Your Parents Did A Great Job Raising You If You Have These 11 Childhood Memories
Even seemingly small and subtle things can bond parents and children forever.
fizkes | Shutterstock Good memories from your childhood have the power to boost your emotional well-being in adulthood, according to a study from the Journal of Happiness Studies, by sparking more gratitude and reflection in your routine. Of course, our childhood experiences and the relationships we share with our parents affects more than just our mood and well-being — it also has a profound impact on our ability to form meaningful relationships, navigate adversity, and advocate for ourselves in everyday life.
While happy experiences from childhood become fundamental to our own adult identities and choices, there are certain childhood memories you have if your your parents did a great job raising you. Great parents prioritize empathy, supportiveness, respect, and understanding above all else, and many of those traits craft memories that linger well into adulthood and even after your parents are gone.
Here are 11 childhood memories you have if your parents did a great job raising you
1. Reading together before bed
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Parents who read with and around their children generally promote better reading comprehension skills, vocabulary, and motivation in their kids later in life, according to a study from Developmental Science.
But this practice isn't just about building tangible skills and intellect. Reading together before bed, having a storytime as a kid, and bonding over books are all memories that bond children with their parents — opening up opportunities for better conversations, communication, and even self-esteem.
Storytelling by itself has profound impacts on family dynamics and development as well, according to a study from Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. It's a healing practice — learning about different perspectives, stories, and family experiences — that great parents take the time to engage with.
Your parents did a great job raising you if you have these childhood memories around reading and storytelling. You're not just a better learner, reader, and individual because of them, but also more bonded to your family and their stories.
2. Sunday dinners
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According to Harvard University experts, family dinners and shared meals at home are incredibly beneficial for family dynamics and growing children, yet only around 30% of families make them a regular priority.
Not only do children tend to eat better and have better physical health later in life because of these rituals, they generally boast better self-esteem, mental well-being, and lower rates of depression, anxiety, and food-related disorders.
If you have memories of family dinners on the weekends or rituals with home-cooked meals, don't take those memories for granted. You're likely a better, healthier, and more well-rounded person today because of them.
3. Family road trips
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Families that take road trips and vacations together tend to bond on a deeper level than within daily life, according to the Institute for Family Studies, because they form a collaborative "team identity" when they're not stuck in the mundanity of everyday life.
From improving communication between family members to strengthening family bonds, family road trips and leisure activities are important for families to prioritize, even if it's just taking a trip to the store together or going for a walk.
Vacations and road trips aren't always feasible for many families today to consider, but there's ways to spark this collaborative energy that can promote all these benefits, and, of course, great nostalgic memories, as well.
4. Taking a sick day from school
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Of course, getting sick and having to deal with physical symptoms is not fun, but a lot of adult children have fond memories of getting to skip school, stay home with their parents, and be pampered in front of the television with weekday cartoons.
Even if they weren't feeling well at the time, there was something comforting about being taken care of by one or both parents. It's these simple and unsuspecting family bonding moments that sometimes mean the most, feeling both emotionally and physically supported by a loving parent.
5. Getting help with homework
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Children who grow up with parents willing to help them with their homework generally have better academic performance, self-esteem, and social skills than those who don't. Of course, we've all had the dreaded moment at the kitchen table, arguing with a parent over math homework, but for the most part, having a parent supportive enough to help makes all the difference in crafting important and long-lasting memories.
It's all about support — even in moments of difficulty, arguments with intense emotions, or disagreements, the best parents make an effort to listen to their kids and support them through their discomfort. Like in any type of relationship, healthy and open communication is key to building trust.
6. Being cheered on at school events
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According to the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent, there's a number of reasons why supportive parents tend to be the healthiest. They not only take the time to celebrate their kids' accomplishments, they equip them with the self-esteem and feelings of self-worth that craft their identities and values into adulthood.
Whether it's a sports competition, an art show, or a graduation ceremony, if you have memories where your parents not only showed up, but actively cheered you on and celebrated your wins, chances are your family did a great job raising you.
7. Learning a life skill
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Parents are the first teachers that many young kids have growing up. From learning empathy, to practicing social skills, and building more tangible knowledge like tying shoelaces or riding a bike, it's their parents that equip them with the knowledge and confidence to thrive.
Your parents did a great job raising you if you have one of these childhood memories — where a parent went out of their way to not only model healthy life skills and habits, but took the time to teach them to you as well.
8. Birthday parties
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For many children, according to psychology professor Jacqueline Woolley, birthday celebrations and milestones are incredibly important — not just to signify the passing of another age, but to feel important, celebrated, and loved by their families.
These birthday parties hold a lot of meaning for kids, crafting important memories that follow them into adulthood, crafting their self-esteem, and even influencing the way they parent their own children.
Even if it was something small, your parents did a great job raising you if you have these childhood memories around your birthday. It helped you to feel loved, supported, and celebrated in the moment, but it also left a lasting imprint on your emotional well-being into adulthood, sparking nostalgic moments of self-reflection and gratitude for your family.
9. Getting a little surprise
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Outside of the birthday parties and grandiose celebrations of big life moments, some of the most important and influential childhood memories come from the little things. Getting flowers after a stressful week at school, your favorite home-cooked meal, or a family activity in the backyard when the weather was nice — it's these little surprises and bonding moments that often mean the most to kids.
Of course, these moments also reinforce an important value in kids later in life as well, reminding them that it's not just big life events, like getting married, graduating, or getting a job that are worthy of celebration, but all the small present moment wins.
10. Being comforted after a nightmare
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According to research published in Demography, children who grow up with affectionate parents tend to be more confident, secure, and emotionally stable in adulthood compared to those who don't. Even little things, like being comforted after a nightmare or offered a hug after a stressful day, are important for kids' development and well-being.
Your parents did a great job raising you if you have these childhood memories of affection, not just because you were able to bond on a deeper level and communicate more effectively, but because you're better off in adulthood, even when they're not around, for it.
11. Weekend mornings
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Whether it was cleaning on Saturday afternoons, enjoying a home-cooked breakfast on Sunday, or going on a family date over the weekend, many people with great childhood memories cherish the weekends where everyone was home together.
It's about more than communication, affection, and family bonding, it's about appreciating the little moments together and being able to look back on these memories with a sense of gratitude for the time you could spend under the same roof.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
