I'm scared my howls are going to wake somebody up!
Our famous lines include (but are hardly limited to):
Most employed: "Attitude of Gratitude"
Most amusing: "Just because your head is round doesn't mean everyone else revolves around it"
Most generational: "Let me reintroduce myself, I am your MAMA!"
Most useful: (in regards to sleeping babies/toddlers) "You wake 'em, you take 'em"
Most repeated by daughter: "I am only the boss of my-felf."
Most repeated by son: "I wisten to da first time" (I listen the first time)
Most repeated by father (who travels a lot): "If Mommy tells me you act ugly, I'm going to wake you up when I get home!"
Most repeated by mother: "Make it make SENSE!"

[Tammie]

I love this post and all of the hilarious comments!

Here in our part of Texas it sounds like "You git whatcha git and you don't throw a fit". We got that from my oldest son's preschool teacher.

I'm also a big "Brother's for Life" user.

[Eva]

When the kids fight over toys, I remind them that

People are more important than things.

Not too catchy perhaps, but true anyway. :)

[Jen]

I have gotten my laugh work-out for today, thank you!
When my kids start out a sentence with "I can't . . ." usually b/c they don't want to obey They know to repeat after me: "I can -- do all -- things through-- Christ who -- strengthens me!"

and, "Don't come to me unless your hair is on fire." This is usually said when Mommy needs a few moments to herself.

I'll be swiping some of the others mentioned!

[Tamara Cosby]

Um...I don't even watch this show anymore...but I often find myself saying "Hows that working for you?" as the children throw their fits...

[Shane]

In my neck of the woods(South Carolina) it's.....Get what you get and don't pitch a fit! Use it often and proud of it.

[Mom Knows Everything]

These are often said around my house:

"Scratch your mad place and be glad again." - if the kids are mad about something that I can do nothing about, like it's raining and they want to go outside to play.

"That's not appropriate." - When ever they do or say something that isn't nice I always say this. It can back to bite me when I dropped a pie on the floor and they heard me swore. All in unison they said, "That's not appropriate!".

"Show me" - When my son was learning to talk we couldn't understand what he was saying all the time so we would say "Show me" to find out what he wanted. Now, whenever he wants something that's what he says and takes us to it.

[Beagoodmom]

"Who's in charge?"- for when someone questions my autorit-tie.

"What kind of boy is your brother?" -answer is "a good boy." Said to my daughter when she jumps off the deep end when she *thinks* she sees him misbehaving.

"One time does not a pattern make." - we said this to each other alot when the kids were babies. We phrased it eloquently, to make ourselves think it was sage advice. It basically means that no matter what "bad parenting" thing you do, you can fix it.

"Back the truck up!" - this comes from my childhood. When we would demand fairness as children, my dad would say, "If a truck runs over one of you, do I have to get him to back up and get the other two?!" It basically means the world is not fair...and it does not have to be.

"woo-hoo on that!" - a general accolade.

[Beagoodmom]

I just remembered, my sister-in-law often chants "no feet where we eat!"

[Anna]

I love "if your going to play rough you gotta be tough". I will definately add this to my list.