My Momma used to say ...

[Psalam]

I often find myself thinking or saying, "My mother used to say ..." or "As my father would say ..." and expect that there is a lot of wisdom from previous generations out there that people might be willing to share. So, if there is an expression, adage or general good advice that you've received from a parent, mentor, friend or whatever that you would be willing to share, here's your chance.

 

As seems to be customary, I'll go first.

 

My mother was fond of saying "cursing was the final refuge of a small mind."

[spoonsinger]

"How much was that?"

[FauxFurry]

Are you sure that she didn't say "Titties gotta squeeze themselves."? Maybe sherm heads are not the most reliable news source out there.

Well, they are more trustworthy than corporate news on average. 

[Psalam]

Momma said there'd be days like this:

 

 

[worik]

Literally translated into english:

"Shit always floats above the other things"

 

(source: my grandgrandmother)

 

 

And the older I get, the more I agree with her wisdom

[Grey Cloud]

1 hour ago, worik said:

(source: my grandgrandmother)

A much better source than parents in my experience.

 

My maternal grandmother used to say "it's neither me arse nor water cress". (trans. Its neither one thing or the other). She also used to say "blood and sand" (e.g. if she spilled something). It's the title of a 1941 film. ?‍♀️

[FauxFurry]

5 minutes ago, Grey Cloud said:

A much better source than parents in my experience.

 

My maternal grandmother used to say "it's neither me arse nor water cress". (trans. Its neither one thing or the other). She also used to say "blood and sand" (e.g. if she spilled something). It's the title of a 1941 film. ?‍♀️

They are one's parents' parents. They taught them everything that they know and have had a much longer time to put it into practice with more children. How could they not be a better source of advice (unless they only taught one's parents to be fools)?

[Grey Cloud]

38 minutes ago, FauxFurry said:

They are one's parents' parents. They taught them everything that they know and have had a much longer time to put it into practice with more children. How could they not be a better source of advice (unless they only taught one's parents to be fools)?

I see it as being from a different generation and because they tend to be more relaxed about children than parents (having been there and done that). My gran was an Edwardian and so lived through 2 world wars among other things. She lost a brother in each one. (My grandfather was lucky - he was born in 1900 and was thus too young for WW1 and too old for WW2).

[legendarytoyou]

"Are you always this stupid or did I have to pay extra for less brain cells?"  I'll never forget when she told my brother that when he came home shit-faced drunk.?

[Heroine HoneyCrotch]

My mom said I couldn't shoot the racoons,with my bb/pellet gun, that were getting into our trash cans. I was about 12. They make mess that I would have to clean. So what she DID was instead of throwing left overs into trash,she would put leftovers onto plate and place it on our pool deck(florida). In short time the racoons got comfortable with us being in pool and would eat in front us. They use theirs hands to eat,too cute. The coolest thing was after eating they would go to the corner of the pool where the steps were located and they would dip their hands into the pool,pull em out and give them a good once over. Very cool animals.

[MarieNoelle]

litteral translation;

 

all that glitters attracts magpies

[Mr. Otaku]

"Never be so needy that someone gets the chance to use your desperation against you, be self sustaining and make your own rules. Also get your pull out game strong."

 

- My mom.

[landess]

Once I was able to spend some time with my Grandpa (whom lived alone far from any family) when I drove a few hours in south Florida to pick him up for a flight to my parents home. Being very old school he wasn't talkative and after awhile I decided to glean some useful information from his many years on this planet. He died at 97.

 

I started simple and direct. "Grandpa, do have any advice you could share with me?" He sat quietly for a bit, as he seemed to be searching his thoughts, and finally replied - "Stay out of jail."

 

I didn't press him any further.

 

Mom, while never the type to interfere or manipulate would play a game with me when I was very young. I'd ask some question about something, and she would give a straight answer. I would follow up with "Why?". She would then follow up with another straight answer about 'why'. Which led me to ask another 'why' about something in her answer. This could go on for 15-20 minutes. I look back fondly how instead of blowing me off - she took interest in educating me about anything I asked about.

[Mr. Otaku]

11 minutes ago, landess said:

instead of blowing me off

Lol the way you phrased it is really hilarious.

[legendarytoyou]

"Never spit up at the sky, because it will land right back in your face."  Mostly it was her way of saying don't be a self-centered narcissist because it WILL bite you back.?

[landess]

1 hour ago, Mr. Otaku said:

Lol the way you phrased it is really hilarious.

Oops! From the mouths of babes....    I forget the modern obsession with incest porn, and it never even crossed my mind. This is why Art Linkletter's "Kids say the darndest things" was such a popular show.

[Mr. Otaku]

10 minutes ago, landess said:

Oops! From the mouths of babes....    I forget the modern obsession with incest porn, and it never even crossed my mind. This is why Art Linkletter's "Kids say the darndest things" was such a popular show.

Lol it's all good, sometimes you end up writing stuff that can be seen different ways. Generational gap plays a part in language shifts too. Though i doubt the obsession with incest is a modern thing particularly, it's just more flatly popular than ever. Oedipus complex and all that, relatable stuff lol.

[Blackbird Wanderer]

Non-parental, but how about this one from my favorite Master Chief, in the pithy way that Master Chiefs have of explaining things to young Sailors:

 

"If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got."

[thaclone]

"as long as you put your feet under my table, you do as I say"

 

don't know if this is only a german saying, but at least nearly every child in germany has heard that at least once in their live

[FauxFurry]

7 hours ago, thaclone said:

"as long as you put your feet under my table, you do as I say"

 

don't know if this is only a german saying, but at least nearly every child in germany has heard that at least once in their live

The American variant is "As long as you live under my roof, you will do as I say."

[kettle13]

My Grandmother used to say: "If you won't respect yourself, nobody will."