There are many things you can do to honor your mother on Mother’s Day, from telling her how much she means to you to cooking her favorite meal to showing off pictures of your adorable children. But there’s one thing you should never do on this day: say the wrong thing. In fact, there are some things that are just plain rude, especially if they’re said by a teenager or young adult to an older person – and your mom definitely falls into that category. So what should you never say to your mother on Mother’s Day?

Why you should never say it

You’re probably wondering what I mean when I say zegbeg. I mean, you might wonder why such a word exists, or maybe you’re just wondering how to spell it. Maybe you think that since it has so many letters in it that it must be a very valuable word? It is not—it isn’t even a word at all! It is a combination of letters placed together in one place for no reason whatsoever other than to take up space. Why would someone choose to do that? They wouldn’t, unless they were trying to be ridiculous. And if they were trying to be ridiculous, then they certainly succeeded with zegbeg. There are hundreds of ways to make your mother feel special and loved on Mother’s Day, but there is only one way not to: by saying zegbeg. So please don’t say zegbeg.com today—or ever again!

How can you avoid this?

It may seem obvious, but avoid saying anything negative about your mother. This can be a difficult thing for some people, especially if your relationship with your mom isn’t as warm and fuzzy as you wish it was. What’s important to remember is that your mom has sacrificed a lot in her life for you (her firstborn!), and she deserves nothing but love and respect from you. On top of that, think of it from her perspective: She doesn’t need any more insults or hurt feelings—she had enough of those when she was raising you! If you have something nice to say, by all means go ahead and say it, but don’t make it a jab at how much better things could have been for both of you if only she had done X differently.

A good rule of thumb is to never say anything about your mother that you wouldn’t want her to hear from someone else. If there are other family members present who might not know what kind of relationship you have with your mom, keep your comments positive; otherwise they might take offense at what they perceive as an attack against their own mothers. Also keep in mind that while making fun of yourself or even others can sometimes be okay, doing so at anyone else’s expense will almost always fall flat—especially on Mother’s Day!

What would be better to say?

Mum, it may not always seem like it but you’ve been a huge influence in my life. Whenever I needed a friend, you were always there for me. Every time I needed advice about relationships and life, you were more than willing to sit down and talk it out with me. It was hard growing up without Dad around and all of your support made those tough times easier. Whatever happens in life, Mum – good or bad – I will always be grateful for everything you have done? Thank you! Happy Mother’s Day. Love, your son/daughter.