Little thoughtful things your parents still do for you?

[Charlavail]

My mum buys me a little bag of powdered milk bottles each Friday when she does her weekly shop. She also buys me nappies and wipes every week so we have a stash for newborn DS. If I go round her house for lunch she always makes my favourite for me. Jacket potato with cheese, beans and coleslaw.
She does loads for me and DC but the little things make me feel so loved.

My dad entertains himself by sending random Amazon stuff
So I might mention I couldn't find something in the supermarket. Next day, Amazon delivers it
Or that I was looking at a slow cooker. New slow cooker turns up

This is so nice to read but made me miss my parents so much.

My mum insists on filling up my car every time I take her somewhere

My mum washes all my daughters school uniforms and irons them as she says I ruin them in the dryer.

I repay her by making her a flower arrangement every week and a box of chocolates left on her bed every Friday. She watches telly in bed on a Friday so it's nice for her to have her fave ones.

My mum sometimes brings me cut flowers from her allotment.

When we visit my parents (they live 250 miles away so we go for a few days at a time), my mum always puts a packet of mini colin caterpillar cakes on my pillow. My dad gives each of my daughters £10 and tells them to treat themselves to something nice, and then does the same for me as well.

My in-laws have treated me very kindly making everyone eat roast lamb dinner on a Sunday just because it's my favourite. Many other small thoughtful things over the years.

MIL's actions made me realise I'd not had that from my own mother.

I went away to school at 16 and DDad sent me a funny postcard every week I was away. He carried it on in term time when I got to university. He loved us all beyond sense and reason and I miss him so much.

DMum is just fab. Used to come meet me if I’d suffered heartbreak as a student and take me out for a glass of wine or three and drop me home much happier. These days, we live a fair way away but she always jumps at the chance to come and see us. In the pandemic when you could only meet outside she did the round five hour train trip in a day to have lunch outside with us.

I’m very lucky.

I am 64 and my DM (89) gives me petrol money plus what she calls 'carer's allowance' ... She always pays for lunch when we go out (I do offer of course but she say 'I want to enjoy spending my money with you whilst I am still here'). She is equally generous to other family members and sends regular monthly gifts to the DGC at Uni.

She takes a real interest in my life and remembers the names of the people I work with plus my friends and always asks after them. Up until fairly recently she used to help me with my volunteering roles which was incredibly kind of her.

When I read some of the threads on Mumsnet it really makes me appreciate how fortunate I am to have been raised in a loving and supportive family.

My mum would bring us all a cup of tea first thing in the morning.

It didn't last long - eight years between giving up the paper-round and mum dying, and I wasn't there full-time for most of that - but it was lovely.

My mum is an artist, if I want something she’s made she will never let me pay. If I give her money I’ll find it in my bag, once I’d hidden it in her and she still found it before I left and snuck it back to me.
My MIL invites me to days out and workshops and always pays, even covers my train fare down to her’s because she knows money is right

Pays for Dc's weekly speech therapy 🥰 They are nightmare parents though and have controlling tendencies, but this is very kind.

This is all so wonderful. My parents are very much "out of sight, out of mind" and always have been.

Sigh. Sorry for the downer!

My parents are amazing. Both now retired and I moved to their street 18 months ago. My then DH was supposed to be here too but 2 weeks befo completion decided to leave our family. Either one of them comes to my house most mornings to allow me to get to work on time and take my son to nursery, similarly they pick him up and give him dinner. My dad cuts my grass in summer and let's my dogs out daily in the afternoon after their walk with dog walker in morning. I'm so so thankful for them, I genuinely don't know how I'd cope as a single parent without them they are without a doubt more than I could ever wish for.

My grandparents buy the dc winter coats, always have done. I always come home with some random bits out of their cupboards that they don't need ( dishcloths, tinned fruit, biscuits ). DF will transfer me some money now and text to say treat everyone to a takeaway or he's had a good week at work!

My dad would send me a message every single morning wishing me a good day and telling me he loved me. He died last year and I’d give anything for one of those messages. When I have busy weeks at work mum cooks for us and delivers it while I’m at work. She knows how much I appreciate it, it really makes me smile and not just because it’s one less thing I have to do.

When Mum was mobile and I visited, she'd leave the front door open, only the inner door would be closed, a sign she was waiting for me. Everything would be ready, lovely home cooked food. I really miss that now 😥. She can't walk anymore but lucky to still have her.

Takes my pile of ironing home with her when she visits and/or empties the wash bin.

Occasional deliveries of a homemade meal or cakes.

But the best one was which I really miss is when I was in my late teens/early twenties and still living at home I used to come home from a night out and my electric blanket would be on for me or I would find hot water bottles in my bed!

My dad also does the newspaper clippings, I always eye roll as you can just Google it but I love it really. Same with him de-icing my car thoroughly not just the half arsed job I do.

My mum is an incredible cook, I've had to give up some foods due to BF and baby allergies and her fridge is now full of vegan mayo and dairy free alternatives.

These are so lovely to read!

I'm very lucky that both my parents and my PIL are lovely and I love my inlaws dearly so will include them if that's okay.

DF comes over to sit with baby (if he's napping) when I go on the school run. DPs live down the road but DF always makes himself available at that time just in case I need him.

FIL gives us 60 quid for petrol each time we visit (around 250 miles away). It really helps. MIL is the most generous person I've ever met and would give us the clothes on her back if we asked. She is ALWAYS giving us and the DC money. I have to sometimes refuse and return it! She buys me my favourite chocolates when we visit.

Gosh you're all so lucky. My parents are very troubled and don't have the bandwidth mentally to stretch to those sort of things. I wish things were different for them and that they were happier.

Lovely to read all the sweet things though!

@JudgeRindersMinder

My late dad bought me flowers regularly

That is quite the most lovely thing I’ve heard in months. 💐

They’re amazing parents and grandparents and I hate the knowledge that one day they won’t be here.
They adore us all and it’s mutual.

My dad phones me every day at 9ish to make sure my children all went into school & nursery happy and then again around 3.30 to check they’ve all had a good day.
They always come to watch music, dance & sports shows & competitions etc and are genuinely interested in our lives.

When my niece & nephew moved into their own homes, my parents took to going round to mow their lawns & tidy their gardens. My parents are in their 70s & we laugh and say Ground Force have been today.
They are such lovely thoughtful parents & they do so much for us still, despite me being 50 with a teenage dd. They are never judgemental and always so supportive. I'm so lucky to have them.