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30 Adult Children Online Open Up About Their Moms’ Best Catchphrases, And Some Are Simply Iconic
One of my mom's favorite phrases is "I told you so!" Moreover, it didn’t actually matter whether she had previously warned about good or negative consequences, the most important thing was to say these words. At first I was surprised by such incredible ‘insight,’ then it infuriated me... and only as an adult, I realized that every mother simply has her own catchphrase!
In fact, this phenomenon is so damn common that there are three viral threads in the AskReddit community - nearly one thread per year - in which users share the most iconic catchphrases from their moms. And here is a summary of the best of the best in these threads, made for you by Bored Panda.
More info: Reddit
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#1
Whenever my sister or I would complain about doing chores:
"What do you think you are, just a souvenir of a good time?"
It took me YEARS to figure that one out.
RELATED:
#2
When she gets lost driving: "The world's round, we'll get there eventually".
#3
“It’s only money”
Generally used after paying a large medical bill, or if we got in a fender bender. She isn’t a big spender, but she never put too much weight in money, as she viewed it as a tool, not her self-worth or identity.
And in fact, it is not so important under what circumstances our mothers uttered certain words - the main thing is that they were etched into our memory for many years. Our moms may have managed to grow old or even leave this world, but their favorite expressions have stayed with us for the long term, and some of us have even begun to use these words too. So to speak, to use our moms' cultural legacy.
#4
"It doesn't matter what you end up doing in life as long as you're happy."
She can be wise sometimes.
Fish that is a Panda 1 year ago
But it does matter ifwhatever you're doing doesn't pay enough.
#5
She runs through each of the kids' names before she gets to the one she actually wants to call.
"Ti-Jaa- Sarah!"
#6
Grain by grain, you can create a mountain.
Everytime she finishes a chore she says it like a mantra.
Mother of 4 and we are close in age, my dad worked 14h days so she did all the housework herself.
She went back to work when we were older and apparently her co-workers tell us she also says it everytime she finishes something.
After all, what is a person if not a set of unique memories, character traits - and, of course, the perception of them by other people? For some, these catchhrases were associated with joyful moments in life, for others - with sad ones. But still, for almost any of us, the mother occupies a very special place in life.
After all, this is the person who brought us into this world. A person of whom we were actually a part for the long months preceding our birth. And therefore, even if we strongly disagree with these phrases, over the years their perception still changes to something warm, homely and a tad bit ironic...
#7
English is my mom's second language, so instead of saying "It's my way or the highway" my mom says "My way is the highway."
#8
If it was a snake it would've bit you!
When I was looking for something in plain sight
Michelle C 1 year ago
My mom used to tell me this all the time when was a kid and still does sometimes! I’ve definitely picked up a lot from her!
#9
"Are you drinking enough water?"
Headache? Drink more water. Upset stomach? Drink water. Bad grades? You need more water. Bone protruding from your knee? Drink some water, you'll be fine.
Binny Tutera 1 year ago
My mom was a nurse, and any time we said we didn't feel good, she would have us drink a glass of water. Guess what? It often worked!
“Each of us, of course, has our own unique personal traits, and specific words, phrases and even filler words also form part of us,” says Irina Matveeva, a psychologist and certified NLP specialist, with whom Bored Panda got in touch for a comment here. "And our parents are no exception of course."
“The perception of even the funniest and most ridiculous phrases from our parents changes over the years and as we grow up. And we often end up using these words ourselves. At least I knew one family where the same comic saying was passed on for at least four generations. Moreover, the younger ones already used the phrase consciously, as the family's ‘unique feature.’"
#10
People in Hell want icewater, and they don't get it either. As a small child I used to point at things in stores and go "Oooooh, I want that!" She'd respond with that phrase. Now that I'm grown it's a joke. The other day we were driving to the grocery store and she mentioned wanting pizza from a certain restaurant that was closed. I grinned and said, "People in Hell want icewater, and they don't get it either!" She laughed and called me a smarta**.
Apatheist Account2 1 year ago
In teaching us to be polite, we were told "I want doesn't get". That did not work with my bosses or wife :(
#12
"Listen to me now and believe me later."
"The nature of human memory is such that we tend to perceive many things from our childhood and youth with warmth, and various bad memories are actually 'washed out' from our reminiscences. This happens from year to year, from decade to decade - and now it’s our kids’ turn to crack up at our own 'mommish' wordings! This is life, and nothing can be done about it. Maybe someone could perceive this as yet another 'mom phrase'," Irina smiles.
#13
“It’s not what you say it’s how you say it”
CEO of not putting up with my angsty teen attitude. This phrase used to drive me crazy.
#15
Me: *does something stupid *
My mom: "common sense, not common in everyone.".
