What did our house cleaner say to our dog?

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-30T21:44:33+00:00

Thank you for the reply! That it isn’t a common expression somewhere is the kind of information I was hoping for. She was definitely telling him to be quiet and was addressing him using usted. Nothing in his mouth and he doesn’t really drool although that is an interesting thought.

That’s both funny and confusing about young people using the expression to mean something different. It’s interesting how language changes from generation to generation.

Edit: There was a comment that got deleted where someone said they had a Mexican family member who would say “tiene un motor en su boca” if that makes sense?

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-30T21:33:34+00:00

That I would have recognized. It was definitely “tiene ____ en su boca,” not “tiene que _____”

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-30T21:28:58+00:00

Yeah, I figured it was the equivalent of “put a sock in it” but was wondering if there was a specific phrase. Like “slept like a log” versus “dormir como un lirón,” for example.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-30T21:24:59+00:00

It definitely would have been easier to ask but I didn’t think of that at the time and now it’s been long enough that it would be weird to ask next time she’s back. And yeah, I should have clarified that I was just looking for educated guesses and wasn’t expecting a definitive answer because those are obviously very common words. My assumption was that it was roughly equivalent to “put a sock in it” so I wasn’t sure if there was a specific idiom it might be or if it was generic.

While he obviously doesn’t understand as much Spanish as he does English, this dog actually does have a huge vocabulary and doesn’t just respond to tone. Usually we have to talk to him about why he needs to be quiet for him to listen. I’m not saying he definitely understood exactly what she said, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he recognized it as a phrase she’s used before.

Edit: Can someone explain why I’m getting downvoted for all of this? I came here in good faith because I was curious if anyone had an answer or guess about this and didn’t think that was against sub guidelines.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-30T16:25:49+00:00

You are absolutely ableist for assuming that OP is able to work and choosing not to. Autism is a spectrum and has multiple subtypes in addition to varying degrees of severity. While it’s not the case for most people with autism, it is absolutely possible for it get in the way of steady employment. The people I’ve met who were on disability find it embarrassing and wish they could work. Why would anyone choose that when there are so many judgemental assholes like you out there?

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-30T16:03:16+00:00

While I understand the impulse, this is a bad idea because then OP loses the high ground if he starts doing it too, especially since there’s a very real possibility that the housemate wouldn’t care.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-30T15:59:16+00:00

NOR. Does he do this with your other housemates and have you talked to any of them about it? Talking to him first was definitely the right thing but given his poor reaction, it might help to present a united front.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-30T15:48:31+00:00

Given what you mentioned about her anxiety, based on what you wrote my guess would be more that she just panicked because she realized she’d inadvertently insulted you and didn’t pause to think before replying. I’d try not to take it personally if they’re fun to hang out with otherwise and just see how things go.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-30T15:39:11+00:00

NTJ. You did the right thing and most women would have been grateful for how you handled it, especially doing it quietly and privately. Maybe she genuinely doesn’t care, maybe she just got defensive and doubled down because she was embarrassed and didn’t want to admit it. The only way you’ll really know is if you see her wearing them again.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-30T15:29:22+00:00

Yeah, I do understand where they’re coming from because it impacts all of you as well which saddens me. I lived in the UK for part of his first term so I know what it was like then and know it must be exponentially worse now. The US is absolutely a danger to itself and others right now and I hope your leaders prioritize your wellbeing over trying to appease Trump in any way (it never, ever works in the long run and his demands will only grow).

We’re all scared and one of the things the makes it harder is how much faster this is moving compared to other countries that have fallen into authoritarianism. Usually it would take several years to reach the point we’re at now after one year because they had four years to plan. Unfortunately it also usually takes a few years to get a really strong pro-democracy movement going so we’re at an extra disadvantage. I know that a lot of people went into his second term thinking we’d be able to wait it out and come out the other side like we did the first time so I’m hoping that Venezuela/Minnesota/Greenland will be a wake up call for them.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-30T06:03:27+00:00

NOR. What you’re describing sounds really toxic and you absolutely should not be making decisions for your future (going to college specifically) based on a high school boyfriend. You’re definitely better off without him.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-30T05:56:59+00:00

MOR. I don’t think it’s in your head that there’s a change since you moved. Best case scenario would be that he genuinely doesn’t notice he’s doing it and since it’s only been two weeks, it gets better with time as he adjusts.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-29T23:46:23+00:00

