30 People Share The Dead Wrong Things Their Parents Taught Them, And There Is Actual Wisdom In Their Realizations
As kids, we see our parents as all-knowing people. However, as the years pass, we realize that our moms and dads are just regular humans after all, and that they too don't have all the answers. So we start looking elsewhere.
There's an interesting study published in the British Journal of Political Science, based on data from the U.S. and U.K., which found that parents who are insistent that their children adopt their political views inadvertently influence their children to abandon the belief once they become adults.
This can be explained by the fact that children who come from homes where politics is a frequent topic of discussion are more likely to talk about politics once they leave home, exposing them to new viewpoints—which they then adopt with surprising frequency.
Similar transformations happen in other areas as well. To get a better understanding of them, Reddit users u/nousername1982 and u/ZestyClose_Ad4682 recently started threads asking people to share the things their parents taught them that turned out to be totally wrong. Here are some of the responses, ranging from romantic relationships to personal finance, that we thought might be interesting and worthy of your time.
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"If a boy acts like a jerk, it means he likes you!"
No...just no...
First of all, he shouldn't be let off the hook for acting like a jerk. (Whether he's 5 or 105.) Secondly, it teaches girls that abuse is okay, or that they should expect to be treated like crap (and that it's okay for them to be treated like crap.)
I swear this was initially an embarrassment tactic for the boys to stop pestering girls and it originally stopped being said to the boys at "courting" age. (I put quotes because it's so cheesy and old-fashioned to say "courting", and not something I say normally.)
That sex, sexuality, drinking/drugs/partying, politics, money, spirituality are awkward things to discuss. I want my future kids to know facts and that if they are ever in trouble, I am a safe place for them. We don't have to talk about it if they don't want to, they'll be taught how to be safe, but they should also know that these subjects are a part of life and should not cause shame.
I didn't have a safe place to talk about anything, so I made sure I am the safe place for my kid, too. Nothing will shock me. I will not judge, just listen. However, some things do need to be talked about no matter if anyone wants to hear it or not.
We managed to get in touch with one of the Redditors that sparked this discussion, u/nousername1982 and they agreed to have a talk about their post and parenting in general.
"I don't really [remember] what I was doing exactly [when I came up with the idea to ask the internet this question]," they told Bored Panda.
"But, I have kids myself who are very curious and ask questions all the time. I made a promise to myself to be as honest with them as possible (without spoiling Christmas). But sometimes it is difficult to give a genuine answer because the truth would make something more difficult to accept. I've seen many Redditors posting about parents telling them they 'can do anything.' I believe those motivational speeches are essential for a child. Probably most of the stories were a variation of that."
If you stop reacting, they'll stop bullying you.
This hits hard. It was the teachers and daycare staff that were saying this trash to me, though. My mom sorta ignored it and thought I was doing something to cause other kids to bully me. No support. Nothing. This carries into adulthood. Eventually you stop caring what other people think but there is a stronger need to be heard the loudest, so you end up repeating the injustices you experience in life to friends and family until they acknowledge your plight, which never happens because you're being a downer, an attention-seeker, and a boring repeater. But you're not really trying to be any of that. You just want to understand why people are shitty towards you of all people.
Lack of empathy. My parents grew up in a really really horrible situation and they made it out and did well for themselves. So now anytime anyone struggles they refuse to feel bad for them because they have gone through worse and did fine. I think people deserve empathy regardless.
I don't know this guy's story or where he comes from, if he's homeless or has a home and struggling with something. I was at Subway and saw him chatting with the staff. He left with nothing. As soon as I started asking what he wanted they said he wanted food, and that he comes in frequently and they used to give him free food but can't continue doing that. I was going to buy him something if that was the case. I was a bit hesitant hearing that it's been a regular occurrence but then I thought I've been homeless and hungry before. Why the hell not. I bought a $10 gift card for them to use it towards him the next time he shows up. If he doesn't show up, someone's got a free gift card regardless and that is just fine.
u/nousername1982 thinks that parents and their kids every now and then simply end up on different terms. "Sometimes parents have priorities that kids don't understand, like 'Why are they always having to work that much?' Truth is, at least in my case, I don't have to work that hard, but I'm motivated to advance my career. I'm not working to pay for the food, house, or toys. I'm working for the extras."
"Also, most parents strive to have an easy life, which is sometimes difficult to combine with kids. You don't want to tell your kids they can't have something because mom or dad doesn't want to make the effort," the Redditor continued. "My parents told me I had to quit my favorite sport because of a kid that was dealing drugs in the club. Later, I realized it was because the drive was too much of a hassle. The drug dealer had little to do in the decision."
That parents never have to apologize to their kids.
I love my dad. He is a great dad and I know he loves me so much, but he has it in his head that even now, even when his youngest (me) is an adult, that he doesn't need to apologize if he does something wrong. It's baffling.
Same here. Mine barely uses basic manners with me. She does with everyone else. Just not me.
That's what happened to me yesterday. Again. Met my mother for the first time in weeks. Her first comment was how swollen my face looked and it's ugly. Told her that I was accompanied by mosquitoes the last night's. She told me to not do it and it's not doing me a favor being fat AND have that swollen face. I said that if she has got nothing nice to say to keep her mouth shut. During the evening she complimented several people. I asked her why she has so many nice things to say about strangers but never behave decent towards me. Her answer was, she wanted to, but she was afraid that I would get angry again like when she told me my face looked ugly...
Load More Replies...That's a sad one. My verbally, emotionally and - in early childhood - physically abusive parents would never admit they made any mistake with me. Not even when it's obvious, not even when other people point it out to them. However - years after I moved away - they do wonder why I refuse to visit them.
It's always "I'm sorry BUT" followed by I something I must have done to make them wrong.
I don't understand this. Being a parent doesn't mean you are immune to making mistakes and owning up to them. Our kids are human beings and deserve to be treated as such.
My dad is big on apologizing, but only if you mean it. Don't apologize if you're not sorry, because it's an empty gesture. I try to live by this example.
