Telling Phrase - I've counted to three

This is an old term that has made its way back into modern language in some circles due to it's use in the Coehn Brothers movie O' Brother Where Art Thou?
In the movie Everett's wife says "I've counted to three" on a few occasions each time mean essentially, "I am done." The words have been spoken I am not changing my mind.
We use a variation of this with our children when they are in trouble or not doing what they are told. In these situations we will say, "don't make me count to three." we usually do not even have to start counting, just that phrase alone strikes fear in the hearts of our children and gets them to do what we are wanting them to do.