Mum icks are very real and these 21 examples absolutely prove it

We have our entire existence to attribute to our mothers, but that certainly doesn’t stop them annoying the living hell out of us from time to time – and part of that is mum icks. If you’re not familiar with the “ick” as a concept (this will undoubtedly get a click from some mums so it’s worth explaining), it’s basically any action that causes others to recoil in a slight sense of disgust. We have them in relationships when the person you find attractive does small things that really turn you off, and it’s just the same with mums.

From not knowing how to use a phone properly to walking into your room just to complain, there are plenty of little petty things that they do occasionally just make you sit back and go… urgh. So, sorry mums across the nation, but mum icks are indeed very real, and these are the mum icks that switch us all off.

When she gasps really loudly and it’s always over something completely unnecessary

A character says something on TV that she doesn’t agree with. There’s a moth in the room. She hears a bit of village gossip from a friend on the phone. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is exempt from a dramatic gasp from mothers across the land, and sometimes it’s infuriating.

When you show her a meme and she asks ‘who’s that?’

Is there a better way to kill a joke? Parents just don’t seem to understand that you can take a video or photo of someone else, and apply it to a humorous situation about your own circumstances.

When you show her something on your phone and she tries to take it

You know it is possible to show you a picture on my phone without physically handing it over to you, mum.

…And then when she does take it, she pushes her head back because she can’t see it

Just grab your glasses ffs.

…AND THEN USES HER INDEX FINGER TO TAP THE SCREEN

It’s like you’re determined not to learn how to type with your thumbs like the rest of the population.

When she walks through the supermarket and doesn’t acknowledge the people around her so bumps into everyone

Where is the perfect place to stop and check your shopping list? Ah yes, right in the middle of the narrowest aisle, stopping all other shoppers from moving past 🥰

Mums love to tell you to do something that you’re already doing

It’s like the perfect time to ask you to load the dishwasher is when you literally have a bowl in your hand and you’re walking towards the dishwasher.

When she gets angry at you for using the same tone that she does

Mum: *talks to me with a tone*
Me: *talks back with a tone*
Mum: DON’T you use that tone with me!

When you say something you think is funny but it turns into a lecture

Any funny story that could even suggest misbehaviour or something she doesn’t agree with very easily turns into a 20-minute rant about something you’ve done wrong. It’s an important part of growing up to understand that some stories and jokes are not even worth mentioning.

When she tells her friends things that you specifically say not to tell

I applied for this job but I don’t want the whole village talking about it so could you please not tell your friends? You’d think this wouldn’t be a tricky one, but it’s surprising how much of your personal life comes up in conversation with family friends when you can’t recall telling them.

Anything to do with computers

Looking over her shoulder as she tries to add cells in an excel document or even just googling a certain phrase is so painful – like, can you do it any slower? When there’s a question she wants to search you can bet it will be typed out fully word for word.

Facetiming? Don’t get me started.

When she complains to shop assistants/waiting staff

I promise my mum isn’t a Karen, I PROMISE!

‘So I guess it was just the mystery man who did it then!’

If you were unlucky enough to have parents that pulled this one out every time something happened in the house that nobody owned up to, I feel for you.

Talking on the phone with the speaker…in public

I promise as much as you think people want to listen to your phone call, they don’t.

When she says things about strangers in public really obviously and loudly

Okay, your bitchy comments about strangers can be funny, but not when you make it SO OBVIOUS that you’re talking about them. Commenting on the woman’s hair in front of you in the queue so loudly makes me want to pull mine out.

When she can’t work out how to use the TV remote properly even though she’s owned it for years

This baffles me to this day. It’s like as soon as she’s required to use the TV remote, any knowledge of how it works goes out the window as she looks down at it like it’s an alien object that she’s never seen before.

When she doesn’t unlock the car doors before you get to the car

Don’t worry… I’ll just wait by the car… in the rain… take your time…

When she calls you downstairs to say hello to a family friend

Can you not? I don’t want to say hello to people I barely know and have the whole awkward small talk thing, so if you could just allow me to stay upstairs and continue scrolling TikTok that’d be swell.

When she puts her phone down somewhere without locking it

Another technological necessity that seems to have evaded parents is the concept of locking your phone when not using it. You can guarantee that if they plug their phone into charge or chuck it into their bag that it will NOT be locked.

I told you “icks” were petty complaints, didn’t I?

When she never picks up the phone but FUMES when you don’t

Double standards. Every time.

When she walks into your room just to complain

“Look how messy it is in here!”

Listen here, Anne. I know it’s messy in here – I didn’t need your unannounced arrival to come to this understanding. Me and the boys had a few too many frothy ones last night and my head is hurting like nobody’s business. Hear you me I’ll get it sorted, but in the meantime it sure would be great if you could remind yourself that this isn’t your room, you don’t sleep here and that it’s not really your business whether it’s clean or dirty.

Now could you either kindly get me a cold glass of water and a paracetamol or vacate the area? Many thanks.

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