Sorry means doing your absolute best to make sure that it never happens again. It might, but being genuinely sorry means that you've tried and that it is not just an empty word
Load More Replies...I knew when I was wrong and always apologized to my kids for either losing my temper when I should have been listening or just not listening altogether and still losing my cool. I allowed my children their voices while I kept my mouth shut so I could understand where they were coming from so I could get the full perspective of points of view on certain issues and topics. My oldest just sent to me yesterday a beautiful clip of a song called dear mom by Dax..that brought me to tears because I never knew that's how he felt about us or that he saw me like that. I sat in my car.unable to drive home..because I found out just how much my son loves me and knows the sacrifices I made for him and his siblings. It has been my honor to love these 3 amazing young lives and relish in the fact that each of them is so unique in their own outlooks on life and that no matter our own differences we can still come to a table and eat together and love and trust, knowing our differences are met with open ar
My grandad taught me a big lesson (though I sort of knew it anyway) based on something that happened to him as a teacher. He had a child who had done something wrong (I can't remember what) and so he kept them in after school. The next day, after learning some new facts and a sleepless night, he found he was wrong and that child didn't do it. He stood in front of the class and apolgised to the class, and child who he'd wronged. He said, even adults get thing wrong and they should be held accountable and he wanted children to feel like they could come to him with problems and he would try to listen and learn from his mistakes. All people should do this.
That's some major bull. I want my kids to know that anyone of any age should apologize if they're wrong.
You may not think that you did anything wrong but if the other person perceived it that way then apologize. No cost, all benefit. Especially with people you love, including your children.
Oh really? Who taught your parents that? All humans should apologise for a mistake I mean its just natural innit?
My dad never actually said "I'm sorry.". What he would do instead was, call whichever one of us deserved the apology & say "Ok, now give me 2 kiss & tell me you're sorry.". Which we did, usually laughing. Then he'd hug them & give them 2 kisses. One kiss was never good enough for my dad.
I apologize to my (14F) kid whenever I'm wrong or when I say something I shouldn't. It teaches respect. Parents can be wrong about alot of things.
My dad has the tendency to treat me like an idiot and a child, and when I tell about something, like maybe something I learned in school that day, he will do anything he can to prove me wrong. Then he is surprised suddenly I'm done and I get really angry and yell at him. I usually spit out something vile about my mom too, for just letting him do what he does, but afterwards my mom and I apologise to each other, I for yelling at her while she can't do much about it, and she for making me feel undervalued and not at least trying to do something about it. My dad NEVER apologises, not to me and not to my mom, though he knows how to because he has apologised to my brother on several occasions. I don't know why he feels like I don't deserve an apology and my brother does, but I make a point of it to apologise to my younger cousins when I do something that hurts them because I never want any of them to feel like I do all the time...
How can you teach someone to say Im sorry if you never learn to say it yourself.
My parents have both done some pretty terrible things to me in my youth and teenage years. Things have changed drastically for the better and we have a healthier relationship, but - even though it probably shouldnt - it still bothers me a bit that neither one of them has ever said they’re sorry for what they put me and my sibs through.
I’m 59 and my dad just turned 84. He’s never apologized for anything and probably never will. Sad for him.
My late Dad, who was 5'7", liked to make this semi-ironic statement: "It takes a big man to admit when he's wrong." About a year before he passed away, he and I had a huge clash. He was just being a rude inconsiderate schmuck to another family member while I was in the room. I really let him have it. He tried to do the "This isn't about you" thing, which made me angrier. I just kept pushing back. He was pissed too, but I do believe that he could see how furious I was, that it could get ugly. He slammed out of the room, but he did come to his senses, pretty quickly. It was clear he was ashamed of himself, and made sure the others knew that. He told me that he was sorry he had acted like an a*****e (his words.) I've come to realize that for that moment, he was channeling his own father, who was a real SOB, by all accounts. It make me so sad that he had to grow up with that. But I am also blessed that he really was a great Dad, who meant what he said.
When me and my dad got into it, we'd go our own way afterwards. Then, cool off. A bit later, one of us would come check on the other and apologize. We had to get our crap out of the way, but we ALWAYS came back together. We apologized to each other so many times. And it was heartfelt.
I'm 32 and my dad is still this way. He has never once apologized for his shitty behaviour or abuse or anything
Not only do I try to apologize. I encourage my kids to confront and expose me.
When I first confronted my dad he was like "I am your father" and I be like "then act like it!!!" It was hard to break the cycle/culture.
Load More Replies...I'm the oldest of 2 and my mom never apologized to me for anything. She would actually make me apologize repeatedly until she felt it was enough, even when she was wrong. Her belief is that she is never wrong, so as a child the words "I'm sorry" were ingrained into my head as an auto response to everyone for any reason, no matter who was at fault. My husband is always telling me to stop apologizing.
My parents never apologized to us. I have always apologized to my kids
Nope when you are wrong say you're sorry. How are kids supposed to learn genuine sincere actions if you don't show them.
Am a substititute. Teacher. When I walk into a class I immediately see the class whipping boiy..his chair is pulled nearest the teachers desk and way from others. Kids tell me how horriblenhe is. Shameful! I seat him elsewhere and tell kids I go by behaviour. If they listen , I'll reward them. They are all equals and w I'll 've treated as such. I haven't once had a child who didn't bloom!
I'm 31 and I'm SO glad I don't think this way. I mean my oldest is only 5 but I'm not "afraid" to admit I was wrong and openly and genuinely apologize to him
Heh I guess I felt this one because when i raised my son i made sure to apologize to him if I was wrong. Even from his youngest ages. Must have helped as we are still close and he is now an adult!
When I'm wrong i apologize even if it's something small. It's not hard. Daddy would and mama too but it was normally after we'd gotten into a fuss about something. Still they made the effort
I apologize to my kids on a regular basis. I wish I could be the perfect mom for them, but I am just a regular flawed human. What I can teach them is the how to react when they've made a mistake.
I think actions speak louder than words, if patents are sorry they will not necessarily say it but they will make sure like 100% that they will not repeat the thing that hurts you .. if they see you are really hurt .
Yeah I realized I was treated more as property by my parents than an actual individual person. Even as an adult they felt they had the right to dictate my life to me.
NEVER,ever heard that lie. I always made sure to say I was sorry when I hurt or wronged anyone. It is not possible to be right all the time.
