To ask for good memories of your parents

[Willowrose63]

What things about your parents that made/ make you feel the most loved? I feel quite overwhelmed by all the information available on parenting online, books etc.

So many things, telling me stories of family I’d never met. Teaching me everything-how to cook, change a tyre, paint a wall. I was a sickly kid between 7 an 10 years, but looking after my every need, sitting with me, bringing comics and books, getting up night after night when I was coughing.
But most of all love, they weren’t massively demonstrative, but they loved each other deeply, they loved me, my sister, my niece and nephew.

Very emotional thread OP. My parents made mistakes & I have had to work through some stuff as an adult but I know they did their best & always had my back. I remember wonderful holidays. Big family Christmases with traditions, lots of love & laughter. My DF is one of the funniest people I know. DM was always lovely when I was poorly. One of my favourite memories is of her folding my sheet over ontop of my blanket & smoothing it down so I could feel the coolness. I knew my parents were always there. I had a miscarriage when DH was away & they were absolutely brilliant - I will never forget that time. I remember all my friends saying how supportive my parents were & they would all confide in DM because she was “ so sympathetic“.

One of my oldest memories is my dad reading bedtime stories and putting on silly voices for all the characters.

What a lovely thread, my own DM is still alive at 89 and my DF died recently at 90. I think often you don't appreciate your DPs until you get older yourself. My Dad was always the parent to pick my mates and me up from the youth club disco, I did have a strict 'curfew' time which I used to grumble about but I can see now that it was because I was cared for. Boyfriends always had to meet me at home and be properly introduced ... how they would cope with online dating I don't know .

My DPs valued education and DF spent hours helping me with maths homework and they paid for tutors to get me through my 'O' Levels.

Unconditional love and support ... one things stands out ... I broke the Law and had to go to Court and was fined, my DPs didn't condone what I'd done but when I got home from Court there was a bouquet waiting for me with a 'we will always love you' type message. .

So many things really ... I honestly think they were/are fantastic parents and better at parenting than I am ....

'The first thing your child should see when they enter the room, is your pleasure in seeing them. Only after that has registered, should you tell them to tuck their shirt in.'

I know how different I felt when DM was simply pleased to see me, as opposed to when she would immediately launch in to something.

Similarly, my DDad would only ever compliment me on my appearance when he knew I had been trying to improve it (eg by dieting). I know he was trying to be supportive, but to me it always felt like it reflected negatively on my previous appearance.

Children need to know that they are loved simply for who they are, and not for what they could be.

Thanks to everyone for your replies! Have re read the thread a few times. An emotional read for sure!

Being kissed on the forehead...still makes me cry (happy tears)

I don't have any. Our parents divorced when us 4 children were all under 6 years old. Neither of them wanted us so we ended up in different children's homes. My 2 younger brothers aged 18 months and 3 years were eventually fostered, me and my sister stayed in various children's homes until each of us reached 16 then we had to leave and live in bedsits.

Both my parents re married and went on to have more children though

My mom always drove me and my friends home from after school activities and everyone loved her. She's easy to talk to. I was always so proud that she could talk to anyone really easily and I try to be like her.

My dad always made time for me even though he worked strange hours. We had several sports we did together once a week or more.

Both of them love me so much and tell me all the time. I had a hard week this week and a call to them yesterday has made me feel a lot better. They're just really supportive and kind.

From the time I was very young, I knew I wanted to be a mother one day. The reason was that my own mother seemed to enjoy motherhood immensely, so I expected that I would too. (And I do!) I don't even remember how it showed, how I knew that she loved being a mum, but clearly it did show! I knew it was my sister and me who made her feel that way.

As an adult, I mentioned to my mum the curious fact that I have almost no memory of the year I was eight. She said that I'd been desperately unhappy at school and had come home crying most days. I guess I blocked all of that out.

She then told me that was the real reason my family had moved to another area the following year. The move involved my dad giving up a job he loved for a series of jobs he disliked. They wanted to get me into a school they hoped would suit me better. They did not tell me the reason for the move at the time, which was incredibly kind: I would have felt so guilty if I'd known.

It seems a common theme with most of these is "parents making time to spend with their children, and enjoying doing so". I can see how that would make anyone feel loved and valued ❤

I've really loved reading these, what a good idea for a post.

Oh dear. Read this and realised I don't have a single one! Mum was depressed and dad worked every hour to keep food on the table.

My dc seem to feel really loved. I think it's mainly time and trying to not be distracted when you're with them.

My parents were really fun people. They we're pretty well off when we were growing up and were brilliant at fun stuff, so we had great Christmas's, birthdays, holidays and days out. They also organised loads of parties with other families - literally any excuse and a party would be thrown. They loved games and had entertainers like magicians, it was so much fun. They were always laughing and joking.
They were absolutely useless regards education and careers advice though showed no interest in any of our schooling and had pretty lax boundaries. So we were left to get on with things too much and not really allowed to be sad or upset or disagree, my parents went on about how happy we all were, even when one or more of us clearly weren't. Not enough emotional support. Looking back, it was almost like a house full of children.