My repertoire isn't as fully developed as hers is yet, but I do notice myself saying certain things over and over to my children: Remember, the game is only fun if everybody thinks it's fun! Little bites for little girls! If you're too tired to listen to your mother, I can put you to bed right now!
Part of our morning drop-off ritual, which began last year with a kindergarten Uno and preschool Dos, includes me yelling out, "Be good! Have fun! Listen to your teacher and be nice to your friends! Learn a lot of stuff! I love you!" as they scamper off toward the school house door. Sometimes I switch the order around, just to mix it up a little, but every part is essential; I can't imagine sending them to school without those admonitions.
I'm curious to hear what other bits of maternal wisdom are floating around in the universe, so if I have any readers left (sorry I've been so delinquent lately), leave me some juicy comments about your mom's favorite sayings. :-)
(Note: The title of this post comes from a hilarious poem by Hal Sirowitz
called "Chopped Off Arm." It begins:Don't stick your arm out the window,
Mother said. Another car can sneak up
behind us, & chop it off. Then your father
will have to stop, stick the severed piece
in the trunk, & drive you to the hospital.
It's not like the parts of your telescope that snap back on.
A doctor will have to sew it.
You won't be able to wear short sleeves.
You won't want anyone to see the stitches....
And then it just goes on and on. I have a recording of the author reading it in his nebbishy New York accent and it cracks me up every time.)
~RCH~
5 comments:
I love that poem.
Mama Lue used to always say the following before we went on a date (with our date present, of course)
1. Remember who you are and what you stand for.
2. The Devil Works his hardest after midnight
3. Don't Let anything come between you and your clothes. (this was the embarassing clincher)
It seems like there were more? Now I can't remember them!
I don't have any yet, except: It's not time to wake up yet. Let's go back to sleep. And "Stop acting like such a baby" ha!
My current favorite is "Quick, like a bunny!" because it seems like at 6 everyone is a dawdler.
My Dad's favorite line to us was always "Be nice."
And my Mom's was probaby something about not saying the word "runny". EVER. "It isn't runny! It's thin!"
the "runny" applies to food, because you can't, just can't have "runny" food and and a "runny" nose. yuck! the food is thin. the nose is "runny".
when someone said they were sick, larry would ask them if they had loaferitus.
If you're too tired to listen to your mother, I can put you to bed right now!--LOVE IT!
When Peter goes to pretend school, I almost say the exact same thing to him that you say to the girlies, which means I'll probably say that once he goes to real school too.
Shape up or ship out.
I got that one from my dad. I try and use it sparingly.
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