Don't Be A Turtle

Ah, memories!  I was thinking about when my girls were little and the things I used to tell them:

10. "We don't go out in the public looking like that."  (I mean, have you seen how some people look when they go to Walmart?)

9. "Do not draw on your skin.  That looks trashy."

8.  "There's always time for lipstick." (I usually said this as I am in the van, everyone is all strapped in and ready to go, but first I dug out lipstick and put it on looking in the rearview mirror, as my little ones would pout and say, "Mommmmm let's goooo.")

7. "Don't be a slobbovian" (my special word for a person who is both a slob and a barbarian)

And then there were things I would say to make them laugh:
 
6.  "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood"

5.  "Oh, I was looking back to see if you were looking back to see if I was looking back to see if you were looking back at me."

4. Nonsense songs:  "Frito Bandito,"  (Ay yi yi, I am the Frito Bandito!) and I loved to warble, "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" whilst cooking in the kitchen.

3. "Who's crazier - your dad or me?  Admit it, you know it's me!"

2. "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." (Spoken by my hero, Thumper, in the movie "Bambi.")

and the number 1 thing I said to my children (and still say until this day) ...

1.  DON'T BE A TURTLE!  (Turtle is my word for anyone who does anything aggravating.)

The above post was written in response to the Writer's Workshop prompt 4.) Write a list of 10 things you have said to your kids that other moms might not say.  You can read other posts at Mama Kat's blog, Mama's Losin' It.