The School Of Mom And Dad
When we’re young, we learn all sorts of things, from all kinds of places. Our teachers are the most obvious source of education, and there’s no denying that a lot of what we learn comes from the classroom. From learning to read to learning to multiply; we all have our teachers to thank. But, teachers aren’t the only ones we learn from. We also learn a great deal from ourselves. And, of course, our friends teach us a thing or two as well. But, all these sources aside; our parents teach us more than anyone.
While we may not always realize it, they are responsible for most life lessons we stumble across. They are endless sources of wisdom, and we look to them far more often than we notice. Think about it; how many times have you called on your mom to help you deal with an issue, even in adult life? No matter our age, we see our parents as endless fonts of wisdom. And, when you become a parent, you take that role for your child. No pressure, but it’s quite a responsibility. Which is why we’re going to look at a few central lessons most parents pass down without realizing. That way, you can at least prepare yourself for what you’re passing down.
The habits
Habits are one of those things that we all learn from our parents without even realizing it. How often do you sit down and find yourself absentmindedly doing something your dad used to do? It’s one of those things, like hair color and height, which we just seem to pick up on. As you can see on sites like health.howstuffworks.com, studies suggest this is partly down to genetics, but also down to the fact that we’ve simply grown up seeing our parents do those things. Hence, we’re more likely to do them ourselves.
Sadly, this is the case for both good and bad habits. For example, a study by the University of Washington revealed that children of smokers are more than twice as likely to develop a daily habit by 21. That said, children with parents who did volunteer work are 145% more likely to volunteer themselves. So, you could have learnt a mixed bag from your parents. Sometimes, it’s the irrelevant habits we pick up on, like the way your mom used to pick her toenails. It may have driven you insane when you were younger, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself doing the same!
With the above in mind, consider which habits your kids might pick up from you. Make an effort to show them proper behaviors and positive habits, in the hope that they’ll adopt them in later life. And, try not to pick your toenails around them if you can help it…
The practical stuff
It’s also fair to say that we often learn the practical stuff about life from our parents. This involves anything from cooking, to managing money. Those of us whose moms were always in the kitchen are much more likely to have a keen cooking habit ourselves. And, the chances are that she taught you a thing or two about how to make a mean casserole, or bake a decent cake.
Equally, those of us who had parents with a keen money sense are much more likely to be the same. But, if you grew up around parents who spent money as soon as they got it, you may struggle to save. Or, if your parents always worried about money, you’re more likely to adopt that habit and save whatever you can. And, this doesn’t stop when we move out of the family home. If your parents continue to save for their later years, you’ll probably follow the lead. And, you’ll also likely follow in their footsteps about whatever medicare supplements they rely on for health costs, and so on. If they go for plan F, there’s a significant chance you’ll want to find out from GoMedigap and other sites, and take the same route when the time comes. It makes sense when you think about it; after all, it worked for your parents.
And, of course, these aren’t the only practical lessons our parents have to teach. They also show us how to clean, how to decorate, and all manner of lessons which we take forward into life. And, though this often seems an unconscious thing, you can rest easy your parents made an effort to teach you everything they know. And, now it’s time you to do the same with your children. Get them in the kitchen. Try to pass on good money habits. They’ll thank you for it later.
The love
While all the above is essential, the most critical things any of us learn from our parents are lessons of love. And, these teachings often have many layers to them. The first lesson is, of course, the importance of giving and receiving love to those around you. The love you’re given by your parents goes a considerable way towards developing your sense of worth. That’s pretty significant stuff. In fact, it’ll go on to determine the love you seek for the rest of your life. And, let’s not forget that the affection your parents show you will determine the affection you display for others. Parents who hug everyone they meet are much more likely to have children who do the same.
And, it isn’t only in a general sense that our parents teach us about love. We also learn a lot about relationships by watching them. As can be seen from sites like www.storypick.com, we can learn a lot about marriage, and how to make love last from our parents.
Remember, then, that your children can learn all these love points from you, too. Make sure to show your love for them and others, often. And, remember how much they absorb from your relationship with your partner. Keep things positive, and show them how to make love last!