[3.0L]

Good or bad, what did you learn. I'll lead off with my mom.

In short, mom was a saint. She fed a family of 5 on $25.00 a week; rarely complained; rarely judged; loved her family and friends... always and unconditionally. Mom was sweet as pie.

Dad was an authoritarian and sole breadwinner. He was a disciplinarian and believed in corporal punishment. As the oldest of 3 children, I received the lion's share of the corporal punishment.

Dad also taught me a lot of things including mechanical and electrical. He also didn't encourage me much outside that box. If we pleased dad, all was well. If not, well...

I eventually found my own way, eventually realizing I inherited dad's aptitudes for electronics and mechanical things. I rebelled at first, simply because dad pushed so hard. I got over it, but it took a while.

And finally, the most important thing I learned from my folks was how to live within my means. We were near poor, but didn't know it, thanks greatly to mom's ability to stretch the household dollars and dad's ability to make something out of nothing.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

Good or bad, what did you learn. I'll lead off with my mom.

In short, mom was a saint. She fed a family of 5 on $25.00 a week; rarely complained; rarely judged; loved her family and friends... always and unconditionally. Mom was sweet as pie.

Dad was an authoritarian and sole breadwinner. He was a disciplinarian and believed in corporal punishment. As the oldest of 3 children, I received the lion's share of the corporal punishment.

Dad also taught me a lot of things including mechanical and electrical. He also didn't encourage me much outside that box. If we pleased dad, all was well. If not, well...

I eventually found my own way, eventually realizing I inherited dad's aptitudes for electronics and mechanical things. I rebelled at first, simply because dad pushed so hard. I got over it, but it took a while.

And finally, the most important thing I learned from my folks was how to live within my means. We were near poor, but didn't know it, thanks greatly to mom's ability to stretch the household dollars and dad's ability to make something out of nothing.

This. Dad was a truck driver. Mom didn't work. 5 kids. We didn't get everything we wanted, but we got what we needed and then some. Above ground pool in the back yard, camping trips in the summer. Bikes, clothes, etc. It wasn't until I was much older that I realized how close to the bone the finances were in that household. Made me ashamed of the whining we did as kids.

Dad never raised his voice at home and never uttered even mild curses. My brother and I went to work with him once on a Saturday when he had to go in for an emergency repair at the trucking company where he worked. We overheard him and another employee talking and I remember hearing my Dad dropping the F-bomb. My brother and I stared at each other wide-eyed because we were shocked that our father, who never, ever swore at home, would use such language. That taught me about there being a time and a place for such language, and home was neither the time nor the place.

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by M_Six

This. Dad was a truck driver. Mom didn't work. 5 kids. We didn't get everything we wanted, but we got what we needed and then some. Above ground pool in the back yard, camping trips in the summer. Bikes, clothes, etc. It wasn't until I was much older that I realized how close to the bone the finances were in that household. Made me ashamed of the whining we did as kids.

Dad never raised his voice at home and never uttered even mild curses. My brother and I went to work with him once on a Saturday when he had to go in for an emergency repair at the trucking company where he worked. We overheard him and another employee talking and I remember hearing my Dad dropping the F-bomb. My brother and I stared at each other wide-eyed because we were shocked that our father, who never, ever swore at home, would use such language. That taught me about there being a time and a place for such language, and home was neither the time nor the place.

One thing, though. Like my mom, your mom worked her tail off.

My dad liked to believe mom “didn’t work” but I eventually figured out how wrong he was.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

One thing, though. Like my mom, your mom worked her tail off.

My dad liked to believe mom “didn’t work” but I eventually figured out how wrong he was.

Tru dat. I should have phrased that differently.

[rebekahb]

That I didn't want to be like them when I grew up.

[Suds]

In the 60’s and 70’s my dad would be out of town working for a week or more at a time in the oil industry. I remember my mom hauling me into the laundry room where one of my dad’s old belts was hanging on a hook. She was loving but, sometimes she had to whoop your ass. Probably made me some dessert after that.

One of my mom’s quotes from the ranch: “Some things just need killing.”
Talking about snakes, rodents, etc.

[floridaorange]

So many lessons, I don't even know where to begin.

I saw a movie once in the theater that had an opening scene that shook me to my core because of how well it described my Mom.

Here it is:

My Dad, hard work, laser focus, stand up for anyone who is unable to, protect others, impact others positively, be a leader, know who God is and how to love God. I mean really I prob should write an essay but I'm gonna stop there so I don't get too choked up

[Tambohamilton]

"never get old"
Hold the wheel in at the bottom to stop it from falling off the hub.
Any many many other things that even though they are good in the vast majority, I have forgotten or ignored a lot of. Never mind.

[UncleWede]

Dad: Most of my skills "around the house" . I learned to paint from the neighbor down the street though. I learned the value of work, I learned dirt washes off, and I learn to HATE weeds. I also learned to be simply amazed and humbled by Life, and it's ability to overcome even my feeble attempts to raise a garden. At least the hard work and dirt washes off have been passed down to my son.

Mom: Sleep when you're dead. She worked graveyard for USPS. It literally killed her in the end. I can't pull that off, I'm grumpy as well if I get less than 6.5. She regularly was up 72 straight, or with a simple 1-2 hour nap after making sure the kids had clothes, food, and had been to their sports events. Then she partied like a rock star on the weekends. And she taught me her mom's secret for PUMPKIN PIE!! I still improvise, and my pies are in high demand for holidays.

[LivingInSalt]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

In short, mom was a saint. She fed a family of 5 on $25.00 a week;

We were near poor, but didn't know it

if your household food budget was $1300 a YEAR, you weren't near poor. You were definitely poor.

Unless you're 95 years old.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by LivingInSalt

if your household food budget was $1300 a YEAR, you weren't near poor. You were definitely poor.

Unless you're 95 years old.

He's getting close!

[NYG]

Despising communism and anything even closely related to it... (Born in the USSR)