After using the phrase “on the straight and narrow” on air yesterday, I was reminded by my brother that that is one our dad’s favourite "cop-on" phrases, most commonly used when we weren’t working so hard in college. Another one was “stop coasting” which referred to when you’re passing exams, but only just. No real work was going into it.
Parents have a great way of getting us to cop on and a good old fashioned kick up the backside never harmed anyone. Examples from listeners of the Early Breakfast include:
- “Eat that up now! Think of all the poor starving children in the world who haven’t a bite and you with a big plate in front of you!”
- “Hi Paula...my parents saying I’m not mad I am just disappointed was a big kick up the jacksie for me!” - Darren
- “My mam used to tell to eat my meals telling me it would put hairs on my chest. Shouldn't have eaten everything though as I'm too hairy now and my dad and brother are not.”
- “Take off your coat or it’ll be no use to you when you go outside, you won’t feel the benefit”
- “Morning Paula great tunes this morning! My ma used to say get up off your arse and get your finger out it won't be handed to you! Parents eh?!"
- “Those biscuits are for the visitors!”
- “Don’t make me count to three. One….”
- "If you fall and break your two legs, don't come running to me!"
- “Morning Paula. As a farmer my Dad is always knocking about telling me how to do everything. So when I say “I’m not as stupid as I look” his response is “nobody could be that stupid “. Cheers, Conor
- “Best one we got was “shut your mouth and eat your dinner”.... impossible, that!” - Dermot
- “My dad used to say well if you're happy with satisfactory...”
- “Good Morning Paula. When I was growing up and the neighbours children were bold their Father would roar at them "Come here til I hit ya!"... and they did... and he would! For the record they were normally well behaved and he was not a violent man!” - Vince
- “My mother used to say eat your veg it will put hair on your chest. Until I fell one day and needed stitches. So 6 yr old Eric being stitched by Dr wearing his scrubs looked down at his hairless chest and said you don't eat your veg you've no hair. Mortified the mother!” - Eric in cork
- “Good morning Paula, here's one: I'll divide a slap between the two of you... As we were killing each other in the back of the car on a family Sunday drive!” - Madge
- “Hi Sweetpea. Stop crying or I will give you something to really cry about!” - Ciaran
