Amy Denney asked her friends: Share something youâve said to your kids way more times than you feel like you should have to. We loved the answers. Amy, thanks for sharing!
Things we say to try to keep our house clean and bills down
- My dining room is not your closet. Pick up your shoes!
- Just generally âpick up after yourself.
- Put clean clothes on! Nearly every stinkin’ day to my 13-year-old boy.
- Pick up your crap!! Also, put pants on.
- Turn the light off.
- Put your dishes in the dishwasher!
- Pick up your dirty clothes and put them in the hamper!
- Empty the dishwasher.
- Take out the trash.
- Empty the dishwasher!!
- Flush the and put the lid down! I don’t want the animals drinking out of the !!!
- Please set the table.
- Donât run or jump in the furniture.
- Has anyone walked this dog?
- Turn off the lights!
- Clean your room.
- Replace the toilet paper
- Please pick up your room!! Please!
- Clean up after yourself.
- Why is there a wet towel on your bed!?!?
- Close the door, the air conditioning is on!!
- Do not put banana peels in the bathroom garbage!
Things we say to try to keep our kids clean, safe & healthy
- Did you wash your hands?
- Did you brush your teeth?
- Take a shower!
- Did you brush your teeth?
- Wash your hands
- Brush your teeth
- Did you put on deodorant?
- Get your fingers out of your nose
- Get your thumb out of your mouth.
- Go brush your hair.
- Did you brush your teeth and put deodorant on?
- Thatâs not mouth stuff.
- Maybe when the flu is over.
- Brush your teeth
- Donât fall off the couch. You wonât like it.
- Did you brush your teeth?
- Stop eating that (dirt, leaves, cat food, cracker he found in his car seat, etc).
- Donât eat dog food, donât put dog toys in your mouth, youâre not a dog.
- Brush your teeth!
- Take a shower…get back in the shower, you weren’t in there long enough to get clean. You aren’t even wet and have more dirt on you than when you went in. Two minutes later, I repeat: you HAVE to get in the shower, turning the water on and standing next to the tub doesn’t count. (After looking under the door to be sure he actually got in the shower.)
- How long has it been since youâve bathed?
Things we say to teach good manners
- Close your mouth when you chew.
- Did you flush? And wipe?
- Four on the floor (as they are rocking onto two in kitchen chairs)!
- Itâs still there, get your hands out of your pants!
- Put some clothes on!
- Are you really naked again? Yes, you have to put clothes on to go outside! Why arenât you wearing shoes !? I could go on and on lol.
- Pick up your feet when you walk. Iâm not buying you ANOTHER pair of shoes!! And I don’t want to hear the shuffling!
- Stop licking your brother.
- Don’t pee in the front yard.
- Don’t put your hands in the cat’s water bowl.
- Donât sit on your baby brother!
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Close your mouth while chewing!
- Stop touching your tallywhacker!
- Don’t lick the dog.
- Stop clicking that!
- Flush!
- Why are you texting me when we are in the same house??
Our General Answers, Outbursts & Reminders
- NO!
- Go ask your mom.
- Quit tackling each other!
- Get off your phone!
- No I donât like Falsettos!
- No more seconds! (After being told, “in a sec.”)
- Take a shower!, brush your teeth!, take out the trash!, clean your room!, pick up your shoes!, WHY do I have to repeat myself!
- Why do I have to repeat myself?!
- Because I said so!
- My kids are 13 & 15 and before leaving the driveway I still ask âdoes everyone have shoes on ?â Because more than once a week the answer is no.
- My kids are 14 & 16 and we still have posted next to our door a âbefore leaving checklistâ, the first thing: Is everyone wearing shoes? I have to ask every time. I also keep flip flops for each one in the car because there have been times when we got to the store or doctor appointment after I forgot to do the checklist and someone wasnât wearing shoes.
- Do you have a mask?
- Iâve told you this a million times.
- Because I said so, that’s why!
- Stop arguing!
- Am I talking to the wall?
- That sounds like a “You” problem.
- Have you lost your ever lovin’ mind?
- You are not the parent. Now give me 5 pushups as you say these words. (Some days I change it to squats.)
- Iâm going to count to 3.
- What planet do you live on?
- Have we met? Are you new here?
- Youâre not the adult, I am.
- Knock it off.
- Just stop!
- My child’s full name – first, middle and last!
- Is your homework done?
- You donât get to have as much fun as I did, because you are getting better parenting!
- Turn down the bass.
- Turn down the amp.
- Are you up? Are you awake? Out of bed awake?
- Stop doing that. Weâre in public.