4 Parenting Clichés that Need to Go Away

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There are expressions and jokes that become common catchphrases, buzzwords or clichés you hear all the flippin time. They can get reeeeeally old, or they just sucked from the very start.

They’re like that fart joke your kid told that may have been funny the first time, but after the ensuing hundredth telling (within an hour probably), you just start worrying about taking them out in public ever again.

There are so many, but let’s look at these four parent clichés in this video of me and the TalkEarly team for Responsibility.org, rantsplaining them up a bit.

Parenting Clichés We’re So Done With

There are some parent clichés and “jokes” that just need to punch themselves in the face and call it a day. Which ones are YOU sick of?

Posted by HowToBeADad on Thursday, April 5, 2018

“Boys will be boys.”

First off, idiots and assholes will be idiots and assholes. It’s not a guy thing. This cliché just comes off like an excuse, but also as empty as saying “it is what it is ¯\_(ツ)_/ ¯.” Let’s take note that no one ever says this about a good thing! And after all the recent Hollywood scandals? This one just needs to go very far away.

“Mommy needs wine.”

I’ve seen so many of these jokes (and also not joking at all) in so many forms, it reaches past being worn out and starts to get a little alarming. Mom wine jokes are evvvvverywherrrrre. I’ve even saw a mom who I know doesn’t drink at all, joking online “Chardonne me!” after a rough day. What the heck!

“Dad is babysitting.”

Oh yeah right, I get it. Because moms like being called “the maid” when they’re cleaning. HAH! 100% the opposite of right. Dads and moms parent their kids. The world has changed so much, I don’t even think that it’s as simple as: dads do dadding and moms do momming. But whatever you think of modern parent roles, please don’t be a Brenda.

“It gets easier.”

This cliché is actually a bit debatable. Teenagers can be a much wilder ride than their younger selves. Even if this one is true, it’s about as uplifting as telling someone who’s super pissed off to “CALM DOWN.” When parenting is really rough, which is most of time, it’s just NOT what anyone wants to hear.

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So, think about it. What effect could all these little jokes or sayings have on a cultural level? While youngsters are great at being observant and impressionable, they aren’t always “all that and a bag of chips” about slang expressions, idioms and sarcasm. Look at this funny exchange with my son:

8yo: Why would someone want to kiss someone on the butt?

Me: Whoa! Why are you asking that?

8yo: My book said he was “kissing his butt.”

Me: Ah. It’s an expression. *explains*

8yo: That’s a terrible expression, Daddy.

I’m not saying “kissing butt” is bad, but I AM showing you how kids don’t always see the broader meaning of things, and could get tripped up by garbage like “mommy juice” or “Mr. Mom,” growing up with the impression that motherhood might require them to take up heavy drinking, or that dads are basically pretend parents or somehow have to act like moms.

Think about it.

2 Comments

  • Dashing Dad says:

    I 100% agree with these. I also feel that because of these expressions and stereotypes people just start acting that way to fit into it. Your wine example is exactly what I mean. I would also add in the “dad’s are dummies” stereotype.

  • Julia says:

    I just realized… One girl’s wearing a Wrinkle In Time shirt! It says, “Who, Which, & Whatsit”!

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