At what age do mothers stop warning their kids to "look both ways" before they cross the street? My grandmother was well into her eighties and still advising my 50-something mother to "be careful," whenever she hung up the phone. When my mother found out I was planning a pontoon boat ride, she admonished me to "wear a lifejacket." When my daughter leaves my house to drive to her own two miles away, I always remind her to "buckle up." For some mothers, it's much easier to give orders than it is to say I love you. The answer? Never.