Parenting can be challenging and rewarding, often requiring unique expressions to describe the journey. Here are 20 idiomatic ways to talk about parenting in English, each with a brief meaning and an example sentence to enhance your understanding.
1. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
Meaning: Children resemble their parents
Example: Look at her, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
2. Spare the rod, spoil the child
Meaning: Lack of discipline spoils children
Example: They believe in spare the rod, spoil the child.
3. Bundle of joy
Meaning: A newborn baby
Example: Their little bundle of joy arrived last night.
4. Tiger mom
Meaning: Strict, demanding mother
Example: She’s a tiger mom, always pushing for the best.
5. Birds and the bees
Meaning: Talk about reproduction
Example: It’s time for the birds and the bees talk.
6. Chip off the old block
Meaning: A child similar to their parent
Example: He’s a chip off the old block, just like his dad.
7. Like father, like son
Meaning: Sons resemble their fathers
Example: Like father, like son, they’re both great athletes.
8. It takes a village
Meaning: Community effort in raising children
Example: They say it takes a village to raise a child.
9. Empty nest
Meaning: Children have left home
Example: They’re adjusting to life with an empty nest.
10. Bundle of nerves
Meaning: Very anxious
Example: Before the school play, she was a bundle of nerves.
11. Baby blues
Meaning: Postpartum depression
Example: She struggled with the baby blues after childbirth.
12. Over the moon
Meaning: Extremely happy
Example: They were over the moon about their new baby.
13. Sleep like a baby
Meaning: Sleep soundly
Example: After a long day, he slept like a baby.
14. Helicopter parent
Meaning: Overprotective parent
Example: She’s a helicopter parent, always hovering around her kids.
15. Bundle of energy
Meaning: Very energetic child
Example: Their toddler is a bundle of energy, always on the go.
16. Be fruitful and multiply
Meaning: Have many children
Example: They took the advice to be fruitful and multiply seriously.
17. Nanny state
Meaning: Overprotective government
Example: Some believe in less nanny state interference in parenting.
18. Mother hen
Meaning: Overprotective mother
Example: She’s a mother hen, always fussing over her kids.
19. Eat like a bird
Meaning: Eat very little
Example: Their daughter eats like a bird at dinner.
20. The stork
Meaning: Brings babies (myth)
Example: They joked that the stork would visit soon.
