Here's How These Childhood Warnings Became Adult Truths
Thanks, mom and dad!
Liderina / shutterstock By Laura Van De Walle
When we are kids, we don’t always think everything our parents are saying makes sense or is true. Maybe sometimes we even choose not to listen at all.
However, as we grow up, more and more of the lessons and advice our parents gave us start to prove themselves to be true. Little sayings they repeated endlessly now feel like laws we all live by.
Some of these sayings apply to all situations, some only to very few situations. Either way, our parents clearly knew what they were talking about.
Here are a few sayings that our parents used to say that I now understand to be so incredibly true:
“Life isn't always fair.”
Hell, we all know this one is true. My parents used to say this to me when my sister and I were fighting or when she got something I didn’t.
What I never realized before was that it honestly applies across every age and area of life. As we grow up we learn that if you spend all of your time comparing your life and yourself to the person next to you, then you are really only standing in the way of your own happiness.
“You’d lose your head if it wasn't screwed on.”
I’m not sure if this applies to everyone, or just me. However, I learned very quickly after moving away from home that organization is not something to underestimate.
It is the backbone of our lives as we go to school, work, sports, activities, and everything else. We don’t realize just how much our parents arranged for us when we were little, and so when the burden starts to fall onto our own shoulders instead of theirs, it’s often a rude awakening.
“Sharing is caring.”
If you ever had siblings then you know this saying was the real truth. When you got something new or exciting, you never wanted to share it with anyone else. Yet, your parents were constantly trying to teach you that you needed to.
Now I know that they were preparing us for the real world where objects and possessions don’t mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things. Life happens and sometimes we have to part with things or money that we don’t expect.
In the end, knowing when to let go of something or share something is an extremely valuable lesson.
“You don’t know unless you try it.”
This was the golden rule mentioned every time I wouldn’t try something new or heaven forbids a green vegetable.
Now, I’ve traveled to new places and have eaten new foods and taken leaps of faith on people and places I would never have imagined. Not everything we try we enjoy, but we certainly don’t know unless we try it.
“Back in my day...”
I used to think to myself after every time I heard that, that they should just get with the times and learn what it’s like today. Now I look at kids younger than me and think to myself, “Back in my day...” and I secretly cringe at how much I sound like my parents.
“Things aren’t always as good as they seem.”
At the time this meant absolutely nothing to me. Now, I understand that every person has a story of their own and every story has multiple sides.
Behind a smile, there might be tears. It’s important that we don’t make assumptions based on appearances.
“Take the high road.”
As much as I remember understanding this saying as a child, I never knew how true it would prove to be over time. Every time you choose to take the high road even when part of you doesn’t want to, life becomes clearer.
Maybe things are still messy and hard, but deep down you know you made the right decision and that is immensely rewarding.
“Better things will come with time” or “Good things come to those who wait.”
Different variations of the same lesson and both have proven to be true. As kids, we are so eager to grow up and move forward. However, having patience and knowing when to slow down and pace yourself is important.
It’s okay to take a gap year or take time off. Getting to know yourself and what you want is not a lesson to be overlooked.
As much as we underestimate our parent’s wisdom as children, I think as adults we all have to face the fact that they know what they’re talking about.
A lesson that we took as important for our vegetables or sharing clothes with our siblings, might just turn out to be a crucial life lesson. In the end, they’re trying to prepare us in the very best way they can to navigate life and all it throws at us.
Thanks, mom and dad, because I know I never thanked you back when you said all of these wonderful things. You’re the real heroes.
Laura Van De Walle is a student writer and a contributor to Unwritten. She writes primarily on topics of health, self-esteem, and relationships.