What do you wish your parent(s) had done differently when raising you?

[CyberCat]

Both my parents were/are pretty incredible, however, I was home-schooled. It wasn't for religious reasons, it was because they weren't fans of the public school system. However, it meant I was socially pretty isolated and was almost never around people my own age. They meant well and are great parents though.

What about you?

 

[jacks]

I wish my parents would have made me follow through on more things. For example I would have resented having to continue with piano lessons at the time, but now I wish they would have made me. Parents often know better than the child what will be good for them in the long run.

 

[kat69]

I wish my mom would have been more involved getting me to do homework and doing better in school. She pretty much left it up to me and didn't check to see if I was following through with anything. She was a single mom and I realize she was busy trying to support us but I can't help but feel if she would have been on me a little bit more I would have done better in school. I was capable of doing the work just not motivated I guess or maybe different priorities at the time.

 

[Diane_Windsor]

I have great parents too, but I wish that they wouldn't have allowed me to become spoiled. When and if I have children I would like to teach them independence at an early age.

 

[Umaro]

Drank less.

 

[beth34]

I always knew they loved me, but I wish they would have hugged me more often and actually said "I Love You" more than they did. I try to be more affectionate with my kids and I tell them that I love them all the time!!!

 

[MessianicMommy]

attachment parented

 

[who93]

It would have been nice to grow up in a Christian home.

 

[illudium_phosdex]

Heh, let me count the ways... My parents were very lax most of the time. They let my brothers and me almost get away with bloody murder. Here's the thing though, every once in a while, they'd get this burr up their hind ends and when they did, they went way over board. I remember about a half dozen spankings I got from my dad. And it wasn't like a few swats to the rear and done, he would beat us until he got tired. This could go on for up to an hour. It was just really inconsistent. My mom wasn't into the beating thing but it was nothing for her to ground one of us for like a month for the most minor violation and then when we really did something bad, she'd look the other way. They also didn't seem to really care about our schooling. And they played favorites bad. My oldest brother and I were definitely my dad's kids and my middle and younger brother's were my mom's kids. The middle and younger brothers where spoiled mercilessly by my mom. Guess which two have a criminal record now and which two don't?

 

[Darkhorse]

1. Fought less, co-operated more, supported each other instead of tearing the other down;

2. Encouragement would have been nice, especially for my early romantic & occupational explorations;

3. More emotional stability, so they could be the parents & I could be a kid;

4. Encouraging independance, instead of discouraging it;

5. Being strict when I needed it, and loose the rest of the time;

I had good parents, but my wife and I are trying to be better ones;
I'm sure we're making many mistakes also, just different ones!

 

[janny108]

encourage more independence. I never had to clean and when I went in the army after college that was a big shock having to clean the army way! LOL
Now I'm teaching my 12 year old about cleaning, laundry and such.