Have you ever told your kids to shut up?
Now, I’m not judging you. I’m just curious.
I was having a conversation with another parent this weekend, and we both agreed that our children NEVER
Now, I’m not judging you. I’m just curious.
I was having a conversation with another parent this weekend, and we both agreed that our children NEVER
Yes, all the time. What is wrong with it? I am the parent and they need to shut up when I say so. I never curse at them though. I try to stay the grown up.
I don’t think I’ve ever used the words “shut up,” but I’ve used “BE QUIET!” several times in the last few months. Then I usually add “please.” ‘Cause that makes it so much better.
I’ve been on the verge of saying, “Shut up!” as well as “Dammit! Shut up!” but I’ve so far been able to restrain myself. My 5-year-old does not stop talking. Ever.
However, I have said, “Shuuuuuush!” in the same tone that I would say “shut up” and I feel guilty enough about that! I’ve also had to declare “No more talking until…” just to get her to finish brushing her teeth, eating her breakfast, or whatever else she’s supposed to be doing instead of talking.
A couple of times I have spelled it out: “S-H-U-T…U-P” and my boys are startled to attention. The first time I did it, my second grader’s eyes went huge and he said, “Mom! Did you just spell… did you just???” (Since “shut up” is considered bad language he was rendered speechless.) I said, “I didn’t want to say it out loud, but yes, I spelled it. I am sorry. I was getting so frustrated with your bickering that I could hardly stand it anymore.” At least it diverted their attention away from each other and over to me.
I’ve said it a few times when completely frustrated/overwhelmed/PMSing…and felt like crap for hours, even days afterwards. I have gone back and apologised and explained that it’s not a nice thing to say, and that I was very wrong to say it. My 3 year old occassionally says it to her dolls, and I interject that she should use “be quiet, please” or something else instead, because shut up isn’t a very nice thing to say.
We employ the phrase, “You’re a lot cuter when you’re quiet” a lot in our house. We have been trying to clean up our potty mouths as well…but now I’ve got a 1 1/2 year old who routinely yells, “Eff!” when frustrated.
At least she says it with passion.
I haven’t said it to my kids and I don’t say it to anyone else… unless it’s a push mixed with a “shut-up!” ala Elaine from Seinfeld:)
I overheard my 5 year old son saying “shut-up” to his sister the other night and I died a little inside. Apparently, he picked it up from some cartoon he watched with my husband (great going Dad!). Anyway, I gave him a strong talking to and I hope not to hear it again until he is a teenager.
It just sounds so disrespectful to me. However, under the spell of PMS, I have been known to politely ask my husband to stop talking to me and then lock myself in the bathroom for a few moments of peace.
I don’t like to say shut up b/c I don’t want them to say it back to me!
However, I do use “Can you give your mouth a rest for a while?”
I usually try to tune out the chatter, except for when my youngest ends each phrase with “right, Mom?” (and keeps repeating it until I say “right” back to her). ARGH!
I have 3 boys, and the 2 who can talk are relentless. I have told them to shut up, but it’s usually when they’re all running around screaming and it’s usually the “Why can’t everyone just shut up for a minute?” despairing kind of shut up.
Typically, we use the phrase, “Dude, zip it,” or, if we’re feeling sassy, some of the other Dr. Evil phrases.
I have screamed at the baby who WOULD NOT STOP CRYING FOR HOURS to “shut up!” and then proceeded to sob for hours myself because I felt like I totally SUCKED at being a mom.
Now, with a 5 year old and a 3 year old who talk non-stop, I have employed the “Let’s have a contest to see who can be quietest for the longest” trick and I also use their daycare’s ploy of saying “Put bubble in your mouth” which is where they pretend to hold a bubble in their mouth (of course my youngest always screams “MY bubble popped!” over and over….
I’ve never told our daughter to shut up–in fact, she once asked me what that phrase means, after hearing it from a kid at school–but I use synonyms at least a dozen times a day. Please be quiet, shush now, it’s quiet time, that’s enough talking, etc., etc., etc. Oooo, boy, she’s a talker!
How about “Please shut up.” I felt bad saying it to my grandchild this weekend. (No “please.”)
It depends on how you say it. I heard a mom on the bus yesterday saying it to her child in a really mean way. It sounded awful and I felt bad for the kid.
Guilty as charged – but not for incessant talking, that I tune out. On a morning when we were late, she was throwing a fit for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON and screaming her bloody head off while ripping off the clothes I’ve just put on her, had just let out the cat who isn’t supposed to go outside (who, by the way, tried to bite me when I tried to get him out from his hiding place under the couch) and we were now both very late (her to pre-school, me to work), I used number two. And when it didn’t work, I turned the radio in the car up for the entire drive to school to drown it out!