Recently, I wrote an article about teachers sharing all the things their baby boomer parents “did right” that Millennials are forgetting, and it was actually pretty positive.
Even as adults, we often feel the urge to call mom or dad for advice, whether it’s managing life in our own apartment for the first time or dealing with our own child’s strange behavior. there is. So we thought it would be a good idea to ask members of the BuzzFeed community to share with us the most effective housework and parenting hacks they’ve learned from parents. Some of their best answers are listed below.
1. “In most ways, I learned what not to do from my parents. But the one thing I am thankful for is that as a woman, they never shamed me or tried to hide my intelligence. That’s what my mother told me not to do.”
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“I’ve seen too many women act stupid because they think it’s a cute look, but it’s very offensive. I wasn’t taught to say that, but just to enjoy learning and to ignore people who criticize it.”
—Penelope Gadget
2. “I remember a few times when I had friends over and we had a disagreement or an argument about something, and my mom came over to see what was going on. My mother listened to both of our stories and always defended her friend, reminding me not to be rude to others. This is to let you know.”
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Dewey in Malcolm in the Middle looks up with wide eyes.
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“I was so angry that she didn’t take my side by default. I later realized that she was teaching me empathy.
My friend was a guest and I was at my home ground. If[my mother]had stood by me and[she]had always been kind and diplomatic about it and never been critical of me, it would have looked like a gangster. I’ve never received the same treatment in someone else’s home. Their parents were always on their side, which made their mother’s approach all the more remarkable. ”
—Trilingual Mom
3. “I don’t have an allowance. Why should I get paid to clean up after myself? If it’s a small amount of cash, ask. If it’s a big expense, do something no one wants to do or do.” There’s always a list of things I don’t want to do or don’t have time for.”
—Green Daisy24
4. “My parents always taught me and my sisters that it’s not enough to just tell us, ‘This is a healthy way to deal with negative situations,’ we have to demonstrate it ourselves.” ”
“It’s really the biggest challenge to actually show, rather than teach, our children how to react to disappointments, bad news, mistakes, arguments with loved ones, etc., but to actively respond to every reaction of our own.” It helps me remember what I’m teaching my kids.” ”
-Anonymous
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5. “I clean the kitchen while I cook.”
“When I first started cooking, I would cook and end up making a huge mess. Then my mom taught me how to clean, and I used mixing bowls, cutting boards, knives, etc. I didn’t do any major cleaning up, like turning the fries or washing the frying pan.
—scoutomalley1
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6. “As you get older, the decisions you make become bigger and more irreversible.”
—stevee4e448a64c
7. “Replace your child’s toys. Are your kids playing with something a lot and then losing interest? Put it away and bring it back in a month or two. It helps keep kids entertained without having to buy new toys.” ”
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8. “If you’re going on a trip, make sure your house is clean before you leave.”
“There’s nothing more exhausting than coming home tired with a messy house to clean and all the laundry from your trip. You’re already a little exhausted. No more messes. I don’t want to.”
—monikap6
9. “Whenever my stepfather wanted to have a father-son talk, he would lure me out to the balcony with a bowl of hot pot. It seemed like it was pretty smooth, considering I got into it every time.” I always felt that way.”
10. “For cleaning: When you take it out of the washer, be sure to shake each item to loosen it before putting it in the dryer. This will help it dry better.”
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11. “For Parenting: Don’t overfill your calendar so that there are no nights where you can all sit around the dinner table, talk about the day, and spend time together until bedtime.”
“An evening like that is a precious gift. Plus, kids and teens these days have so much on their plates and are so overloaded and stressed. Ask for a favor and let them do one thing at a time. It’s good for them and for the family as a whole.
And each morning, before going to school, sit together and pay attention for at least five minutes, preferably at breakfast. ”
—Sleeping Minion 78
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12. “When I was little and wanted to stay up late, my dad would let me watch Frankenstein. I thought it was so cool and kept me up so late.”