Yes, my father was the same way. I didn't need him to apologize as I had forgiven him, but my younger brother did. My dad wasn't the nicest man at times, and my brother held in a lot of hard feelings towards our dad, those feelings ate away at him. Our farther recently passed away without giving my brother an apology, something my brother needed so he could let go and have peace.
Also don't apologize if you're going to "justify it " by putting the blame on your kids or someone else!
Could it be transference on my part or stupidity, My parents were like this and I married a guy who is never wrong so he does not have to apologize for anything ever! I will accept the stupidity diagnosis!
I apologize to my kids and they also apologize to me. It's part of having MANNERS
It's about teaching and modeling RESPECT too! Nice work teaching some manners!
Load More Replies...Parents do have to apologize to their kids if they were telling their children something that was wrong or a lie.
My father once told me that he never says "sorry" because he knows he will make the same mistake again, and then the apology would have been insincere. I never understood how he came to that conclusion. First, you should try not to repeat your mistakes, but it will eventually happen. And if it happens, it doesn't mean your apology was false. It just means you will have to apologize again.
I am a Nanny to older kids and I make sure to apologize when I am cranky or mess up because I want to model adults admitting they were wrong. There is no way to be perfect when taking care of children but you can try to model the behaviors you really want them to pick up.
"it would make undermine our authority!" No, it would humanize you. Wonder why we don't talk?
I watched my dad for years tell my stepmom she was fat and worthless Funny I never thought she was now she's completely obese close to 500lbs and it makes me sad that he was so cruel I was 100% daddies girl I didn't see any flaws in him until past 3 years it's like my blinders came off and it's so hard for me to feel the love I once did for him Now I think back on all he said and done and I think how could I have been so blind he was and is just mean
My mom still does this. Its always either that I brought it on myself or that she doesnt even remember it
I mean.... It's not really that baffling. He doesn't see you as an equal, therefore, he doesn't respect you. Not that baffling.
The one time my father apologized to me I still remember because it was so rare that it really stayed with me.
My mother has done and said many harmful things to me mentally over the years and has NEVER apologized and probably never will
I teach my kid, who is now four chronologically but five or six mentally, that apologies are necessary. More importantly I tell him that it is better to act like you're sorry then say it. You can't just apologize and then do the same thing again and expect just apologize again.
Maybe he is a narcissist, if so it is a mental health issue and he can not help it. It is frustrating for you. Just accept he may have a problem and love him! You only have one Father!
Kids are under the impression that parents are supposed to be nice.. nope.. our job is to prepare you for the world. The world isn't nice & most people, even those you know & care about will lie to you, cheat on you & be a complete a*****e at times. Parenting is no different. Sometimes I'm an a*****e, it's your job as a child to learn how to deal with assholes. For 2 generations people have been coddled and babied at home with "safe spaces" and "participation trophies" instead of teaching children that life is full of winners and loses and if you don't want to lose, you need to work hard. And that's still no guarantee.
Just out of interest... " it's your job as a child to learn how to deal with assholes" ...How exactly is your child supposed to deal with the fact that you are an a*****e, when you are an a*****e? Give an example of a situation - because right now I see only a scenario in which they will lose all their trust and respect for you.
Load More Replies... Math and science aren’t gonna serve a girl well.
I would had killed to have someone reared me into STEM when I was younger.
I wish I had more access to electronics and the computer and internet.
Even though the idea of lying to your kids sounds harsh at first, a study published in the International Journal of Psychology found that 84 percent of the American parents surveyed do it to get them to behave. This is also known as 'instrumental lying.'
While the decision when to use it is ultimately up to the parents, there are certain situations where it's considered more acceptable. For instance, the fictional story of Santa Claus is universally known, and many young children learn it from their moms and dads. So long as they're not using Santa to threaten the little ones into behaving, it's perfectly fine. Interestingly, one study, published in Child Psychiatry and Human Development, discovered that children who eventually found out the truth about Santa Claus reacted positively to the news.
"Respect your elders" but in the sense that you should just keep quiet when you disagree with somebody older than you - turns out many people are awful regardless of their age. Don't get me wrong, my default is to respect any new person I meet, but when a person has repeatedly shown me that they don't are about my feelings or even basic logic, I won't hold back from speaking my mind calmly, even if they see this as disrespectful.
My grandad taught me that respect is earned, there is no situation where respect is to be given just because. You don't just get respect from being old. He was a man I respected, and he earned it multiple times over.
Finish your plate. B*tch that is what all that Tupperware is for.
However, it's important to remember that there are other ways to go about it. Although parental lying is common, too much of it may lead to negative long-term effects. In a study where the researchers surveyed 379 young Singaporean adults who reported their parents lying during their childhood, they discovered that the participants who were lied to as children were more likely to lie to their parents as adults.
The study also suggested that parental dishonesty can create trust issues and problems externalizing certain emotions, like aggression.
That crying is shameful.
I had a tendency of crying to easily when i was younger so now nobody takes me seriously when i am in visible distress
That you need to hustle 100% of the time and be constantly busy with school/work, extra activities, side projects, cleaning etc. Spending time unwinding is a sign of laziness and boredeom and intelligent people are never bored. This really messed me up and I'm still learning the art of wasting time.
"I read some stories about pets that 'ran away,'" u/nousername1982 said. "I too discovered 20 years after the 'dog ran away' that he was euthanized. I can imagine the truth is difficult to share with kids."
"Other lies are just lame, with no excuse. I shared the story that my father told me he had to get A's every day at work. Of course, that is not true, and it didn't help me to get motivated. A friend of mine tells his kids about a 'dangerous man' coming at night if the kids are not good. This is just bad parenting."
Even though the Redditor believes it's impossible to raise a kid without lies, they nonetheless think that parents should strive to be honest.
My mum made me believe that privacy was a privilege. Wasn't until I started studying childcare and learning in depth about the rights of the child that I learned it is a right and that my mum is full of bullsh*t
“Bullies are cowards.”
No they aren’t. They’re evil scum who are naively capable of ruining your life for decades after. And they’re not afraid to do so.