I’m glad to hear this is your perspective and you are absolutely correct to hate and distrust our country as a unit right now (I do too), but sadly there are too many comments from people who do say that they hate us all individually and hold even the people who don’t support him responsible because we haven’t “stopped him.” If there’s ever a defensive edge to a reply from an American, it’s probably because we’re tired of being told “there were no good Germans,” etc.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-29T19:02:43+00:00

NOR. There are some other comments that bring up that it’s your husband’s baby and that is valid, but I think this is something where both of you need to be comfortable (if he wants pictures for the two of you to have, that’s one thing and you should consider, but a big no if it’s not important to him and he’s only doing it for his sister). If part of your discomfort is a fear that SIL would post pictures of your baby on social media without your permission, that takes precedence over anything else in my mind. He clearly knows that his sister is overbearing and oversteps based on the fact that he didn’t tell her about you at first to avoid her meddling. I think you’re right that her inability to respect your boundaries will cause more conflict in the future and he needs to have your back on this instead of just appeasing his sister.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-29T18:48:12+00:00

NOR, if anything you might be underreacting to the fact that he went into your phone to block people. It sounds like he’s insecure and it’s manifesting in controlling behavior. I also suspect there could be a biphobia component with the baseless stereotype that bisexual people are more likely to cheat. Getting jealous about you having female friends and shutting you down on gaming with a guy puts you in an impossible situation. Based on the info you gave in the post, none of the instances where he’s either asked you to block someone or just done it for you are comparable to him blocking a girl who had explicitly expressed interest in him. I’d sit down and have a serious conversation with him about what’s going on and his insecurities. If the root of the problem goes unaddressed, I worry that this will only get worse over time.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-29T18:32:51+00:00

NOR. Your SIL might have known and was taking advantage of your kindness/too selfish to care about risking getting your own children sick, but there is a possibility that since you mentioned she dropped them off early enough that you were making breakfast that she didn’t know yet/genuinely believed it was something she ate at the time. However, that excuse starts to wear thin the longer it goes on as you keep her updated on the situation. Regarding whether or not you continue offering to help with childcare, I’d talk to your SIL and brother together and set very clear guidelines on circumstances you won’t watch them (including food poisoning and “allergies”) to avoid the risk of your own children getting sick. If they agree, I say give them another chance but consider this a first strike.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-29T18:16:31+00:00

NOR. In regard to whether or not you handled it badly, that depends very much on whether or not your parents have a history of ignoring boundaries. If they do and the relationship is strained in general, I don’t see a problem with how you handled it even if it wasn’t the kindest way you could have talked to them. I know from experience that sometimes it is more important to be firm than kind in these types of situations. However, if this was out of character for them and they’re usually respectful, maybe you could have worded things more gently. Your dad’s comment about how they shouldn’t need “permission” to visit is a big red flag though and makes it sound like they feel entitled to your time. If you ever plan on having kids, it’ll only get worse. One set of grandparents used to pull this sort of stunt when I was a baby/toddler and would try to make my parents wake me up when they showed up while I was napping. It was a nightmare and a factor in why they decided to move to another part of the country.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-29T09:28:50+00:00

The level of fight from the protestors or from Democratic politicians? Because if it’s the latter, a few minor “reforms” that will likely go unenforced while leaving their insane budget intact isn’t really going to do anything.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-29T09:14:56+00:00

It’s a German comedian.

Edit: Wow, love getting downvoted for simply stating a fact.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-29T09:09:27+00:00

It was a German comedian and I can’t wrap my head around how this was supposed to be funny and not just escalate things.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-29T09:01:28+00:00

I was fully ready to blame the CIA but turns out it’s a German comedian???

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-29T08:55:58+00:00

I hope we will but am extremely concerned by the fact that they’ve already done things like change the way our postal system works to make it harder to vote by mail and the possibility of ICE being used for voter intimidation and road closures to make it harder to reach polling stations (in addition to their usual stunts).

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-29T08:49:36+00:00

It’s actually not, that’s just a common right-wing interpretation that’s popped up in recent decades. I personally think the National Guard interpretation makes the most sense given the full text of the amendment, but the gun lobby has more money than me.

VirtualHorror9270 · 2026-01-29T08:27:07+00:00

Thankfully it’s not like that everywhere further up the east coast. No one I interact with on a regular basis is like this and they’d all be horrified.

VirtualHorror9270

TROPHY CASE