美国的妈妈们常对孩子说的话

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6. Babies
Vocabulary:

baby food = soft pureed food that comes in bottles, for babies who don’t have enough teeth yet to chew

cranky (very often used to describe a baby that is in a bad mood, crying, angry)

fussy – another word used very often to describe babies that are crying, restless, etc

colicky (a baby that won’t stop crying; colic has a specific medical meaning, but people use the word without any real proof that the baby has digestive problems)

to burp a baby

to have gas - often said of babies who seem “colicky” - “He needs to be burped; he’s got gas.”

to swaddle a baby (wrap a baby tightly with a blanket, for little babies who are comforted by this)

to start a baby on solids, to start a baby on solid foods

teething= when the teeth start coming in (“She’s very cranky; she must be teething.”)

changing table = table on which the baby is put for changing the diaper

changing pad = small washable vinyl pad that a baby is put on for changing the diaper

mobile = toy attached to a crib, with several things hanging from it, that babies like to look at

crib = a baby’s bed with railing all around it to prevent falling off

crib railings = the vertical slats of wood that surround a crib and keep a baby from falling out of its crib

umbrella stroller = a type of stroller that folds compactly; looks sort of like an umbrella when folded

double stroller = a stroller for two children

in-line double stroller = one child sits in front, the other in behind

side-by-side double stroller = the children sit side by side

pacifier = plastic/rubber item put in baby’s mouth for sucking comfort

to suck = what babies do as they drink milk or use a pacifier

playpen = a box or space confined by a fence inside which a baby plays; they can’t get out of it

folding playpen = a playpen designed to fold up, convenient for parents

rocker = rocking chair

baby bottle     

to sterilize the nipples, bottles

formula = artificial milk substitute for babies            

(Artificial) nipple

nipple ring = the plastic part with a hole in it that the artificial nipple is inserted in,

which is then screwed to the baby bottle

nap-time, nap

to coo over a baby = for an adult to say nonsense things (usually done by parents, grandparents, friends) as they gaze admiringly at a baby

cootchie-cootchie-coo (spelling?) Common nonsense phrase people say as they tickle a baby

peekaboo  - game that babies love. You hide your eyes behind your hands, or a towel, or anything else, then you uncover your eyes and say “Peekaboo!”

bed guardrail = a plastic or wooden railing placed on one side of a bed, fixed by sliding part of it under a mattress. Prevents the child from rolling off the bed

teething ring = comfort toy that babies chew on when they have pain from teeth coming in

whiny, to whine - He’s whining for his bottle. / He gets rather whiny at dinner-time.

wipes = disposable paper towels that come moist out of the box, to clean a baby when changing their diaper

training pants / pullups = like diapers, but shaped like pants, so a child being potty-trained can pull them up and down all by him/herself

newborn – a baby up to about 6 weeks or so (maybe longer)

preemie – a baby born prematurely (more than 3 weeks before due date)

growth spurt – period of time when a baby grows particularly fast (“You just can’t stop eating! You must be having a growth spurt!”)

pattycakes – another game often played with babies, involving clapping hands and saying a traditional rhyme

  

Sentences:

“Up you go!” (Said when picking a child out of the crib, for example.)

“It’s time for a nap.”

“He wants/needs to be held.”

It’s time to burp Baby.

Do you need to be burped?

Did you wet your diaper?

Mommy’s going to change you.  

You need to be changed.

Did he wet his pants? (Urine in the diaper)

Do you want Mommy to pick you up?

Has she started on solids yet?

She turned over on her side for the first time today.

She’s started sitting up.

She started crawling at six months.

Let Mommy rock you a bit. (Meaning: the mother is taking the baby in her lap and rocking in the rocking chair.)

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7. Greetings
Hi, Hiya   (Hello)

Hi, precious.

Hi, sweetie.

See you later, alligator.

Wave bye-bye to the nice man. (Something you’d say to a 1-year-old)

Hey, champ. (For a boy)

How’s my buddy?

How’s my princess? (for a girl)

I missed you (terribly/very much).    Did you miss me?

How did your day go?

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8. Waking up
Did you sleep well?

Did you have a bad night?

Wake up, sleepyhead.

Time to get going.

We need to get moving.

It’s already late.

Are you still lazing around?

Rise and shine!

