" The most important thing my parents teach me was not to judge citizenry by their appearance , but by their theatrical role . "
Growing up, my parents taught me so many things that shaped who I am. Even as an adult, I continue to learn from them, whether it’s getting a piece of advice or how to navigate through something. I recentlyaskedtheBuzzFeed Communityto share habits they adopted from their parents that improved their lives. Here’s what people had to say:
1.“My mom had a way of encouraging good behavior by calling out what you should be doing. If you say something mean about someone to her, she’d say, ‘I know you don’t mean that.’ This is a common way for parents to correct behavior, but she took it a step further, which I admire and find myself doing too. Let’s say you’re in a supervisory role and must inform someone they need to be kinder. You’d say, ‘I know you’re a kind person and want people to feel valued, could you make sure when you interact with customers that your tone shows that?’ Maybe this is a basic skill, but I’ve found those around me don’t use it, and when I do, people are a lot more receptive.”
2.“Treat people with kindness, and it’s OK to ask for help. It doesn’t make you weak.”
— Anonymous
3.“Taking mental health days! My mum was ahead of her time when she let me take a mental health day now and then in high school. It was a gamechanger for me then and still is more than 20 years later!”
4.“Every night, I prepare everything I need for the next day. I choose my outfit and accessories, pack my snacks and vitamins, fill my water bottle, etc. No more flapping around in the morning!”
— kittylane276
5.“Kids will be kids. They’ll do goofy things, get dirty, and accidentally break stuff. That’s life. When they are purposefully mean or unkind, you come down on them.”
6.“Writing out weekly menus before going to the grocery store. I loved seeing what was for dinner as a kid. Some meals were exciting and others less exciting. Helps me save money now!”
— Hallie from South Carolina
7.“As a natural redhead, I will be forever grateful that my mother raised me in the religion of SPF 50. She taught me that from April to November, sunblock every day would not only protect my skin from cancer, but it would also help prevent aging. She’s 65, but some people don’t believe her when she says she is. Many people tell me I could pass for a decade younger than I am.”
8.“Giving myself time in the mornings. Every day, my parents would wake up approximately 30 minutes earlier than necessary to drink coffee and watch the news, and then they’d start getting ready. I work remotely now, but when I worked onsite, I’d give myself 30 minutes to an hour to lie on the couch and BE before doing a thing. It was easily my favorite part of the day.”
— t448dac9d3
9.“My parents taught me to live within my means. The only ever loan they had was a home loan, and I used to watch my father budget his income every month for years. Ours was a single-income household supporting a family of four. My parents gave my sister and me a decent life. Education was a major part of our lives as children, and there was a lot of emphasis on school. My sister and I did well in life thanks to our parents' sacrifices. My father was alive when I got my first job, and his advice on my first pay day was: ‘Save 40% of whatever you’re paid.’ He passed away three years later. I am 40 now, and I still do it.”
10.“Eating healthy food every day. Carrots and cauliflower can taste delicious if you cook them the right way.”
— silencesilence
11.“Honestly, to make my bed every day. My parents believed that if you start your day by making your bed neatly, you are more likely to be successful.”
12.“As someone with a mum who works in the climate change field, she taught me to be environmentally conscious.”
— poeticmoon912
13.“I was a good athlete from a young age. My father realized this after dominating in five different sports by age 7. I don’t remember the situation (I was probably bragging), but the words stayed with me. He said, ‘You don’t need to tell people you are good. If you’re good, people will tell you.’ He was 100% correct.”
14.“My dad has some minor social anxiety and picked up on the fact that I did as well when I was a kid. He gave me a tip that makes me appear more confident than I am. It makes me uncomfortable to look someone directly in the eye, and he told me to look at their noses instead. To this day, I still use it, and no one has picked up on it.”
— idonotwanttodisplaymyuserbame
15.“Life isn’t fair, and my actions have consequences (good and bad).”
16.“They taught me to wait 24 hours before making an ‘other than mandatory’ purchase. After 24 hours, you are less likely to waste money on an impulse that will be a waste. However, if after 24 hours, you still need this item and can purchase without stress or debt, you’ll be making an informed decision.”
— ellie4me
17.“My dad taught me you can love and be loved unconditionally. He taught me that laughter is the best medicine. And, he always said the family that sweats together sticks together! We were sports hounds and gym rats.”
18.“Do not use credit cards until you have a stable income and only when you can pay them off in full. I have them now, but they are paid off every month. I get all the benefits of air miles and points, but no penalties. Plus, it keeps that credit score high.”
— Helen
19.“My parents taught me the importance of a wide variety of music, from classical to country to rock. It’s something I made sure to do for my son, and watching him find commonality with people of all backgrounds because of a shared appreciation of music is amazing. He will pull out music from the 1920s that I’ve never heard, and I respect him for making that love part of who he is.”
20.“My parents made sure we knew basic car maintenance like oil changes or replacing flat tires, and household DIY like plumbing, small electrical, and building bookcases. They also demanded that we all take typing classes. I use every one of those skills regularly and am so thankful they had the foresight to teach us. I rarely have to hire someone to fix anything minor in my home or car. If I can’t fix it, someone in my family can!”
— Laura K from Texas
21.“My father was a lifelong exerciser. He worked out five days a week at least. Starting in my 20s, I did the same thing. In grad school, I understood the logic behind what I was doing. I am subject to depression, and exercise is a good way to deal with it. I’m pretty sure it was why my dad worked out, too. It was the best possible gift he could have given me.”
22.“Be at least five minutes early for anything. My mother always said, ‘Five minutes early is being on time. On time is late.'”
— Rev fromNew York
23.“Respecting my elders was always expected and taught by my parents.”
24.“The most important thing my parents taught me was not to judge people by their appearance, but by their character. How someone conducts themselves and treats others will tell you what you need to know. I am now pushing 60, and I have found that lesson to be inordinately true. Thanks, mom and dad!”
Note : Some responses have been edited for duration and/or clearness .
