Lessons my father taught me ------

[Vagabond]

.......but I was too obstinate and "cool" to listen to.

My father always taught me that if a man ever shows the slightest bit of disinterest in you, walk away. If he doesn't call you or doesn't try to make plans to see you again, forget him. I used to think he didn't understand!!! I used to think he didn't get it. Turns out nothing has changed in 60 years when it comes to love and courtship.
If a man truly loves you, he'll find a way.
Don't make excuses for a man not calling you. If he wants to be with you, he'll do his damnest to be with you.

My Dad has taught me not to have any expectations of him - that way I can't be let down.

He's also taught me that the old saying 'blood is thicker than water' isn't true for everyone.

very up and down thread - my dad was abusive and very much a split personality, he taught me a lot both good and bad. I'm gonna go with the good stuff...

Hi trusted parenting line that still makes me laugh though is
'If you can't be good, be careful'

He introduced me to a love of music and good food, that the world is not black and white, old jamaica chocolate, escapism, and taking great pleasure in simple things like a beautiful day, countryside, a loyal pet.

I wish you could wipe the bad from a person and have only the good in there. If you could do that then I'd still have a dad in my life.

My dad gave me my work ethic and taught me to be good with money. He is very clever, gave me a good education and encouraged me to have a career.

However, there is no warmth there - I don't think he's ever told me "I love you". He would never tell me I look nice or pay me any complements for anything other than academic achievement. He is not at all interested in my kids and when I talk to him on the phone it is like talking to a stranger.

I don't think he ever really wanted children and used to avoid us when we were little.

DH is thankfully very different from him. I could never, ever, live with a man like him. My mother is a difficult character but I don't think being married to him has helped her.

Change a plug
Change a fuse
The rules of cricket
The rules of rugby (Union & League)
Stuff about religions, history, politics, nature way before I learned them in school (so I looked all swotty & clever)

It's who you know, not what you know.

He was right.

If you haven't got the money in your pocket to pay for it then don't buy it

You have to work hard for what you want

Some Dads are just great aren't they... some do not deserve to be fathers.

My Dad; apart from some of the lessons other posters have said - the 'stand out from the crowd' lesson for me is:

Shoes and Beds - two things that you should spend more money on. If you are not in one, you'll be in the other.

Clever, clever man. I love him.

He always says "A fool and his money are easily parted"
"neither a lender nor a borrower be"
"if you can't afford something, save up for it, or do without"

He also taught me to be fair, work hard and enjoy life.

I don't know what lesson I'm supposed to have learned from him, poor man. To be careful around drink as to paraphrase the LifeofRiley, it can wipe the good from a man and leave only the bad.

I miss the man who wasn't a slave to the drink.

When your mother is nagging, hide in the garage.

When she follows you to the garage, take up residence in the pub.

I was very quick to follow him to both those realms.

That you can only try your best and not to beat yourself up if something does not go your way and you tryed you best.

My dad is also a feminist though and always made me believe I could be anything I wanted. He rocks.

My Dad taught me how to dance like Tina Turner !

That women are wonderful (father of four girls and faithful husband for over 40 years). He would not have chosen it any other way

This is a good thread, although I am for all those people with crap fathers.

My father taught me :
To read all the instructions and make a plan before leaping in.

Never to wear tights that were laddered, "Your grandmother would turn in her grave if she could see you now".

That I could do anything and go anywhere and that I didn't need someone else to pave the way for me ....
... but that I should expect a man in my life to love me, protect me and cherish me.

To drive, and not to buy into ridiculous ideas that women find driving harder than men.

To make white sauce perfectly, every time, with no lumps .

I don't remember any "pearls of wisdom", he is not a man of many words. But I am very grateful that he never even hinted that I cannot be or do anything because I'm a woman. He always believed that I am smart and strong and can do whatever the heck I want.

And by just being him, he helped me to keep the faith during many disastrous dating years that there are, nonetheless, some nice, decent, reliable men out there.

I have a great dad. Actually, will give him a call just to tell him that.

To be true to myself.

To trust my own intuition.

To never 'chase' a man. They are not worth it.

To always pay my taxes.

That I am the best daughter in the world.

I love my Dad. He's brilliant, mad and fun.

My Dad raised me to believe that I could be anything that I wanted and that my gender should have no bearing. I think to this day, there is a tiny part of him that is sad that I never became a mechanic!

So many things that are good about life and how to negotiate my way through it whilst always doing my best. I think the most important thing he taught me though is that family are your number one priority. I wish it hadn't taken him dying suddenly to make me understand that, I'm only just starting my own family now following that realisation and it breaks my heart that he'll never meet his little granddaughter.

He also taught me that driving round like an idiot generally won't get me anywhere any faster and how to swear like a trouper at football

This message has made me a bit tearful. My dad died nearly 3 years ago and I miss him every day. He was far from perfect, but he was sill a very good man, who loved his family. Things he taught me include:

That a big row with a partner doesn't mean your relationship is over.
That no matter what time of night, where I was, etc he would always come and get me. He would always offer me lifts wherever I was going too, though as a teenager I sometimes was annoyed when he wouldn't just leave me alone to get the bus. How I wish he was around now to give me lifts all the time! Lol
That even if you've had a massive argument with someone you shouldn't 'bitch' about them to anyone else, particularly your kids. My mum is a fantastic mother, but if she and my dad had arguments when I was a teen she would moan about him to me and he would never say anything bad about her, which looking back I think is really admirable.
That even if you hate your job, if you have a family to support you should get on and do it and not moan about it all the time at home. My dad had the same job for 30 years and pretty much left the house by 7am and often didn't get home until after 7pm. I never knew but apparently he hated his job, yet he never ever threw a sickie.
That if someone asks for help then if you can you should give it.
That even if you have a problem with a family members actions, you should try your hardest not to hold it against them. He never got on with his dad, but as a child I never would have known that as he would take us to see him and stay with him regularly.
That education is important but that just because you didn't have a great education doesn't make you any less important than anyone else.
That you should treat everyone the same and not have favourites etc. He used to joke that at work, in the team he was in charge of, he never had any favourites as 'they all hate me equally!' Yet, he was very fair to them and if their kids were ill etc he always let them have the time off.
That children are to be treasured and you should make the most of the time you have with them when they are little.

My dad taught me the traits NOT to look for in a man..and never to be subservient like my mother.

To drive Big Cars in blizzards and change a wheel.

How to decorate and do DIY properly (he bought me my first tool box).

How to wire things.

Why final salary schemes are a good idea.

How to play back garden cricket and rugby.

How to grill steak and make chips.

How to dance the Twist.

How to sing like Charles Aznavour.

How to behave so a policeman goes away without giving you a ticket after he's caught you speeding.

How to get small children to do what you want.

How to handle my mother.

Behave with respect, charm and humour. Acknowledge your mistakes, but make it sound very much like something they might have done (I once got away with "I was so amazed to find this old banger could reach 80, I just had to see what else it could do!") and be ever so sorry.

Good luck!!!

... gues what daddy did for a living