Cowards? They are anything but cowards, they feel all powerful because they literally massacre children who have done nothing to them, well hidden behind the school garbage cans. And if by some miracle this child manages to talk about it, to a teacher or a supervisor, these assholes are smart enough to make everyone believe that it was you who started it and WORST that you deserved it. A "big" (12) girl from daycare (I was 6/7 years old) spent three years telling me every night "your mother is dead, she won't come to get you, she will never come back". It created anxieties in me that I still feel today... But Go die Sarah!!!!
If you're contemplating whether or not to bend the truth, experts advise to ask yourself a few questions first:
- Are you only helping them in the short term, which might affect things in the future?
- Will your lie confuse them or give them unrealistic expectations of people?
- Is the lie for you or them?
- Are they able to understand the truth?
Often, a child's age and maturity determine whether or not a lie is the way to go!
Tell me the truth I won't be mad.
Aaaaaaaaand that's how you get to be punished (in the best case) for something as trivial as having forgotten to start the washing machine for the mother-in-law...
That you have to “suffer for love” (I’m a chick). Thanks mom, you set me up for a lifetime of trying to change narcissistic losers.
My "best friend" when I was a teenager (15), told me that in love or in friendship, if we didn't suffer, it wasn't real... Yeah, of course...
My dad always said. "Children should be seen and not heard." I'm not a big fan of that one
Well I was mostly raised by my grandparents. We lived in an all white community and my grandparents believed every terrible thing they had ever been told about black people. I spent my youth being fed those lies but everyone I knew was white and I couldn’t imagine it being true. When I got to college I met my first non white people and was able to verify that the things they believed just weren’t true.
And luckily both of them realized that before they passed away.
‘’Parents always know what’s best for their child’’
That their love has conditions, and if not followed they will drop you in your time of need. Right or wrong, I hope my children will never feel like they can’t talk to me or that I will judge them.
And some elderly folks wonder why their family dumped them in a care home and don't want to contact them again.
Saying, 'Do as I say, not as I do.' A leader shouldn't ask his followers to do something he wouldn't.
That sex is something to be ashamed of.
Let me guess? Religious parents? Why are they SO obsessed with sex & punishment?
That as long as we “have always been given everything we need we are loved”. The emotional abuse has ruined me
The man of the house is always right.
Don't worry about the college loans! You're smart, you'll get a good job and pay that off in a few years.
That it is illegal to have the little ceiling light on in the car.
That i basically have to be a smaller version of them, believe exactly what they do and not think for myself and have my own opinion. If i have kids id let them be open minded and believe what they want
To try to fit in as much as possible and to please others, at the expense of who you really are on the inside.
There are so many things in this list that have hurt me over the years, but this one was probably the worst one for me and is still today. After already years of mental issues, currently recovering from a depression. After 36 years I'm now finally at the point that I really feel like I'm allowed to express myself. Wear the clothes I like, live the life that I like, hell even think what I like. Never, ever tell your kids to be normal, if they are expressing themselves differently. They will start eating away themselves from the inside and at some point they will break.
That people will judge you for colored/ fun it hair, piercings and tattoos. It’s only partly true. They judge you for everything.
That it’s cocky and conceited to show any kind of self confidence.
my parents used to describe narcissism as loving yourself when i came across it in a book - then told me narcissists are terrible people. so. i remember vividly at one point in year two - when learning love your neighbour as yourself (christian school) - saying "what if i dont love myself" so yea, feeling good.
To wait until marriage. You know they won’t anyway. The best you can do is teach them to be safe and pray they do ok.
"Don't compare yourself with your friends" when they got something I didn't have, while comparing me with my friends whenever they did better than me at something
That you can’t change how things are and you can’t ask questions because “I said so”
I've only used this during an obnoxious "WhyWhyWhyWhyWhy" moment. Always hated the "because I said so." bit. Ah. Okay. So there's no real reason why. I get it. pfft.
That crying and expressing your emotions in general is rude, over sensitive and embarrassing.
It's not. And I hate that I still feel like a piece of sh*t when I can't hold back my tears. Expressing your emotions is natural and healthy. Crying is a mechanism to let go of emotional distress instead of overloading your brain.
Being hypercritical. My parents were very critical of me about so many things. My grades, my performance in extra circular activities, even how I did chores. What was worse was that they would often compare me to others as well, and would only ever praise me when they were basically bragging to other people. An example that always stuck with me was when I had a part time job as a waiter in high school, and my dad would often scold me for wasting my time at a a useless job instead of focusing on school, and how I was just gonna end up being a bum just like my older brother. But then when he's talking to his friends he brags about how his youngest son is so hard working, he even has a part time job in high school!
It's this sort of hypercriticism is why I struggle a lot with self esteem and confidence. What's worse is that I find myself even being hypercritical of other people's behavior, like if they make a mistake or don't do something how I would've done. I don't snap like my dad would do, but I still find myself immediately getting annoyed. It's something I'm working on, and hope to never do to my future kids.
Eating cookies before dinner gives you worms. Had nightmares as a child.
That I would get pregnant as soon as I had sex. Told me that as a teenager, so I was terrified I’d get pregnant every time I interacted with a penis. Now (a decade later), I’m married and have been actually trying and it turns it out it’s not as easy as they made it sound
Men and women couldn’t be friends
I was raised in a weird a*s religion in which almost any amount of communication with the opposite sex was seen as dating. Regularly texting a girl? That may as well be dating. It’s a belief that I’ve had to unlearn after moving out so that I could have normal friendships with people.
I've always gotten along better with boys than with girls (I'm a girl), and I've always had mostly boy friends (gay and straight), I found that they were more frank, simpler, less headaches than girls my age (then with them, I could talk about the things I loved: video games and Magic Gathering!) (And yes, I know that girls like it too) (but I never find one ...)
How it feels to be hit by a belt.
I'm almost 56 years old and I remember that feeling well. My dad even used the belt buckle side of it.
That grades determine your future. Grades are important and all, but they shouldn't come before life.
How does one choose to have either grades or life? While I was getting my grades, I worked, vacationed, paid bills, partied, worried, dated, shopped, had exactly the same life my not-studying friends did. Except now I have my grades and I don’t have to work or worry as hard as them anymore. Working hard in school is much better than working hard throughout your entire life.