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9. Clothing and getting dressed:
Vocabulary:

onesie = a common type of clothing for babies, that is one piece, and snap buttons               around the legs

ponytail = long girl’s (usually not boy’s) hair, tied together but still hanging down

pigtail = long girl’s hair braided and hanging down

sneakers/ tennis shoes = shoes used for athletic activities

party dress = a fancy girl’s dress that she’d wear to a party

Sunday best = more formal clothes children have, that they’d wear to formal family functions (weddings, funerals) or, in religious families, to attend services

barrette = clip worn in girl’s hair to keep it in place

panties = underwear pants worn by girls

snowsuit = suit covering the entire body (except head) for going out in very cold weather or snow, often worn over another set of clothes

booties = just about any soft shoe worn by babies. Although it’s a diminutive of “boots”, which are higher around the ankles than regular shoes, a lot of things that people call “booties” aren’t really like this

velcro = a kind of closure for clothing or shoes where the two pieces just stick together when you press them together; to open you just pull them apart

bobby pins =  hair pins worn by girls

  

Sentences:

It’s time to get dressed.

What do you want to wear today?

What do you feel like wearing today?

You need to change; we’re going to the store.

This shirt doesn’t go with those pants.

It’s too cold for short sleeves.

Is this shirt too tight?

Did you outgrow these pants already? Wow, you’re growing fast.

Are those shoes pinching your toes?

Here’s a pretty little shirt for you. (the words “pretty little” are just added to be affectionate)

You tore these pants; you can’t wear them today.

Look, you have a hole in your shirt.

Pick up your socks and put them in the laundry basket.

How did your clothes get so dirty?

You look smashing!

That dress was made for you!

That’s your style of shirt.

It’s not really your look.

Red is definitely your color.

Do you really have to change clothes three times a day?

Why does it take an hour to get dressed?

  

About the actual process of putting clothes on:

Your pants are on backwards.

You’ve got your shoes on the wrong way.

Let me button up your shirt.

Your shirt is buttoned up wrong.

Do you know how to tie your shoelaces yet?

Straighten out your legs.

Put your legs straight out.

Don't bend your legs.

I can't get your pants on with your legs like that.

Come on, we need to get these pants on.

Sit still. / Stand still. / Stop squirming. / Stop fidgeting.

Will you button up the coat by yourself?

Unbutton your shirt.

Zip up your jacket; it’s cold out.

Unzip your jacket.

Now put on your sweater.

First put your arm through the sleeve, now put your head through.

You put your shoes on wrong / the wrong way.

You've got your right shoe on your left foot, and the left shoe on the right foot.

Those shoes are on wrong.

These shoes don't match/ don't go together.

Your sweater is on backwards. (meaning, the front side is in back).

You have your sweater on backwards.  ( “ )

Your sweater is inside-out. (meaning, the inside part is showing on the outside).

You have your sweater on inside-out.  ( “ )

Put your hand through the sleeve. Now the other one. Stretch your legs. Don't bend over.

Put your clothes on. / Get dressed.

Put your hand/arm through the sleeve.

Your right arm goes in the right sleeve.

Now put your other arm in the other sleeve.

Your little finger is stuck in the sleeve; let me get it out.

Lift up your leg.

Put your foot through here / through this opening. (i.e., through the opening in the pants)

Now your other foot / leg.

Take your clothes off. / Take off your clothes.  ("Get undressed." is also correct.)

Pull down your pants. (this is when using the toilet)

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10. Kitchen/mealtime vocabulary:

baby food

sippy cup = a leakproof cup with a top (but no nipple)

high chair

booster seat - put on top of a kitchen chair to help a child sit higher

bib - piece of cloth attached around neck and hanging down, to catch spilled food

crackers     In the US, these are never sweet. Salty and crunchy.

cookies     In the US, these are always sweet and they’re not cakes.

sweets = candy = treats = goodies  general words for any sugar-based food that’s fun to eat

cotton candy   (A really disgusting (well, many kids like it) “treat” of puffed up colored sugar)

soda-pop (often used for soft drinks, like coke, pepsi, etc)

jellybeans (sort of the quintessential American candy)

milk and cookies = the quintessential American afterschool snack

popsicle = frozen dessert on a stick, usually fruit-flavored

lollipop, sucker = hard sugar candy on a stick that slowly dissolves in mouth when sucked on, often fruit-flavored

jello = a gelatin sweet dessert, often fruit-flavored

  

Kitchen/mealtime sentences:

Does baby need to be burped?

Don’t throw food on the floor.

Stop playing with your food.

Don’t smear that all over the table.

No elbows on the table. (Said mostly by picky parents.)

We’re having your favorite today! (Meaning, the child’s favorite food dish.)

Come sit at the table.

Don’t talk with your mouth full.

Just eat one at a time.

Don’t put all of those in your mouth at once; you could choke.

Wash up, it’s time to eat.

"Don't spill tomato sauce on your clothes; it's very hard to remove."

"You know you're not supposed to spill food on your clothes."

Din-din is ready.  (Din-din is a silly word for dinner.)

Help Mommy set the table.

Help Daddy do the dishes.

Help us clear off the table.

You’re a little piggy! (Said to a child who’s very messy.)

Can I be excused? (Very common way for child to ask if he can leave the table.)

You’re excused. (Adult gives child permission to leave the table.)