Apparently, I have a few parenting phrases I use often because BeBe echoes the words back to me before I can finish saying them. I truly sound like a mom of a big kid. But, I stand by my phrases because they work! So, ha! Here are my mom phrases or “momisms” as we call them around here.

“Asked and Answered” When BeBe was in preschool she asked “why” questions all day long because she was curious. Now when she asks the same why question repeatedly, it’s because she’s not happy with the answer. Like when she asks why can’t we eat ice cream for dinner? BeBe would pepper me with questions like this until I lost my patience. We both disliked those exchanges. Finally, we talked about how once she understands the reason we made a decision, she should not keep asking why. If she wants to raise a new point, that’s ok, otherwise it’s rude. If she falls back into peppering me with why questions like why I can’t wear a sundress in January, and I’ve already given a response. I just say, “asked and answered,” and she understands she needs to stop asking, or really explain her point if she thinks we don’t understand.

“Three Things!” Here’s a typical scenario when I have to pull out this mom phrase. I’m in the middle of a project and BeBe insists she can’t find something, like shin guards for soccer. In her mind it is something she needs right then, which means I have to stop what I’m doing to find it. Predictably, the item is exactly where I said it would be, but she didn’t look carefully. It makes me crazy! Now when BeBe asks for something, she first has to tell me three things she moved to find it. She usually finds the item when she does move three things searching for it. She has also learned that if I find the shin guards in the exact spot I told her they would be, just underneath soccer socks, I’m not helping her look next time. Also, if we are late to soccer practice, she has to tell the coach why. The phrase is definitely working.

“Mom’s off the clock,” Ok, I stole this phrase from a close relative who’s a mom and I love it. Eight o’clock is bedtime in our house. (Although, we are probably going to push that back later for BeBe soon). Once I’m done helping the kids with homework, baths, books, or whatever they need for the evening, I’m off the clock. If I know one or both of the kids is truly not tired, fine. They can read to themselves or each other, get their own cup of water, play quietly with toys, or play Legos while my husband and I relax in the other room. But they know momma is not doing anything for them unless they are sick or hurt to the point of needing an ER visit, because “Mom’s off the clock!”