Etymology Journal · W
What do I look like, your mother?
Meaning
- This is a defensive retort used when someone expects you to clean up their mess or perform a menial chore for them. It serves as a firm reminder that you are not their maid or their parent.
Snappy, boundaries-setting
Used in a sentence
- Pick up your own wet towel from the floor. What do I look like, your mother?
- Don't expect me to organize your filing cabinet. What do I look like, your mother?
- I am not going to call the repairman for you. What do I look like, your mother?
The backstory
This saying grew out of the traditional role of a mother as the primary caregiver who handles household chores. It is a standard piece of parental pushback that has crossed over into general social use.
Heard in
Nationwide
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