I Think, Maybe?
Do you find that you have little expressions you say all the time but not noticed until your child(ren) start saying them too?
Bliss starts and finishes almost every statement with the clause “I think“.
I think we should have some chocolate, I think.
I think we should go to the (mu)seum today Mummy, I think.
It’s because I say things like: “I think we should go to the Museum today, maybe?” when what I mean is Let’s go to the museum today, it’ll be fun!
or “Maybe we should go and see <insert friends name>, mmm I think?” when what I mean is “We’re going to see <insert friends name> today, how exciting!”
It’s very cute but also a very bad habit!
It’s also made it clear to me the uncertainty with which I speak. I am now really conscious of how often I say and write “I think” when what I mean is “I know” or “I believe with a degree of certainty or data supporting my thesis” or “This will”. It’s a bad habit.
I think.
Grr…
I find myself have to retrain both myself and Bliss to speak with more accuracy and confidence.
Edited to include “maybe” because that’s more accurate. See, I can’t even right the post with accuracy!
Has this happened to you?
Mummble
Stitch Baby + Kids
Bede said “umm” before almost any other word…
Julia recently posted..The Good News
Classic!
I do that alot too, I hadn’t really thought consciously about the uncertainty in it though. Interesting…
Suzi recently posted..Deal or No Deal
It’s almost impossible to miss Bliss says it so much ;)
I can’t think of anything off the top of my head, except for “cool!” and “awesome!” from Isaac. But the swearing – I probably ought to swear less.
Veronica recently posted..What happened to my good vibrator
Oh the swearing. yes indeed.
Aww, that’s cute though…I think :-)
I didn’t realize until January this year when I started a new job & had an amazingly kind mentor who has taken me under their wing how much I started every sentence with “I’m sorry”. I would apologize for everything (including my shadow & pieces of furniture) it really made me realize how low my self-esteem & self-worth were. I’m better now. Like you, I now pause for a moment before I speak (as it was a habit) & my colleague gently (but often in the funniest of ways) reminds me not to apologize for doing nothing wrong.
Umm..mine is the swearing (yes I do swear). And recently, I’ve heard Miss 9 repeat the word b**ch to her sister as in , “you’re acting like a b**ch”, which she was, and was used in the right context. BUT, it just didn’t sound right coming out of her mouth. So, now we’ve got this swear jar going…with me so far having to put the most money in (and it’s only day 2!) all no thanks to my lack of patience when driving. Oh, and Miss 7′s impatience at other drivers when I’m driving – that…sadly, reflects ME!!
I’m another “I’m sorry” person, although I don’t start my sentences that way. I just apologise for a whole heap of things I have absolutely nothing to do with.
Munchkin’s Mum recently posted..Finding Happiness
My indecisivenness begins right after I’ve said “No” without thinking to Miss3! The whingeing starts, or perhaps just a slump of the shoulders and dissappointed expression, and I think ‘do I really mind if she makes a tent under the dining table?’ Then I have to find a way to reverse my position without rewarding the whingeing! But if she gives me a good reason in a happy voice, I figure she’s learning to negotiate through my inability to decide!
I like this post Louisa … it makes me think about how positive and excited Miss3′s nursery (kindy) teachers are in the way they talk to the children … I want to be like that.
My Little Miss has taken to using my “For Heaven’s Sake” when things are just not going her way. . . which it totally me. It is cute but reminds me that I really, really need to be careful with what I say around her.
Jenn Fox recently posted..The Arrival of Summer
So true, they are little sponges hey?
Hi Louisa
Thank you for being so open about this… But it totally surprises me that you would lack confidence and conviction in what you say. From what I’ve seen of your work online, you have no reason to doubt yourself. But, thank you, for sharing. I guess we always think the “Got-it-together” people are soaking in self-confidence. But really, we’ve all got that niggling part of ourselves that is, self-doubt.
OK? How about we have a tea party mum, OK? We should eat ice cream now, OK? Yes, she gets it from me! OK! :)
Kellie recently posted..PHOTOS- What big teeth you have
Oh This made me laugh Kel :)
Lol… I have a similar topic on my list of future posts! Mr 2 1/2 keeps saying “I can’t…” and it’s driving me crazy…
“Come here for dinner”
“I can’t Mummy…” until I realised that I say “I can’t…” ALL THE TIME! I can’t look at him while I’m driving, I can’t get him a drink while I’m feeding his little brother, I can’t get in the bath with him… Now I have to stop and think of another way of saying it and have to admit that I’m getting very creative and really explaining why I won’t do certain things. I hope it pays off and he ends up very able to clearly articulate because it’s very time consuming.
He also says “what about….?” because I say “what about sticky cheese sandwiches for lunch?” “what about a trip to the toy library?” This one drives my husband nuts so doesn’t really worry me!
I’ve noticed this happening with my kids too. My little girl says ‘uh huh’ all the time which really frustrated me until my partner pointed out that I say it all the time. oops!
Alicia = Madcap Mum recently posted..A Death In The Family
Love it! So funny how we do this :)
It will be interesting to see what my kids pick up from me as pretty much 95% of the Native English they here is from me.
I guess I used to say “sweetie” a lot because when I was still teaching preschool (where most of the children were non-native English speakers- International school for ages 2.5-6) – it was so funny to watch the 3 year old girls speak to each other and say stuff like “Lets play outside sweetie” or “Riko sweetie, pass me the blue crayon please”
Most of my students also had Australian accents- especially those that had been with me awhile.
My older son has just started to say words- so far everything he says is in English EXCEPT the word “un” which is not even a real word in Japanese but it is what my husband says when I ask him a question and the answer is yes. “un” is not yes in Japanese but something men people use. I guess it is similar to an English “uh huh”…..Now when I ask my son if he wants a drink or something similar he nods his head and says “un” and it infuriates me. My husband however is stoked because up until now he has said nothing in Japanese and understands way more English than Japanese.
Lulu recently posted..Things I love Thursday…
The one saying that comes straight to my mind comes from my nephew, who’s lovely mummy likes to make sure boundries are set before play begins. So Lucus is often heard telling his toys..”Now the rules are…!” I Love it VERY cute, but my sister-in-law is concerned that he better stop that before he gets to the big kids playground. :)