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Frankenstein’s monster wearing a suit with a neck bolt and holding a flower in a scene from the movie
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“Just kidding, that movie is only 64 minutes :). Instead of resisting me sleeping for 2 hours, he basically allowed me to stay awake for an hour and sleep peacefully lol. .”
—robins429bd0ddb
“The power of compromise. That’s great parenting.”
—certified_drapetomaniac
13. “Our parents allowed us to be bored when we were children. We didn’t always have something to keep us entertained 24/7.”
“Sometimes, especially during storms, my parents would turn off the TV and lights and make me sit in the dark, or tell me not to watch TV and go outside or read a book. I thought it was cruel, but it helped me learn how to sit through boring church services every Sunday and have fewer distractions from school. I want to press the screen.”
— Nostalgic Pizza 90
14. “You’re a parent first, not your child’s friend. When I was a kid, I was so angry that my parents weren’t ‘cool’ and would let me do whatever I wanted.” Ta. Because (that’s the way it was) so did all my friends’ parents. ”
“Now I’m grateful that I had boundaries. And when I grew up, my parents became my best friends in addition to their roles as father and mother. It’s like… It seemed like a fun and new relationship.
I did the same thing with my son and now that he is an adult we are close friends. I taught him structure like my parents did and it worked.
Yes, I pushed myself over the edge and got into trouble a few times, just like my son, but we didn’t grow up to be bastards — at least, I’d like to think we didn’t! ”
—Kepredo
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15. “Please take time with your children.”
“Our family was like a leave-to-beaver family. My father worked two jobs and my mother stayed home with my two brothers and me. We wanted a comfortable, clean home, a clean I had nice clothes, (and) a home-cooked meal, but no hugs, kisses, or “I love you.”
I swore I would never be that kind of parent, but I wasn’t. We held the children on our laps, held them, read books, and played games. I volunteered at their school and tucked them into bed with lots of hugs and kisses. They are now adults and call me every few days to “check in.” So give those children lots of love and attention. Everyone needs love and deserves to be loved ❤️”
—bravecomet89
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16. “I keep getting rust rings in my sink. I learned that baking soda, vinegar, and a scouring sponge will cure the rust.”
Ksenia Varyavina/Getty Images/iStockphoto
17. “When it comes to my health, my mother always had this rule: If you’re not doing anything about the problem, don’t complain.”
“Do you have a bad headache? Did you take your medicine? Did you drink enough water? If not, don’t complain until you resolve the problem. From this experience, take better care of yourself and… I learned not to ignore what is necessary.”
-Anonymous
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18. “The parents of late boomers are coming over. My sister-in-law, who is a nutritionist, takes the same food you’re eating (after freezing it in an ice cube tray and thawing it), mashes it in a blender, and then gives it to the baby. Your baby will get used to the flavor and texture of real food, and you’ll save money over buying processed products (baby food). ”
“Did we do this 100%? Of course not! But we did it often, and our kids ended up loving a wider range of foods than many of their friends.” And they love to cook even as adults!”
-Anonymous
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19. “I’m not a mother, but my grandmother used to tell her blue-eyed children that she could tell when they were lying because their eyes turned brown. I did the same thing with my children, but she I believed that all the way through high school.” Thank you, Gram!
20. And finally, “Cleaning is part of play!”
“My mother organized the toys into bags and we were allowed to take out a certain number of bags. Once we reached the limit, we had to change bags if we wanted another toy. If not, we just played with the toys we had” outside.
We were always cleaning to “make room” for other toys. That way I didn’t make a big mess and wanted to clean it up to get the new toy out. I continue to do this even now that I’m a new mom, and my mom friends are always amazed at how well their 3-year-old cleans up. I think this is how we learned to clean up in a way that didn’t feel like punishment. ”
-Anonymous
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Some of these are very helpful. Let us know your thoughts below. Or, if you prefer, you can share your own advice you inherited from your parents below. You can also share anonymously via this Google Form if you wish. It may be featured in a future BuzzFeed article.
Note: Some comments may have been edited for length and clarity.
