Or the classic ‘just a little prick’ when they take blood.
If I told you, “This is going to hurt like a Motherf****r”, would you still be compliant? Didn’t think so. 
Actually, with kids, it’s better to be completely honest. I would say something like, “Now, I have to do something that hurts, but just for a little while.” Most kids will be cooperative. Adults, on the other hand, will say, “The hell, you say, I’m outa here!”
Kuzco: Oh, and by the way, you’re fired.
Yzma: Fired? W-W-What do you mean, “fired”?
Kuzco: Um, how else can I say it? You’re being let go. Your department’s being downsized. You’re part of an outplacement. We’re going in a different direction. We’re not picking up your option. Take your pick. I got more.
I don’t know. I had no squeamishness about my mom dying. I have said plenty of times “when my my mom died”.
But sometimes I don’t want to conversation to revolve around that and I just want to get past it to what I really wanted to say. Saying “When my mom died three years ago…” just seems kind of harsh to me, and makes the conversation revolve around that. When I say “My mom passed away three years ago” it seems I can get past it better.
I was just looking over this year’s death pool thread, there was a lot of “passed away” and a lot of “has died” in it. Then there were the other, topical euphuisms, to wit (some of these are 2 posts grafted together):
*• Mamie Reardon, age 114, former oldest citizen of USA.
• David R. Ellis, director of Snakes On A Plane … Reached his Final Destination.
• ed koch has gone to that great city hall in the sky.
• Self-help author Debbie Ford … just couldn’t help herself.
• Ray Cusick, the designer of the Daleks, has been exterminated.
• No more Applause for Bonnie Franklin
• Alvin Lee is going home.
• two thumbs down for Roger Ebert
• Country music star George Jones has … finally stopped lovin’ her today.
• Mike Gray; co-wrote ‘China Syndrome’ screenplay, has a meltdown at age 77.
• Ray Harryhausen has stopped moving.
• Edith (Bunker – Jean Stapleton) has been stifled for the final time.
• NFL defensive lineman Deacon Jones, sacked by the Grim Reaper at 74
• Esther Williams down the drain at 91.
• The Grim Reaper has successfully stalk serial Killer Richard Ramirez.
• News Flash! Slim Whitman still alive! At least until recently.
• James Gandolfini stopped believin’.
• Helen Thomas has asked her last question
• Virginia Johnson, one half of the Masters and Johnson team of sex researchers back in the 1960s and 1970s, is undoubtedly finding out whether there are orgasms in the afterlife
• Grammy winner song writer JJ Cale days are done, and he wants to run
• Former Red Sox George Scott will never make it home again.*
I’ve just never quite understood why this bothers people so. Okay, so you prefer to say “died” or “dead.” That’s fine. You feel it’s more accurate. That’s fine. You think people are afraid of death–well, duh, and so are you. And that’s fine. But why does it actively bother you when other people say it?
And, yes, I could ask this question about many other pet peeves like this. If it were just one or two people, I’d just chalk it up to quirks. But it seems to be something that really bugs people.
I’m the one that’s supposed to have OCD around here.