As a child, it’s virtually impossible to grasp the rationale behind your parents’ childrearing decisions. I remember questioning more than a few of the parenting decisions that my mom made, especially during the (gasp!) teen years. When I would push back, she’d calmly explain her point of view and then say, “you’ll see when you’re a parent . . . ” With an eye-roll and a ‘yea, yea,’ I would shrug it off, unable to even conceive of that notion with an adolescent mind.
Decades later, now as a mom of three, I have much more insight, understanding, and appreciation for the choices she made for me. I am appreciative of the many lessons my mom has taught me over the years, and watching her evolve into a grandparent has continued to reinforce those important lessons, like:
1 Speak Up
As a shy kid, speaking up let alone speaking up for myself was something I was never comfortable doing. But being told throughout my childhood that my voice was worth hearing helped me become the assertive and authoritative person I am now.
2 Be Smart With Money
My mother was never a big spender, and her frugality was passed down to me; she wasn’t cheap though. She spent money on things that were worth it. Choosing a great family cell-phone plan from where you get 4 lines for $25 per line with 25 GB of high-speed shared* data and unlimited talk and text is a financial decision she’d easily get on board with.
3 Look For the Humor
Leave it to my mom and me to break into hysterical laughter at the most inappropriate times. I credit her with being able to find the humor in even the most mundane things. Parenting is definitely easier when I can find the funny in my toddler dumping three boxes of spaghetti on the floor.
4 Be Independent
Whether you call it independence (or stubbornness, according to my husband), my resolve to do things on my own comes from my mom. It may be a fault at times, not asking for help (something that is not recommended when you have a newborn!), but I credit my mom with passing along her internal strength and resolve.
5 Find My Happy
One really important lesson that I try to pass onto my kids is how important it is for them to find their happy. It has nothing to do with material things, but for them, it comes from family, friends, and within. I want to teach my kids from a very early age that their happiness starts from their core and emanates from within. Happy people find each other.
I’m not always sure of what I’m doing in this thing we call parenting, but I do know that these important traits are ones I’ll certainly pass down to the next generation. Thanks, Mom.
Source: Popsugar
