Tried and True: Parenting One Liners for Kind Parenting

Parents can find kind and respectful responses to kids’ whining, nagging, and claiming that life is so unfair. Nicole (@raisingkindkids) shared parenting one liners that she and her family have used for years. They’re phrases that quickly—and kindly—communicate guidance and correction to growing kids.

“They work because our kids know what they mean,” shared Nicole.

Parenting One Liners That Help Set—and Keep—Family Expectations

Nicole took to TikTok to share a number of parenting one liners that she and her family have been using for decades. They work for toddlers, elementary, and teenagers. No parenting style is perfect, of course, but these one liners help set the stage for kids to understand and accept parenting instruction.

“Every family has different rules,” is another parenting one liner that Nicole’s family uses frequently. Kids often wonder, ask and even complain about friends who are allowed to do certain things. Setting the expectation upfront that all families have different rules—and for different reasons—helps kids accept the distinction.

RELATED: 3 Rules for College and Kindergarten

8 Parenting One Liners

1. “We don’t comment on other people’s bodies,” is a parenting one liner they’ve added as their kids are now teenagers. Body image and comparison is such a significant issue that can carry into adulthood. Whether envying a physical attribute or poking fun at someone’s appearance, both are not allowed in Nicole’s family.

2. “Asked and answered,” helps nip excessive questions in the bud. Nicole explains that kids often continue to repeat the same questions hoping for a different result. Being consistent and holding fast to the answer given can be exhausting. So, Nicole said her kids know that when they hear, “asked and answered,” the repeated questions need to stop. “I’m sorry if you don’t like the answer, but that’s the answer,” she said.

3. “Don’t yuck someone else’s yum,” is a parenting one liner that Nicole loves to help curb negative and unsolicited opinions. She encourages her kids to have their own opinions and allow friends and family members to have thiers as well.

4. “No means no, and stop means stop,” is a parenting one liner that helps communicate clear boundaries. Nicole wants to encourage healthy boundaries for her kids. Even while playing and teasing, when she hears one child say “stop” or “no,” Nicole helps reinforce this boundary.

5. “Please make good choices for your body,” is a parenting one liner that helps make even the most adventurous child think first before getting into an unsafe situation. Climbing too high in a tree, jumping over a deep hole, or wandering too far from familiar territory can all lead to dangerous situations.

6. “‘I’m sorry’ is just words. A real apology is a change in behavior,” is a parenting one liner that’s helpful when a child is flippantly apologetic but not fixing the wrong or the situation.

7. “Try again,” is a parenting one liner that Nicole and her husband use often when one of their children come to them with the wrong attitude. It often has nothing to do with what they’re saying but the attitude in which they’re saying it. Nicole’s family speaks to each other with respect. “I’ve had to say it up to 10 times for my tweens and teens,” admitted Nicole.

At the end of her TikTok video, Nicole lists all 17 of her parenting one liners for other families to try.

@raisingkindkids Parenting one liners that work to make parenting easier Like this gem: you can be mad without being mean. Add yours! #par#parentsoftiktokr#parentingtipsr#parentinghacksr#parenting101s#respectfulparentingi#raisingkindkids ♬ original sound – Nicole- Raising Kind Kids

“It’s okay to be [insert feeling],” is yet another parenting one liner that Nicole uses at the moment when a child is feeling big feelings—scared about a test, hurt by a friend, or anxious about the first day of school. As they work through the situation, the child feels safe to express all feelings, positive and negative.


Janna Firestone
Janna Firestone
Janna lives in Northern Colorado with her husband and two teenage boys. You’ll often find her hiking, paddleboarding, or enjoying a good board game indoors. She's an unapologetic Dallas Cowboys fan, and an even bigger fan of coffee, dry shampoo, and authentic conversations.

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