Channon Doughty 1 year ago
My Mom's version was "They couldn't find their way out of a paper bag with both ends marked exit"
What else is left to add? Maybe to suggest that you scroll this list to the very end, read all these stories, smile and smile once more - and, perhaps, recognize the features of your own mom in someone’s nameless parent? In the end, mothers are all the same, at least in terms of love for their children. Even if these kids do not always realize this. Well, let’s just read and have a great time reading!
#16
When she gets startled she'll say "Heavens to Murgatroyd!" which we've come to understand was stolen from a Yogi Bear character.
#17
“You can’t fly with the eagles when you run with the turkeys” It’s served me well so far.
MotherofGuineaPigs 1 year ago
Good advice - turkeys are mean. We have a forest preserve down the street and whenever we need to drive in that direction, Mr. Turkey is always ready to attack the car.
#18
“Choices and consequences” recently I quoted it to my daughter (she was dancing in the bath,slipped and banged her head) and I realised I am my mum.
#19
"You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.".
#20
“All I know is, I love you”
followed by a close second
“I’m doing the best I can”
#21
I brought you into this world and I'll take you the f**k out of it. Usually while holding this giant metal rolling pin she had.
MotherofGuineaPigs 1 year ago
Mom had a wooden spatula - that sucker had no wind resistance in the swing
#22
“Finesse, not force”
I have to admit over the years it’s helped me step back and take a breath before I end up breaking something to shit in frustration.
#23
Every time we went on vacation when we started complaining she would yell "We are making MEMORIES."
#24
"Wait! This bit's poisoned!"
Said every time she walked past me, while I was eating something; then promptly followed by her grabbing the "poisoned" bit of whatever I was eating and eating it herself.
She did this everyday while I lived under her roof. She still does it every time I visit or we go out for dinner.
#26
"We've got food at home"
#27
"Know what I mean, Jellybean?"
My bf says if you asked his mom what's for dinner, a common response would be.. "fried farts, and pickled a******s" lol - shes very eccentric.
#28
"Look with your eyes, not with your mouth"
heard this one too many times when asking mum to help me find stuff.
#29
You reap what you sow.
#31
"Long story short"
Even when there wasn't a story, even when nobody has been speaking.
#32
My mom would say this in Spanish.
“No te estoy diciendo te estoy mandando”
translation “I'm not telling you , I'm ordering you”.
Basically telling us to do something for her.
#34
“This is not a hotel!”
#35
"Eat it now while it's hot, or you'll have to eat it later when it's cold.".
#36
Mom: "Would you like something to eat?"
Me: "Nah, I'm not hungry thanks"
....5 minutes later.....
Mom: "Would you like something to eat?"
.......
Repeated every 5 minutes until I go home. On a side note, this has reminded me to give her a call
Edit: By the way, didn’t realise it was Mother’s Day in the US today, here in the UK we had it weeks ago, I wasn't just ignoring my mom!
#37
She was really good at faux profanity like "dad gummit!".
#38
"Could you do me a huuuge favor?" "Yeah sure what?" "Could you put that glass in the sink?"
#39
"Play with the knife, you might end your life" She used to tell me this whenever I told her I was going to cook. 20 years later, I tell her this since I have been to culinary school and have worked with many professional chefs before.
#40
Are you yankin my d**k? Instead of are you kidding me. My moms a special lady.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 year ago
I admit that sometimes when I am frustrated at a game or some other player, I will yell "Suck my nonexistent díck!" at the screen. It's not something my mom said or anything, it's something that makes me laugh after I say it, so it diffuses my own frustration and anger XD
#42
"Clean up your f*****g room".
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 1 year ago
My mom would pick everything up and dump it on the bed, then tell us to clean off our beds.
#43
The “im your mother” / “i gave birth to you” somehow this entitles them to everything, things i dont even own yet.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 year ago
I would get the "I am your MOTHER" thing as well to justify her abuse to me - which, while true, was always somewhat weird to me because I'm adopted. I was adopted at birth, so she's the only mother I've known, but it always made me wonder "did you adopt me just to beat me and scream at me?" Because she never hit my older sister, her biological child, I'm pretty sure it's the truth to an extent.
#44
IM GETTING THE BELT.
What do you think ?
Binny Tutera 1 year ago
My mom always said, "You can make the world better, or you can make the world worse. But you cannot leave it the way you found it."
LauraDragonWench 1 year ago
I'm surprised I didn't see one of the more famous phrases: "There are starving children in Africa, so finish your food!" Never did understand the correlation - I was always perfectly willing to mail those poor kids my unfinished food, but that answer never went down very well. 😜
Trillian 1 year ago
"I am not your external hard drive" for my son who expected me to remember all his things for him.
"Disembodied voice" 1 year ago
"Advice after mischief is like medicine after death" was one my mom said a lot (still does sometimes).
