Things your parents made you do.

[Daffodilwoman]

Hi all
This is a lighthearted thread. Something I’ve been thinking about. What things did your parents do/insist on which you may or may not have continued.
For example my mother always made me save things ‘for best’. She also saved things for best too. I had clothes ‘for best’ and everyday clothes. If ever she put sun cream on me I always had to wear everyday clothes, I could never wear my best clothes if she was applying suncream. She saved things ‘for best’. This included towels, curtains, bedding, clothes, shoes. Quite often ‘best’ never came and I’ve lost count of the number of times things which have never come out of the wrapping have become unfashionable and she has got rid of them. For example chintzy curtains, flowery towels, patterned duvets.
She used to buy dd clothes and shoes which were too big saying that she would grow into them. However when the right season came for dd to wear say, a summer dress, it didn’t fit her so I would give it away. She doesn’t do it so much now as I refuse to accept things from her which I don’t use.
Whilst I do save sone things for best I’m nowhere near like my mum. Only things like certain shoes or clothes do I save for best, the rest I use.
I also understand buying things in the sale but my mum always bought things in the sale and never wore them. It took me years to get out of this mindset. A friend actually introduced me to the concept of cost per wear and I try and go by that now.

My dad decided at some point we didn't get enough homework so assigned us an essay every week.

We weren't allowed to cut our sandwiches across the middle, they had to be diagonal.

Made to visit Granny every Sunday and sit through a long (often boring) formal Sunday lunch from a young age until the end of primary school. It was so much more relaxed at Nana’s!

Never allowed to walk bare foot indoors always had to have slippers on. Not allowed to sit down stairs in just pjs /nightie always had to have a dressing gown on regardless of the weather!

Thank you letters every Christmas and Birthday. No real issue with this one, but I could never think of what to write as news.

Never allowed out with wet hair in case I caught a cold.

I always had Clark’s or Start rite shoes as a little girl until late primary. Black patent ones in winter and a red and navy pair of closed toe sandals in the summer plus a white heel and toe out pair for hot summer days! My shoes were so uncool !

Never getting the peaches and cream or love heart barbie dolls when my sister did. I got ballet dancer Sindy and Crystal Barbie. Apparently this was because Mum did not want us to have two identical dolls each in case we got bored with them!

I wasn't allowed long hair as a child,by long I mean barely touching my shoulders. I desperately wanted long hair,but my mum marched me off to the hairdresser every 8 weeks without fail,for 'a trim'. As soon as I hit 16,I refused to go to the hairdresser's so frequently,and grew my hair long. I've had it long ever since (I'm 59 now). My DM KNEW I wanted long hair,and used to try and kid me (with the hairdresser's backing) that having an inch cut off every 8 weeks would 'stimulate' it to grow better and quicker. I now know that this was a load of bollocks.
Looking back,I think the real reason that my DM made me have short hair was not because she particularly hated long hair,but because she couldn't be bothered with the extra work involved in keeping her child's long hair looking nice!

Never allowed to go to the (nearby) beach in case I brought sand into the house.
The tea towel was not allowed to touch the draining board when wiping up (germs)
All unBritish food shunned ( would make you ill)
No bedding to touch the floor at night (unknown)
Towels were safety pinned on the towel rail to prevent them touching the floor (germs)
Not allowed to sit on the grass (creatures)
When I left home I had a great time doing all these in excess!

Oh No @mondaytosunday what about?

also freaked out about the china dolls!

In contrast to all the other stories here, my mum insisted I keep my hair long and I wasn't allowed it short well into secondary school. I desperately wanted it cut, so age 14 I got my bottom of my back length hair cut into a short Bob. My mum cried, but was made worse when my sister (6 at the time) then cut her own hair to look like me 🤣 I got royally told off and blamed for that one. I have had my hair all different lengths and styles over the years and dds have had theirs cut however they liked. My mum was horrified I let dd1 have hers shaved into an undercut!

I was also only allowed certain clothes for best. As a young child I wasn't allowed messy food or anything with the risk of staining (calippos, ice poles etc) if we were out for the day incase I got it on my clothes. In contrast my sister was allowed anything!

Christmas day we had to buy a special new fancy outfit to wear. Everyone had to get dressed up even though we didn't go anywhere!

DM bought Dsis wear boys shoes when she was about 13. Years later we found the receipt where DM had written Dsis shoes (boys)

Flashback!! Our house was the same. Lord knows why, what a strange rule.