One of my friend's grandfather told him that giraffes have long necks to reach over the zoo wall to eat children.
That girls shouldn’t want careers, and therapy and SSRIs are for “crazy people”
Yeah I’m in a much better place now ever since I got out of that closeminded bubble. My daughter is not going to be shamed by me for her choices.
The perfect life in my granny's eyes would be finish school, go to college, become a doctor, meet a man, get married, buy house, quit being a doctor, have kids, raise kids, maybe become a doctor when the kids grow up, retire for good and then die.
"Your job is to do whatever your boss tells you to do."
This led to a bunch of stupid situations of both me getting walked all over by employers and me quitting jobs over things that could have been fixed with a conversation.
"All drugs are bad" as they take 2 advil and sip a coffee
When I was 11 years old, I was crying hysterically over my father's treatment of me after being placed with him after my mother passed away.
I won't go into what was happening.
I will, however, say that in my despair I made the comment that I wished I could be a wild animal instead of human, like a bear for example.
My father told me that I was dumb for saying that, as mother bears correct their cubs by picking them up and bashing them into rocks until they stop making the mistake they did.
I thought bears were essentially monsters for a very long time after.
That God and Jesus commanded some 14 year old farm-boy As*hole to start the one true religion in Up-state New York...
Just get a degree and you’ll able to get a very well paying job with health benefits and a solid pension.
That probably was the case when grandpa went to school but boy things really changed.
We do not drink regular Coca-Cola because red soda cans would clash with our jewelry. Here is a dollar. Go get Mommy a Diet Coke and you may have a Diet Caffeine Free Coke. It is gold-colored and you were good today.
We do not put sugar in our tea because the corrosive effects of glucose could degrade the glaze on the china. The pink packets are saccharin and the blue are aspartame. Aspartame pairs best with pekoe black tea, for green tea, use saccharin. Trust Mommy, dear.
We try new foods to be polite, and we find something nice to say about them to the hostess. If you cannot think of anything good to say about the food, say "What a lovely party, Mrs. B," or praise how everything looks. Yes, exactly. 'Just like a picture' is perfect. You've been reading again. Of course we can go eat food we know we like afterwards if there's nothing we can eat much of, but try something to be polite.
Well, the doctors say girls can't get autism, though, so I expect we're just picky eaters. Ladies often are.
The dog went with the mailman. RIP Hazel.
My parents fought a lot. They'd both get very emotional about things and raise their voices in every argument. By example I will teach them that when you are angry, take a break from the argument until you've both calmed down.
" Come back here. I wasn't finished talking. DON'T walk away from ME! You're NOT going to win this argument." - With narcissists it won't matter.
"Don't trust anyone, ever" said my dad, who is retired with no friends and no social life after frequently burning bridges throughout his life. I was about 8. It took me almost 20 years to actually learn how to socialize and have trusting, healthy relationships with people.
However, "Don't trust everyone, ever" is something to live by.
I asked my dad what the biggest number ever was, he either realized it was an impossible question and I was going to argue if he said “there is no biggest number”, or was messing with me. Anyway, imagine the laughter when in like 3rd grade we all had to go around and name a number and I said “big toe trillion”.
When I was a kid I asked my dad the same question, He said 'the largest number with a name is Centillion, but there isn't really a highest'. Now, my dad never finished school and never knew much of anything except driving (every job he's ever had was a driving job), So I figured he was making it up. I asked my teacher at school and she said the same thing! Turns out my dad had bought an encyclopaedia and was reading it in secret.
My dad on finances, “when you have money you spend it and when you run out you just stay home”
To save or to spend, the eternal ordeal. I think what people want, but can't grasp (I can't speak for everyone, though), is that a nest egg is a great backup to have, but money does no good just sitting there. The way my parents always put it is "you should do something for yourself with your income, so that you have something to show for all your work every week."
That I will become stupid if I eat too many hazelnuts and that I will become dark skinned if I eat lamb spleen (yes they just wanted them for themselves and yes my parents were racist)
Just a "dot" of soap is all you need for doing ALL the dishes. "Don't be wasteful"... Ya ok.
They said: don't be friends with the "bad kids". For my parents my whole class were "bad" even they were quite normal. So I ended with no friends because my parents didn't allow me to go outside with them.
Those "bad kids" are now normal, succesful and friends with each other, but not with me.
Oh yeah when I was like 11 I had a friend whose mum told her she couldn’t hang out with me because I was a “bad kid.” I was on the honour roll, in the gifted programs, a band student and one of only 2 students invited into the teacher band, had won 2 science fairs and was in Girl Guides, horseback riding and had multiple international pen pals. Was in soccer and spent my time devouring books. We invented a game with paper horses cut out from magazines and got made fun of by the other 11 year olds who were more into makeup and celebrities than paper dolls by then. No time to get in trouble! But I had a lot of energy and I thought swear words were funny 😂 my bad but it really threw me off when she told me , like me?? The ultimate nerd and nice girl, a bad kid??
Video Games will get you nowhere in life, boy were they wrong...
I had this exact same comment said to me when I was younger, Now I'm a Creative director of my own gaming studio company. Married a beautiful women I met in an online game, moved country and have 3 amazing little children. ALL thanks to gaming.
Joining the military is all about protecting freedom.
Narcissism
Otherwise known as living vicariously through your child so you can feel better about your failures
My dad told me he had to get an A every day at work. Turns out a C is good enough and you can cheat most of the time.
I have all Cs and Im in sixth grade not failing but my little sister is in fourth grade having all As thinking that she has to be perfect
That i'm a handsome young man
A bit sad, if you´re a girl. But if you´re boy, I have no doubt that you are!
How to change an electrical outlet, 120 volts, LIVE.
Good stuff.
When I was in kindergarten, the teacher asked us to go home and ask our parents how many days are in a year. So I went home and asked my dad:
"240 days, son."
Imagine my disappointment the next day when my teacher said that was wrong! Dad swears I never asked that or if I did I misunderstood his answer, but I heard what I heard.
Maybe he was counting work days or week days? He'd be pretty close if that's the question he heard.
