Advice your Mother gave you that you actually listened to.

[TheLostWinchesterWife]

Talking to my children today about being nice. Two seconds after they were tearing each other apart again.
Found myself saying 'I always listened to my Mum!'
...then wondered if I ever actually did.
Some of it was good and I should have followed and some was rubbish. But I couldn't think of any that I remembered thinking 'ah yes..I must remember that' so has anyone, anywhere ever listened to their mother?

Never argue with a lorry.

When I called her to tell her dp had proposed she told me not to rush into anything. 20 years later we're still engaged

"They are not babies and children for long, make the most of them before they leave the nest".

That is so true. We had our trials and tribulations with my son when he became 14/15 but we all have wonderful shared memories of them as children.

Winkywinkola, that's a horrible thing your mum said. Short people are overlooked/ mocked / underpaid. Ive never done anything aggressive to prove myself. What do i need to prove?

My mother told me not to try to change the world around me , just to make the best life i could in the world that existed. That is her philosophy though not mine. I see now you can pass on advice but u cant expect your daughter to buy in to your entire philosophy on life.

Another one here for promoting financial independence. And she advised that I always have my own bank account. She also taught me how to keep a house tidy and the value of home cooked food. She never wasted money. She's quiet and stoic with her emotions which I struggle with from time to time, but she's given me so much.

Before I went on my first holiday with friends. "Don´t bring home anything you cant keep on the mantlepiece"

Never go to bed on an argument.

Yes, my Mum taught me how to run a house, like clock work - I never really appreciated it, at the time. But I am very, very grateful nowadays.

She taught me to maintain a very low (but constant) level of tidying/putting things away. That way the house never looks a mess, and it makes it so much easier to keep clean.

She also taught me, that as a last resort if guests arrive unexpectedly - plump up the sofa cushions, bung bleach down the loos, and spritz the lightbulbs with some perfume - so at least everywhere feels tidy and fresh

My DM passed this on from her MIL - whenever you go up or down stairs take something with you.

I don't stick to it religiously but you can see the sense in it.

Moisturise your neck (she didn't - nor did she use sun cream in the seventies - and her neck looks about 30 years older than the rest of her).

Don't muck with trucks.

I live in an area where you get road trains and heavily loaded trucks daily.

Don't muck with trucks. You will lose.

Yes to moisturising your neck! Only thing my mother said that was sense. Other advice such as dont bother about sex, its horrid, always wash up and dry your washing up bowl, get your children out of nappies before their first birthday etc has been of course totally ignored.

Oh and to look after my hands. I haven't and they let me down now.

Always be able to support yourself financially (actually came from grandmother via mother.)

Make sure you have shared values and (legal and financial) commitment before you have children with that person.

They both had good, happy marriages but I think they saw too many friends, neighbours, family etc stuck without options.

If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything.

You're good enough for those who like you and far too good for those who don't.

Wise words from a very wise woman!

Mine said to me when DS was a newborn and I was stressing about the state of the house:

'Cobwebs lie down
Dust go to sleep,
I'm rocking my baby
And babies don't keep'

He's 21 yo now - maybe I should start doing some house work?

-Have a run away account,
-Always buy a house as far Up a hill as you can, watch out for mining
-Always have a cat,
-You must have a will,
-Money isn't everything, your family is forever.
Yes, we even had an uncle tried to get buried with his money. Guess who was the ONLY people at his funeral.

But I've added the amendment "it's easier to cry in a car than on a bike".

My gran always said to have a spare pair of knickers in your bag.

Oh, I forgot the most wise thing of all:
Pop the kettle on, tea solves everything.

Yes from my gran.

It's hard enough when everything's right and impossible when it isn't. The back up to that is I think: same race, same religion, same class, same politics - the more strands that are different the harder it is. My gran married a forriner who was a different religion.

Always have your own money and keep it your own.

Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see

Some things are down to fate and you can only do the best you can. Just be thankful.
Said when I was hysterical because I'd found my about 2 yo PFB hanging out of a 3 floor up bedroom window....grabbed her just in time. I thought I'd done everything to make her safe then unusual circumstances led to her being able to get to that open window.
She was right, instead of beating myself up about it, I should be glad it was ok. (And learn from it)...

Blimey winkywinkola, does it make us short people less psychotic if we wear heels? . But then I've got something to prove, so I would say that, wouldn't I?

Anyway, I once asked my mum what the most valuable advice she'd ever received was; she replied "Use a whisk for sauces, and be nice to the janitor". Very wise on both counts - DH and MIL use wooden spoons for sauces which we agreed was feasible, but not as effective as a whisk.

Have your babies close together so that you get the nappy stage over and done with!

"be unto others kind and true
and always unto others do
as you'd have others do to you"