Agis comme un grand garçon!
When a mother boarded the métro in Montréal yesterday with her two boys, I got to listen in as she scolded her youngest boy for his unruly behaviour.
First, the boy climbed up onto an empty seat so that he could sit down. But he didn’t pay attention to where he put his legs, so his mother told him sternly to be careful not to hit the people around him with his feet: tu fais attention de pas accrocher les gens!
Then the boy asked if his mother could take his mittens off for him, but she didn’t like the tone he used. So she told him yes, that she’d take the mittens off for him, but he had to ask nicely: oui, mais tu le demandes gentiment!
But as she pulled his mittens off, the boy starting screaming — despite the fact he had asked his mother to take them off for him. She told him to settle down: sois calme!, to stop throwing a tantrum: tu fais des crises, arrête!, and to act like a big boy: agis comme un grand garçon!
Miraculously, he did finally settle down and act like a big boy — but only after getting up to pick a new seat!
1. Tu fais attention de pas accrocher les gens!
Be careful not to hit people!
2. Oui, mais tu le demandes gentiment!
Fine, but you (must) ask for it nicely!
3. Sois calme!
Settle down! Stay calm!
4. Tu fais des crises, arrête!
You’re acting up, stop it!
5. Agis comme un grand garçon!
Act like a big boy!
Image: MSN Arabia