I learned to draw anime and my dad is a portrait artist. He always said start woth the eyes, which is okay when you're drawing portraits of people, but a strong foundation of building up simple shapes and getting more detailed with each pass is truly what I needed to know. Didn't change the way I drew til I was roughly 24 years old, and when I did productivity skyrocketed. Side note: my stepmom told me I should try to not use an eraser at all... she's not an artist.
The eraser comment isn't a bad idea in moderation. I set myself a challenge for a while where I wasn't allowed to use an eraser, carried it on for a few months. It did wonders for my sketching as it forced me to work around my mistakes rather than focusing on fixing one area for ages, and how to build my layers from rough sketch to finished piece on one sheet without it being one big black smudge.
How to open a beer bottle with my teeth
Don’t open anything with your teeth folks. I am terrified of ever having to do that
That you can be ANYTHING. There are some things in life that you just will never be cut out for. My parents told me that I will be the next president if I work towards it. My family told me I would become an astronaut one day and have millions of dollars and a mansion.
Some people think that you can do anything, but you’re not.
I was taught the opposite, that I was only being cared for by my grandparents because nobody else wanted me and somebody had to step up for the job. No affection, no encouragement, no guidance for future life. I've been suffering with self worthlessness my entire life.
That work should be something you love
It just has to be tolerable. If you make work your life, you will feel hit hard by the rough stages of work, which any job has. And you'll feel bad for taking a sick day, or miss it when you should be enjoying time off
"Don't be sad/scared/angry". Telling kids how to feel or not feel does a tremendous amount of harm.
I think the most harmful thing my dad ever told me was that boys/men are only interested in one thing from girls/women.
Most harmful thing my dad told me is that he was finally having the son he always wanted when I was 15 a week before my 16 birthday when he told me he was having another child. Wtf am I then u Kno. The son u never wanted.
Load More Replies...It's mind-boggling that being attention-seeking is such a bad thing in the first place. Everyone needs attention !? And people who self harm often just need help, so why not just give that help to them!?
Load More Replies...Following my wife's example, a common saying to our kids is, it's ok to be (mad, sad, angry, stressed, etc), but it's not ok to (hit, scream at, throw, etc). We're not perfect parents, but I love that my toddlers are growing up feeling comfortable to feel and share their emotions and thoughts. Total opposite example given to each of us growing up. Parents constantly fighting, screaming at each other. My dad, for a time, would go to sleep with his pistol on his night stand telling my mom, "I haven't decided if I'm going to kill you tonight or not." The cycles don't have to continue!!!
Yes I like this, I'm glad you're breaking the pattern and Oh wow I am so sorry to hear about that violence in your home, it sounds traumatic.
Load More Replies...I remember being told repeatedly by my step father that I had no rights legally, that as a child, I wasn't even considered a citizen, and that he owned me. Usually in response to me trying to speak up against his abuse or threatening to tell someone. I kept silent until well into adulthood when I found out he'd been abusing my significantly younger siblings too. I'd thought he treated them better because they were his actual kids and he wanted them, which was true, but only to an extent. Abusive people are going to be abusive to anyone they have power over.
That only pretty girls are molested or harressed so I don't have to worry about those sort of things. Tanks Mom...
My grandma told me that my kids should always by me first priority. The best thing my parents taught me: My spouse is my partner in life and my priority. Together, our top priority is our children. So many people can't grasp this concept and it leads to a lot of divorces and a lot of children that grow up with skewed views of what a healthy relationship is.
And kids will test any weaknesses they see in your relationship to see what they can get away with (asking the other parent when one already said "no", for example), which is normal stage of development, but if the parents have a strong relationship and communicate well they'll have a unified front the kids can't break (which benefits the whole family since the parents are looking out for the kids with their rules, etc.). This is assuming the parents do listen to their kids feelings, thoughts, opinions, etc. and take them into account when together deciding rules, etc. for the kids. When I say "unified front," I'm not implying a shutout or breakdown in communication.It's also leading by example as opposed to "do what I say, not as I do".
Load More Replies..."My dad used a bet to discipline me and it straightened me out." Fûck that, you do not use a wooden cooking spoon to spank someone, let alone when their reaction is ten fold what you'd expect. Especially if you're a step-father and not the primary caretaker. Should I have kids at some point, most likely by addoption, I will never treat them like that, ever. Also, BP, do you dare censor my comment. (Nice try.)
Well... This is awkward. But my dad used to cheat on my mom way often. He never said it was wrong but eventually I "learned" that it was OK. I cheated on my previous couples, he knew, and he didn't blink an eye. He just said: "they should have done something for you to cheat. Cheating is not for free." Dude, literally... I lived some awesome relationships going to waste because I thought it was ok, or to better say it, there were no consequences on cheating. I had to learn my own way how much it hurts others and how much it ruins lives. I was also OK to be cheated on. If my mom was, why wouldn't I? Life was not monogamous... I can say that realizing the truth has been the most painful lesson I'm still learning.
The first time I ever thought "if I have kids I would never do them like I was done on something that is very important to every little kid and I ruined it for my whole 2nd grade class cause of what I was told. I didn't know that I was the only kid in my whole class that was told when I was a toddler bout parents lies to their kids about Santa, that there has never been and never will be a Santa Claus... There really was a man named Saint Nicholas though. I told my class when someone asked me what I wanted Santa to bring me for Christmas. Told them Santa wasn't real that our mom's and dad's buys our Christmas presents not a fake man name Santa. It's your dad or grabdpa in Santa suit. The whole class was crying and I got sent to the office over it. They called and told my parents what I did and they said Good those kids needed to know that Santa is not real that a true Christian wouldn't lie about Santa to their child. That's when they knew the reason why I said there's no Santa
Don't worry my kids believed in Santa until they were 9. I had to break it to em when some little kid pulled Santas beard down at Bass Pro shop and my youngest daughter was always terrified of him when she saw that when she was 4. Had to pull my oldest to the side to explain why that man pretended to be Santa. Her younger sister found out bout "Santas Helpers" until she was 9.
Load More Replies...Work hard and be loyal to you company or emloyer and you will be rewarded. Wow, It must have been nice growing up in the 50s.
By age 12 I already had a whole list of what not to say or do to my own children based on what I saw or heard from my parents and siblings. I have a grateful family of my own. Grateful as in I'm glad you followed your list.