I_imagine_even_worse_w***s 1 year ago
Can't believe no one mentioned "would you jump off a bridge of your friends did as well"
Carianne Sanders 1 year ago
I was raised by grandparents and my grandma had the best idioms. I'd say "I wish..." , her response was "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride ".
Parriah 1 year ago
From my grandma when she found out I’d shaved my legs at 12. “if a boy is close enough to tell if you shaved your legs or not HE’S TOO CLOSE!!” I still find that hilarious. And once when my brother and sister were play fighting as teenagers and my sister was screeching at the top of her lungs my anxious mom yelled “STOP! the NEIGHBOURS won’t understand !!!!” Now almost 30 years later we say this to each other and it drives mom nuts. My final contribution is my mom referring to our private areas as “the bathing suit area” so as an adult we would say things like “ooh don’t look at my bathing suit area!” Or “I have a little bruise, you know, kinda by my bathing suit area.” Hee hee
The Redhead 1 year ago
This was actually something from my Dad but it fits here. My Dad turing off lights when someone wasn't in a room. -Child me "why are you always turing the lights off?" -Dad "when you grow up & pay the bills you'll feel differently." -Child me "No I wont. I'll keep the lights on all the time!" -Adult me Runs around the house turning lights off all the time. Saying to my six year old "turn off the lights, it costs a lot of mony". -6 year old daughter "So". ~''~
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 year ago (edited)
My mother would say, "You've got to be better than that." One day I called her out on it when she sympathised with her sister and other relatives but never me. She said, " You're my daughter and you've got to be better then that." I've had mental health issues since I was a teenager. That saying doesn't make them go away.
Venice Newling 1 year ago
When we couldn't find something and asked grandma where it was she would say, "up Mike's butt" well, we never found out who Mike was but over the years that guy must have had a hard time explaining it to his doctor.
Deitra Pawley 1 year ago
My mom said the weirdest phrases if we asked where we were going she'd say "Maury's nuthouse" (which ironically is a real place) if we asked what she was doing she'd say "Hanging on the roof spitting nickles" four decades later no idea what that means or my favorite if my siblings were late getting into the car on their somewhere usually church "I'm going with or without you" she was only going because of them ,I think she would have rather stayed home.
Becca not Becky 1 year ago (edited)
"You get what you get and you don't throw a fit," when Christmas and birthdays came around. She tried to follow our christmas lists but sometimes the popular things were just too expensive.
Andy Frobig 1 year ago
We often got the classic "stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about!" Mom is a sweet, positive old lady now, but she was in over her head raising kids
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 1 year ago
She has two particular favorites: “the maid quit!” and simply, “F**K!”
Happy Onion 1 year ago
Four most dreaded words in my childhood: "I beg your pardon." Said quietly and stonily. Still makes me pause and go, "oh, f**k. What did I do/say?"
Lorraine Woollands 1 year ago
My mum's favorite was "if you fall and break your leg, don't come running to me", when I was running in the house
Michelle Eager 1 year ago
From my Mom : " The last time I USED IT, I put it back where it belonged" always said after I complained that I could not find something of mine ( that nobody else in the house would have used ). From my Gran: "You have no right to criticise, unless you could have done it better"
Tobias Reaper 1 year ago (edited)
when me and my siblings were young and we would say i thought to my mum she would say "well you know what thought did don't ya"
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 year ago
"You won't die." If we came crying with a scrape or moaned if we didn't like something, that was always the response. Imagine my surprise when I said the same thing to one of the children in my class! I've turned into my mother!
Kathy Kennedy 1 year ago
One I found useful as a mother was" I don't always like you, but I'll always love you" it has diffused many a tense situation
heather morris 1 year ago
My mom has said so many of these phrases and I say a lot of them too
shankShaw deReemer 1 year ago
My mom, especially about yard work or housecleaning: "If you're going to just half-a*s do it, don't do it at all."
Raven Reed Starr 1 year ago
Were you raised by wolves? I think I would have remembered wolves.
Julia Daly 1 year ago
My dad would tell us when we were slow getting something back to him be it a tool or his coffee or jacket etc " come on ! You're slower than the 2nd coming of Christ! '
Dragon mama 1 year ago
With my mom it was "this too shall pass." I realize now she was trying to be reassuring and telling me I would get through "it" but at the time it felt very dismissive. I am sensitive and my emotions feel very intense so it hurt that she seemed to dismiss my problem and my.pain.
Michael Largey 1 year ago (edited)
"Always assume that no one you meet has ever heard of gratitude. And it's not the point, anyway."
Binny Tutera 1 year ago
My mom always said, "You can make the world better, or you can make the world worse. But you cannot leave it the way you found it."
LauraDragonWench 1 year ago
I'm surprised I didn't see one of the more famous phrases: "There are starving children in Africa, so finish your food!" Never did understand the correlation - I was always perfectly willing to mail those poor kids my unfinished food, but that answer never went down very well. 😜
Trillian 1 year ago
"I am not your external hard drive" for my son who expected me to remember all his things for him.
