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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Emma Gill

'Were you born in a barn?' and other things Manc mums say

There's nobody quite like a mum is there, especially a mum from Manchester.

Anyone who's been brought up round 'ere knows only too well how Manc mums have their own sayings we all know and love.

From it being 'like Piccadilly Circus' when there are too many people in the kitchen, to a ban on the ice cream van because 'there are choc ices in the freezer', mums have a knack of coming out with the best lines.

READ MORE: Mother's Day rant goes viral as woman shares what mums really want

We asked readers to tell us their favourite Manc mum sayings and we were inundated with responses.

Among the most popular out of almost 4,000 suggestions were 'it's like Blackpool Illuminations in here', when you dared to leave a light on upstairs and 'were you born in a barn?' if you left a door open.

Vicky Marriott shared some corkers with us, including: "'Don’t come crying to me when you get hurt', 'It’s like a herd of elephants going up those stairs' and 'Would you stick your hand in the fire if so and so told you to'."

As did Andrea Braithwaite, who said: "'If I have to come upstairs…. you’ll know about it'. 'Your face will stick like that', 'You’re all under my feet! It’s like Piccadilly Circus', 'There’s starving kids in Africa… get it eaten' and lastly 'Turn that big light off, it’s like Blackpool Illuminations in here'."

Shannon DeBlasio had another. "When all the kids are doing something you wanna do... 'aw mum, so and so gets to go' 'WELL I'M NOT SO AND SO'S MAM!!'" she said.

Mums didn't hold back at meal times and it was a case of 'you get what you're given, like it or lump it' (Getty Images/Altrendo)

Mums certainly didn't hold back did they, especially when it came to meal times and it was a case of 'you get what you're given, like it or lump it'.

Joanne Hogan remembers what tea time was like in her house.

"Having tea (me) don’t like it (mum) well close your eyes and pretend it’s an apple cause there nought else," she said.

If you happened to ask 'what's for tea?', you'd have likely got the response 's**t with sugar on', or 'duck and fancy' - 'duck under the table and fancy you’ve had it'. And, like Vincent Jones remembers: "If you dared to leave a morsel of food at tea time...' Where do you think you are... The Ritz?"

Christina Mcarthur said she'd dread getting the 'Manc stare' from her mum. "When she gives you that look, you know you just gotta run," she said.

Here's are some more of the most popular responses

  • Child leaves door open. Mum: "Are you in or out?"
  • "Don't come running to me if you fall over / break your leg"
  • "You'll be smiling/laughing on the other side of that face in a minute"
  • "I’m sick to death of you kids eating me out of house 'n' home"
  • "You better stop crying before I give you something to cry for"
  • Child sulking, mum: "Straighten your face"
  • Child: "Can I have a drink?' Mum "Yes there’s plenty of corporation pop”
  • Child asks for something, mum replies: "Do you think I'm made of money?"
  • "I've been on this planet a lot longer than you"
  • "Why is it me who does EVERYTHING in this house"
  • "You're either in or you're out!", usually followed by "Next time you come in you're staying in!"
  • "Put the wood in the hole" (close the door)
  • "Don't sit too close to the TV, you'll get square eyes"
  • "You make a better door than a window"
  • "Wait til your dad gets home"
  • "You treat this house like a bl**dy hotel"

Do you have another to add to the list? Let us know in the comments here or share it with us on our Facebook page.

To keep on top of the news and events for families in Manchester, sign up to the Manchester Family newsletter here.

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