The first time my 8-year-old son said, "Nailed it!" it was totally adorable. My husband and I belly laughed for what seems like hours, having had no idea where our son heard the phrase. We adored the swagger he took on when he said, "Nailed it!" and couldn't stop giggling at how he raised his voice a few registers to get the sound just right. It was a hilarious family moment and we were still laughing about it days later.
This was a terrible mistake. Children, like fires, respond to oxygen being thrown on them. Oxygen to children is adoration. And adoration, to children, inspires repetition. So while "Nailed it!" was adorable the first time my son said it, and it was cute the tenth time he said it, it's driving me insane now that it's probably the 4000th time he said it.
Eventually my son will get over the phrase. I know this because we've passed through many other phrases and idioms that seemed like they'd never end. So if your kid says "Nailed it" over and over, is driving you crazy with "Actually", or says "Right?" like it's Chinese Water Torture, just know that help is on it's way. Your child will forget that saying and just start with another. Here are just a few more that your kid has in store for you:
Nailed It! Thanks to the TV show "Ricky, Nicky, Dicky and Dawn," my 8-year-old says "Nailed it!" dozens of times a day. It's cute at first, but when he says he nailed saying "Nailed it", it starts to wear thin.
Actually… A child development expert could surely write a thesis on why every kid at the same stage of life starts to say, "Actually…" as a way of correcting his or her parent. Because everyone knows four-year-olds know more than their parents. Actually, they don't!
Boo-Yah! It only takes one viewing of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" for kids to say "Boo-Yah!" over and over again. My kid likes to say it while stomach bumping another kid, or me. What mother doesn't want to be stomach pounded by an over-zealous 8-year-old?
So whether he punches his sister in the shoulder or forgets his homework he'll act like it's nothing by yelling, "It was an accident!" That doesn't make it right.
Boom, Baby! My kids sound like pro wrestlers when they shout "Boom, baby!" through the house for just about anything. We're having ice cream, "Boom, baby!" You can watch TV, "Boom, baby!" We're saying "Boom, baby" too often, "Boom, baby!"
Good Job! My kids like to congratulate me for simple things as if I've just run a marathon on a broken leg. It's sweet at first, until it becomes clear they're like parrots repeating the same phrase over and over and over again.
What Was I Going To Say? I don't know. I'm not in your brain.
Jinx! We don't have to say the same thing at the same time for my son to yell, "Jinx! You owe me a root beer float," at the top of his lungs.
Cool My 4-year-old daughter likes to say "Cool," a lot these days. Adorable, until it's not. That's because she'll say everything is cool from going to the movies to the garbage cans that need to be taken in.
I'm Chill It's not clear where my kid heard the phrase "I'm chill," but he wants us to know he is chill. But the chill of my youth meant whomever said it was calm and needed nothing. So why does my kid say, "I'm chill" and then ask me for 37 more things? That's not chill, kiddo!
I Don't Care The Chinese Water Torture of parenting is the term, "I don't care" said by an eye-rolling toddler who actually does care. "I don't care" usually comes about five minutes before a tantrum.
Seriously My kids like to say this as a question or as a statement. Sometimes, it's both. Sometimes they just say, "Seriously" to say it. I'm not sure they know what it means, but they do like to say it. It's seriously annoying.
D'Oh It's bad enough that a cartoon character said this ad nauseam, worse when your kid does it. It's best not to let your child ever see "The Simpsons" rather than risk Homer's catchphrase catching on in your house.
Deez Nutz Deez Nutz may be a real fake Presidential candidate, but it's also a phrase you don't really want your kid screaming in Target. My kids are too young for it, but I'm sure they'll get there. And it'll be amazing when they say "Deez Nutz" to me, since I don't have any.
And how come no kid repeats "Wrong?" over and over again?
Oh Yeah! There's usually some sort of end-zone type dance that accompanies this one. It's cute, but the excitement usually applies to something totally mundane and not that exciting like bedtime, driving to get gas or a trip to the grocery store. It's great the kids are excited, less fun when they realize they just screamed "Oh yeah!" because we're going to return a library book.
Technically… As if kids are life's referees, they like to point out when Mom or Dad is wrong by interrupting and saying, "Technically…" before they begin a 20-minute monologue detailing how you're wrong.
The Most Boring Thing Ever. Kids don't have to know what the word boring means to say it over and over again. They'll even say Disneyland is the most boring thing ever just say the word boring, which gets boring for parents if you must know.
Legit. They don't even know what this means, but kids love to say something is legit. Just so you know when your kid tells you what he said is legit, you can count on the fact that it's not.
Epic! My son loves to say everything was epic, which I will admit is pretty cute… the first 30 times.
Totes. I don't really like when adults say "Totes" instead of totally. But when kids do it, it's like nails on a chalkboard. That's because kids like to say it all the time. It's totes obnoxious. See?
It Was An Accident! My kid has a hard time learning the difference between an accident he could have prevented and an accident that was just a random unavoidable thing. So whether he punches his sister in the shoulder or forgets his homework he'll act like it's nothing by yelling, "It was an accident!" That doesn't make it right.
Right? My kids like to say they are sure of something then ask me over and over again, "Right? Right, Mommy?" They don't actually want to know if they're right or they would have asked me in the first place. And how come no kid repeats
"Wrong?" over and over again? Because they usually are, wrong that is.
So even though my kids think everything is epic and like to scream "Nailed it!" at the tops of their lungs it's better than what lies ahead, teenagers who probably won't want to talk to me at all. So I'll take the annoying conversation over no conversation at all. Trust me, that's legit.
Photography by: Twenty20/brittleighhhh