"Disembodied voice" 1 year ago
"Advice after mischief is like medicine after death" was one my mom said a lot (still does sometimes).
I_imagine_even_worse_w***s 1 year ago
Can't believe no one mentioned "would you jump off a bridge of your friends did as well"
Carianne Sanders 1 year ago
I was raised by grandparents and my grandma had the best idioms. I'd say "I wish..." , her response was "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride ".
Parriah 1 year ago
From my grandma when she found out I’d shaved my legs at 12. “if a boy is close enough to tell if you shaved your legs or not HE’S TOO CLOSE!!” I still find that hilarious. And once when my brother and sister were play fighting as teenagers and my sister was screeching at the top of her lungs my anxious mom yelled “STOP! the NEIGHBOURS won’t understand !!!!” Now almost 30 years later we say this to each other and it drives mom nuts. My final contribution is my mom referring to our private areas as “the bathing suit area” so as an adult we would say things like “ooh don’t look at my bathing suit area!” Or “I have a little bruise, you know, kinda by my bathing suit area.” Hee hee
The Redhead 1 year ago
This was actually something from my Dad but it fits here. My Dad turing off lights when someone wasn't in a room. -Child me "why are you always turing the lights off?" -Dad "when you grow up & pay the bills you'll feel differently." -Child me "No I wont. I'll keep the lights on all the time!" -Adult me Runs around the house turning lights off all the time. Saying to my six year old "turn off the lights, it costs a lot of mony". -6 year old daughter "So". ~''~
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 year ago (edited)
My mother would say, "You've got to be better than that." One day I called her out on it when she sympathised with her sister and other relatives but never me. She said, " You're my daughter and you've got to be better then that." I've had mental health issues since I was a teenager. That saying doesn't make them go away.
Venice Newling 1 year ago
When we couldn't find something and asked grandma where it was she would say, "up Mike's butt" well, we never found out who Mike was but over the years that guy must have had a hard time explaining it to his doctor.
Deitra Pawley 1 year ago
My mom said the weirdest phrases if we asked where we were going she'd say "Maury's nuthouse" (which ironically is a real place) if we asked what she was doing she'd say "Hanging on the roof spitting nickles" four decades later no idea what that means or my favorite if my siblings were late getting into the car on their somewhere usually church "I'm going with or without you" she was only going because of them ,I think she would have rather stayed home.
Becca not Becky 1 year ago (edited)
"You get what you get and you don't throw a fit," when Christmas and birthdays came around. She tried to follow our christmas lists but sometimes the popular things were just too expensive.
Andy Frobig 1 year ago
We often got the classic "stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about!" Mom is a sweet, positive old lady now, but she was in over her head raising kids
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 1 year ago
She has two particular favorites: “the maid quit!” and simply, “F**K!”
Happy Onion 1 year ago
Four most dreaded words in my childhood: "I beg your pardon." Said quietly and stonily. Still makes me pause and go, "oh, f**k. What did I do/say?"
Lorraine Woollands 1 year ago
My mum's favorite was "if you fall and break your leg, don't come running to me", when I was running in the house
Michelle Eager 1 year ago
From my Mom : " The last time I USED IT, I put it back where it belonged" always said after I complained that I could not find something of mine ( that nobody else in the house would have used ). From my Gran: "You have no right to criticise, unless you could have done it better"
Tobias Reaper 1 year ago (edited)
when me and my siblings were young and we would say i thought to my mum she would say "well you know what thought did don't ya"
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 year ago
"You won't die." If we came crying with a scrape or moaned if we didn't like something, that was always the response. Imagine my surprise when I said the same thing to one of the children in my class! I've turned into my mother!
Kathy Kennedy 1 year ago
One I found useful as a mother was" I don't always like you, but I'll always love you" it has diffused many a tense situation
heather morris 1 year ago
My mom has said so many of these phrases and I say a lot of them too
shankShaw deReemer 1 year ago
My mom, especially about yard work or housecleaning: "If you're going to just half-a*s do it, don't do it at all."
Raven Reed Starr 1 year ago
Were you raised by wolves? I think I would have remembered wolves.
Julia Daly 1 year ago
My dad would tell us when we were slow getting something back to him be it a tool or his coffee or jacket etc " come on ! You're slower than the 2nd coming of Christ! '
Dragon mama 1 year ago
With my mom it was "this too shall pass." I realize now she was trying to be reassuring and telling me I would get through "it" but at the time it felt very dismissive. I am sensitive and my emotions feel very intense so it hurt that she seemed to dismiss my problem and my.pain.
Michael Largey 1 year ago (edited)
"Always assume that no one you meet has ever heard of gratitude. And it's not the point, anyway."
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