As a kid (I would've been no older than 7, my brother no older than 5) I had an uncle who gifted us animals. The weirdest was a baby alligator that my parents later got rid of - they said it gave my brother nightmares. Another time, he got my brother and I bunnies. My dad built a hutch outside and they stayed out there. One night, we had a bad storm with tons of wind. Bunnies were gone the next day. Our parents said the bunnies got loose in the storm. At 32, I learned that that wasn't the case... Apparently they were given to an aunt and her family who had a bunch of animals; I think my parents thought it'd be better for these bunnies. Nope - it was their death sentence. Shortly after, Dad found out that they killed and ate them. My parents were shocked, but now they just think the relatives didn't get the pet part where bunnies were concerned. If they'd go rabbit hunting, that's a food animal (as opposed to dogs or cats).
When the child tells the parent that they feel they should see a therapist because they have made a few suicidal attempts; the parent should not respond with; "You made yourself depressed, figure your way out. I'm not taking you to a shrink. People will think poorly of us." Yep, was told that at 17 years old. Thank God for good friends being our therapists.
Only ONE of these was not normalized in my home growing up. So toxic. Also: - asking for help is weak - mental healthcare is a sign of weakness - "pain is a great teacher" - parents should be feared, then loved - anything less than blind obedience is a sign of disrespect.
Okay most of these advices are actually bad advices and shouldn't be followed. But some are actually great and might save you. I was a rebellious kid because of my unfortunate family background, but now I'm trying my best to build a family better than what i was in. So i see from both sides of the perspectives. Some of these advices sounds like they were written by spoiled snowflakes who haven't see life from the adult viewpoint.
My dad was like everything one of these...no wonder I need therapy
As the fourth child, I just wish they would have paid some attention to me and talk to me and acted as if they were actually mother and father. They paid no attention to my school work or grades and when we moved when I was 11 they didn't make any effort to get me some friends or help me adjust to a new neighborhood
Some harmful things I've heard: "Stop crying or I'll give you a reason to cry" / "you're too young to know" (in response to my coming out which I was not ready to do but kinda got thrown into it) / "You're 14, I'm 40, I think I know better than you" yes, you might know more stuff but I have different experiences than you, and while I have never experienced being an adult I'm not 5 and I'm allowed to form opinions on things. / And that one time he got really mad at me because I worded my phrase wrong and made it sound like I was questioning the authenticity of the story of Virgin Mary. / For anyone who has dealt with a narcissistic, homophobic, racist, or even straight up abusive parent, I'm so sorry and I'll listen to you rant anytime. I'm lucky enough that while my dad isn't the best I am still very privileged and my parents have never physically abused me.
One thing that i will never teach my children that my mom told me? THAT ROBLOX AND YOUTUBE ARE BAD, WHEN THEY ACTUALLY ARE NOT!!!
You must be about 10. I sincerely doubt when you’re 30 Roblox and YouTube will even be a thing anymore.
Load More Replies...Our children will be saying similar things about us. That is the hope. We all want to do better than our parents, but we have to understand, for most; they did the best they can.
I've been bullied a lot on and off by various people who were determined to crush my self-confidence. I've always been very quiet irl and these various individuals have completely ruined my ability to socialise with people I haven't had months to become comfortable around. Overall, I'm just trying to say all the ones about bullying (the why/how you should react) hit HELLA hard because I've found they're never right
Perfection is unattainable. That being said, you should strive to be better every day in every way you can. You WILL make mistakes like these, if not these themselves....but its what we do after the mistake that shows us who we are.
Nothing like a bunch of whiney children pretending their parents were so abusive and terrible.
It might help if you actually stuck to the topic instead of parading your issues. You only get banned around here for hate speech and trollish viciousness, which is just as it should be.
Load More Replies..."Don't be sad/scared/angry". Telling kids how to feel or not feel does a tremendous amount of harm.
I think the most harmful thing my dad ever told me was that boys/men are only interested in one thing from girls/women.
Most harmful thing my dad told me is that he was finally having the son he always wanted when I was 15 a week before my 16 birthday when he told me he was having another child. Wtf am I then u Kno. The son u never wanted.
Load More Replies...It's mind-boggling that being attention-seeking is such a bad thing in the first place. Everyone needs attention !? And people who self harm often just need help, so why not just give that help to them!?
Load More Replies...Following my wife's example, a common saying to our kids is, it's ok to be (mad, sad, angry, stressed, etc), but it's not ok to (hit, scream at, throw, etc). We're not perfect parents, but I love that my toddlers are growing up feeling comfortable to feel and share their emotions and thoughts. Total opposite example given to each of us growing up. Parents constantly fighting, screaming at each other. My dad, for a time, would go to sleep with his pistol on his night stand telling my mom, "I haven't decided if I'm going to kill you tonight or not." The cycles don't have to continue!!!
Yes I like this, I'm glad you're breaking the pattern and Oh wow I am so sorry to hear about that violence in your home, it sounds traumatic.
Load More Replies...I remember being told repeatedly by my step father that I had no rights legally, that as a child, I wasn't even considered a citizen, and that he owned me. Usually in response to me trying to speak up against his abuse or threatening to tell someone. I kept silent until well into adulthood when I found out he'd been abusing my significantly younger siblings too. I'd thought he treated them better because they were his actual kids and he wanted them, which was true, but only to an extent. Abusive people are going to be abusive to anyone they have power over.
That only pretty girls are molested or harressed so I don't have to worry about those sort of things. Tanks Mom...
My grandma told me that my kids should always by me first priority. The best thing my parents taught me: My spouse is my partner in life and my priority. Together, our top priority is our children. So many people can't grasp this concept and it leads to a lot of divorces and a lot of children that grow up with skewed views of what a healthy relationship is.
And kids will test any weaknesses they see in your relationship to see what they can get away with (asking the other parent when one already said "no", for example), which is normal stage of development, but if the parents have a strong relationship and communicate well they'll have a unified front the kids can't break (which benefits the whole family since the parents are looking out for the kids with their rules, etc.). This is assuming the parents do listen to their kids feelings, thoughts, opinions, etc. and take them into account when together deciding rules, etc. for the kids. When I say "unified front," I'm not implying a shutout or breakdown in communication.It's also leading by example as opposed to "do what I say, not as I do".
