Hands Up Who’s Become Their Mum!

When we’re young we swear we won’t become like our mothers with her classic mumisms to get us to do what she wants. But slowly we hear ourselves uttering the same advice to our children and those around us.

But at what point do we turn into our mums?  A recent nationwide poll reveals that after years of rebelling against our parents, it’s at the age of 33, that we finally admit they were right. And by the age of 36, most of us have turned into our parents, with 37 the average age men turn into their dads and the nation’s women claiming they start behaving like their mothers on average by the age of 35.

But the real turning point according to the survey is when we become parents ourself. Nine out of ten respondents admitted that was when they gained true respect and appreciation for their own mum and dad.

Not only that, we start to say the very things to our children that were said to us as a child. Phrases such as “carrots will make you see in the dark”, “don’t eat that, you’ll spoil your dinner” and “because I said so”, emerged as top phrases we swore we would never say, but end up saying.

“Do you think I’m made of money?”, “life isn’t fair” and “you have until the count of three” also featured highly and with the persistence of kids, it’s easy to understand why! 

One thing the survey did reveal which will relieve most of us who struggle at times with our little darlings is that almost three-quarters of the nation’s mums and dads claim they had NO idea what parenting would entail before embarking on family life. No one said adulting would be easy!

But at least we still have our own parents to go to when we are stopping ourselves from having a meltdown as epic to match those of our children. We do still look up to the older generation, as 76 per cent of those polled said their most valuable parenting advice came from their mums and dads.

“This shows that truly nothing can prepare you for the reality of being a parent,” a spokesperson for Petits Filous who commissioned the survey said.

“Whether it is contending with the kids, battling for snacks all day every day or sorting out the same familiar argument over screen time, being a parent isn’t easy.”

TOP MUMISMS, WE SWORE WE WOULD NEVER SAY (BUT END UP SAYING)

1. Money does not grow on trees (64%)
2. Wash your hands (54%)
3. Because I said so, that is why (53%)
4. Shut that door, were you born in a barn? (47%)
5. Have you brushed your teeth? (47%)
6. Do not eat that, you will spoil your dinner (45%)
7. Do not slam the door (45%)
8. Do you think I am made of money? (42%)
9. Go to your room (38%)
10.  Who do you think you are talking to? (37%)
11.  What part of no do you not understand? (36%)
12. I am not your slave (34%)
13.  I do not care what XXX’s parents let them do (34%)
14. You have to the count of three (33%)
15. Did you flush the loo? (33%)
16. If you cannot say something nice, do not say anything at all (30%)
17. Life is not fair (29%)
18. As long as you live under my roof you will do as I say (28%)
19. When you have children, you will understand (28%)
20. Do not put your coat on inside or you will not feel the benefit (27%)
21. Eat your greens (27%)
22. Go and play outside it is a lovely day (27%)
23.  You are too close to the screen (27%)
24. Do not pull that face or the wind will change, and you will stay like that (26%)
25. I just want what is best for you (24%)
26. Carrots will make you see in the dark (24%)
27.  It will end in tears (24%)
28.  Remember your Ps and Qs (18%)
29. The apple does not fall far from the tree (16%)
30. If you do not eat your crusts your hair will not go curly (14%)

So which ones do you use the most?