What is the best lesson you were taught by a parent and how did they teach it?

[CalMeKate]

I have 2 examples to share.

1. When I was 13 my Mum found a pack of cigarettes in my school bag. She bought me a pack on 20 and sat me in the garden with her and made me chain smoke the pack. I got to number 7-8 and felt so sick that I nearly vomited. I didn’t smoke again after that day and I now can’t stand the smell and it makes me feel nauseous. (this was in the 90s and most definitely NOT good parenting).

2. When I was 14 My Mum made me write out a list of all the things I wanted to do when I was a grown up and made me research it all. For example, I wrote something like “go on holiday every year” and then I had to go to a travel agent and find a holiday and get it costed. Other things on the list included “own a car” “own a house” “buy CDs when I want to” “buy make-up” etc etc. once I costed up 1 years worth of what I wanted. I then had to find a job that would pay enough so I could do what was on my list. I needed to earn £22k a year. Which basically meant I stopped bunking off school and got my sh$t together to try and get some GCSEs. Which I just about managed.

There were a few other things I learnt along the way including how not to parent a child. But I am intrigued to hear your stories.

To be nice to people - everyone you encounter, whoever they are.

We learned by their example.

They taught me about finances. Once I was old enough, if they were doing something like buying a car, they made me go with for the negotiations and going through all the paperwork. They explained in detail what they would pay in the long run if they took various finance offers for purchases and how saving up first and paying in full or using credit wisely saved money.

only good thing my parents taught me how to do is change a plug! my mother was big on independance.

Great idea for a thread

My dad taught me, through his behaviour and attitude, not to make throwaway but insidious sexist comments. They were just illogical to him. I remember visiting our elderly neighbour one evening with him. She said something jokingly and lightly disparagingly about him being “surrounded by women” in our house (me, my mum, my sister) and he just pulled himself up a little bit and said “that’s my daughters you’re talking about”, smiled nicely and carried on the conversation. He just didn’t ever engage in that bullshit, no matter how light hearted, well meaning, conventional.