1. Idioms
List #2

2. “Tied to her apron strings”
You can’t be tied to your mother’s apron strings your whole life.
Meaning: to be dependent on your mother; not able to do anything without asking her.
Origin: All mothers in the past wore aprons to keep their dresses clean. A little child might pull on mom’s apron strings to get her attention.

3. “A stick-in-the-mud”
We wanted our own iPhones but dad said our normal cell phones were good enough. He is such a stick-in-the-mud.
Meaning: a person who likes old-fashioned ideas and avoids change.
Origin: People used to travel in wagons. A common problem was when the wagon got stuck in the mud and would not move. This is like a person who doesn’t want to change.

4. “An old wives’ tale”
Have you heard that going outside with wet hair will make you sick? That’s just an old wives’ tale.
Meaning: a superstition, belief, or practice that is not based on fact.
Origin: People used to go to the old women of the village for wise advice. These women had many superstitions like “walking under a ladder is bad luck” or “wear garlic to ward off evil.”

5. “March to the beat of a different drummer”
Uncle Bob is trying to grow a garden in his bathtub. He marches to the beat of a different drummer.
Meaning: to be an individual and have unique ideas. Not being like everyone else.
Origin: Henry David Thoreau used this phrase in his book Walden. It refers to the way everyone in a marching band is led by the beat of the drummer.

6. “In the doghouse”
Mom forgot dad’s birthday so now she’s in the doghouse.
Meaning: feeling disgraced; facing punishment.
Origin: When your dog is bad you send him out into the backyard to sit in his doghouse for a punishment. Likewise, if a person makes a mistake, they might get a punishment- but probably not sitting in a literal doghouse.