My mother:
Always put on lipstick before you leave the house? You never know who you will meet.
Always live near public transportation.
My mom gave me a copy of the book, “The Power of Positive Thinking” because she was worried about how pessimistic I was as a teenager. I don’t remember anything about the book, but the fact that she took the trouble to buy it for me really made an impression. I made the decision to try to stay as optimistic as possible from then on!
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If a man is abusive to you, he doesn’t get a second chance.
Don’t sell your used car to anyone you know.
Only be dependent on another person because you want to, not because you have to. And, an education is one thing no person can take from you.
Always wear clean underwear
Never let your insurance lap
Drink sensibly
Never go to someone’s house for a meal without a gift, which can be something homemade
Treat older people with respect and kindness
Probably lots more, but I had a Bloody Mary with lunch.
On procrastination (from my mother, who was given this advice by her mother):
Whenever a task is set before you
Don’t idly sit and view it,
Nor be content to wish it done.
Sit down at once and DO IT!
On being a good guest: “Don’t make them glad twice.”
Don’t talk back.
Always pick up after yourself.
Actually good advice for children as well as adults. And like @bookworm, there are probably a lot more, she is still a very wise woman.
Yes!!! Never go to someone’s home empty handed. (Hence the gift closet).
Always save for what you want. And if you end up not wanting that thing…there you are stuck with all that money.
It’s almost ALL “small stuff”. Don’t go to bed angry. Do your best. We won’t get angry if the effort was there, even if the results are disappointing. Stop and smell the roses (or the lilacs, or the ocean, etc.). Forgive people. No matter what, we will always be there for you. Even if your choices are not what we’d have made, we’ll cheer for you.
I have tried to teach my own kids the same things. Both of my older kids went through some really challenging times for all of us. But they never thought I didn’t love and support them. It breaks my heart when I see here and with people I know IRL when kids are not supported by their parents, and I don’t mean financially. If you can’t rely on your parents to be your biggest cheerleaders, who CAN you rely on?
My mother told me that if a girl could type, she could always get a job. She forced me to take typing during summer school back in high school. Hated it and wasn’t good at it.
Lo an behold I became a software developer and I am keyboarding much of the day!
ChowdyCat-my H took typing in HS, which wasn’t considered a college prep class because he thought that it might come in handy. He ended up majoring in communications and types all day long-he is VERY glad he took that class! He wasn’t good at it either, so he says.
Don’t get physical right off the bat in relationships. If the relationship doesn’t work out, it will be easier to move on if there wasn’t a lot of physical stuff going on. If it does work, then there’ll be time for all that.
My parents didn’t give me as much explicit advice as I would’ve liked, but they were very frugal, hard working, and responsible. It has been quite a shock to find out this isn’t the norm.
Save something from every paycheck.
You can’t take back a kiss. (I didn’t follow that one.)
This too shall pass.
Go out with him anyway – maybe he has a friend.
I just read a book that said, “The first time a woman is abused by a man, she’s a victim. The second time, she’s a volunteer.”
“This too shall pass.”
And while my parents never reduced this to a pithy phrase, they were always (and my mom, still alive, continues to be) modest spenders on themselves but responsibly generous with family members and good friends. I’ve tried to follow their lead in this behavior.
Nobody ever promised you that life would be fair. Get over it. Thx mom!
My dad…told us that unless you could change a tire, you didn’t need a driver’s license.
My mom…the clean underwear.
Really, my parents didn’t give me much advice…