Load More Replies..."My dad used a bet to discipline me and it straightened me out." Fûck that, you do not use a wooden cooking spoon to spank someone, let alone when their reaction is ten fold what you'd expect. Especially if you're a step-father and not the primary caretaker. Should I have kids at some point, most likely by addoption, I will never treat them like that, ever. Also, BP, do you dare censor my comment. (Nice try.)
Well... This is awkward. But my dad used to cheat on my mom way often. He never said it was wrong but eventually I "learned" that it was OK. I cheated on my previous couples, he knew, and he didn't blink an eye. He just said: "they should have done something for you to cheat. Cheating is not for free." Dude, literally... I lived some awesome relationships going to waste because I thought it was ok, or to better say it, there were no consequences on cheating. I had to learn my own way how much it hurts others and how much it ruins lives. I was also OK to be cheated on. If my mom was, why wouldn't I? Life was not monogamous... I can say that realizing the truth has been the most painful lesson I'm still learning.
The first time I ever thought "if I have kids I would never do them like I was done on something that is very important to every little kid and I ruined it for my whole 2nd grade class cause of what I was told. I didn't know that I was the only kid in my whole class that was told when I was a toddler bout parents lies to their kids about Santa, that there has never been and never will be a Santa Claus... There really was a man named Saint Nicholas though. I told my class when someone asked me what I wanted Santa to bring me for Christmas. Told them Santa wasn't real that our mom's and dad's buys our Christmas presents not a fake man name Santa. It's your dad or grabdpa in Santa suit. The whole class was crying and I got sent to the office over it. They called and told my parents what I did and they said Good those kids needed to know that Santa is not real that a true Christian wouldn't lie about Santa to their child. That's when they knew the reason why I said there's no Santa
Don't worry my kids believed in Santa until they were 9. I had to break it to em when some little kid pulled Santas beard down at Bass Pro shop and my youngest daughter was always terrified of him when she saw that when she was 4. Had to pull my oldest to the side to explain why that man pretended to be Santa. Her younger sister found out bout "Santas Helpers" until she was 9.
Load More Replies...Work hard and be loyal to you company or emloyer and you will be rewarded. Wow, It must have been nice growing up in the 50s.
By age 12 I already had a whole list of what not to say or do to my own children based on what I saw or heard from my parents and siblings. I have a grateful family of my own. Grateful as in I'm glad you followed your list.
As a kid (I would've been no older than 7, my brother no older than 5) I had an uncle who gifted us animals. The weirdest was a baby alligator that my parents later got rid of - they said it gave my brother nightmares. Another time, he got my brother and I bunnies. My dad built a hutch outside and they stayed out there. One night, we had a bad storm with tons of wind. Bunnies were gone the next day. Our parents said the bunnies got loose in the storm. At 32, I learned that that wasn't the case... Apparently they were given to an aunt and her family who had a bunch of animals; I think my parents thought it'd be better for these bunnies. Nope - it was their death sentence. Shortly after, Dad found out that they killed and ate them. My parents were shocked, but now they just think the relatives didn't get the pet part where bunnies were concerned. If they'd go rabbit hunting, that's a food animal (as opposed to dogs or cats).
When the child tells the parent that they feel they should see a therapist because they have made a few suicidal attempts; the parent should not respond with; "You made yourself depressed, figure your way out. I'm not taking you to a shrink. People will think poorly of us." Yep, was told that at 17 years old. Thank God for good friends being our therapists.
Only ONE of these was not normalized in my home growing up. So toxic. Also: - asking for help is weak - mental healthcare is a sign of weakness - "pain is a great teacher" - parents should be feared, then loved - anything less than blind obedience is a sign of disrespect.
Okay most of these advices are actually bad advices and shouldn't be followed. But some are actually great and might save you. I was a rebellious kid because of my unfortunate family background, but now I'm trying my best to build a family better than what i was in. So i see from both sides of the perspectives. Some of these advices sounds like they were written by spoiled snowflakes who haven't see life from the adult viewpoint.
My dad was like everything one of these...no wonder I need therapy
As the fourth child, I just wish they would have paid some attention to me and talk to me and acted as if they were actually mother and father. They paid no attention to my school work or grades and when we moved when I was 11 they didn't make any effort to get me some friends or help me adjust to a new neighborhood
Some harmful things I've heard: "Stop crying or I'll give you a reason to cry" / "you're too young to know" (in response to my coming out which I was not ready to do but kinda got thrown into it) / "You're 14, I'm 40, I think I know better than you" yes, you might know more stuff but I have different experiences than you, and while I have never experienced being an adult I'm not 5 and I'm allowed to form opinions on things. / And that one time he got really mad at me because I worded my phrase wrong and made it sound like I was questioning the authenticity of the story of Virgin Mary. / For anyone who has dealt with a narcissistic, homophobic, racist, or even straight up abusive parent, I'm so sorry and I'll listen to you rant anytime. I'm lucky enough that while my dad isn't the best I am still very privileged and my parents have never physically abused me.
One thing that i will never teach my children that my mom told me? THAT ROBLOX AND YOUTUBE ARE BAD, WHEN THEY ACTUALLY ARE NOT!!!
You must be about 10. I sincerely doubt when you’re 30 Roblox and YouTube will even be a thing anymore.
Load More Replies...Our children will be saying similar things about us. That is the hope. We all want to do better than our parents, but we have to understand, for most; they did the best they can.
I've been bullied a lot on and off by various people who were determined to crush my self-confidence. I've always been very quiet irl and these various individuals have completely ruined my ability to socialise with people I haven't had months to become comfortable around. Overall, I'm just trying to say all the ones about bullying (the why/how you should react) hit HELLA hard because I've found they're never right
Perfection is unattainable. That being said, you should strive to be better every day in every way you can. You WILL make mistakes like these, if not these themselves....but its what we do after the mistake that shows us who we are.
Nothing like a bunch of whiney children pretending their parents were so abusive and terrible.
It might help if you actually stuck to the topic instead of parading your issues. You only get banned around here for hate speech and trollish viciousness, which is just as it should be.
Load More Replies...