My Mom always said this since I was a kid, regarding something bad, "This too will pass." I think of it even today when going through a rough patch. It helps to put things in perspective.

My mother often told me when I was afraid of something, or facing a task that I thought was overwhelming, "Take your courage in your hands and DO it." It has stood me in good stead throughout a long life. Thanks, Mom!

Save some from your paycheck even if all of the bills aren't paid. Don't short yourself.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That was a biggie.

make a list of pros and cons and think very very seriously about making a big decision. I think that is why I do so much research on everything.

Never go to bed angry.

Be on time. Keep your word. Cheer up, you'll soon be dead.

All words to live by. ;)

Never pass up the opportunity to use a bathroom when you come across one.... been there done that..... "oh, I can wait...." uht oh.....

Speaking of the bathroom, my mother advised to leave the toilet seat and lid as it was found.

My father advised to assume that you are more aware than any opponent.

From my dad - Be on time. It's a sign of respect for the person you are meeting.

Again from my dad - Never let somebody tell you that you can't do something.

My dad had four daughters and we all continue to live by those words.

I'm not too sure how great it was but my mom hated to see kids doing things just because everyone else was doing it. She would always say "monkey see monkey do" or "if everyone jumped off of a bridge, would you?" and that's how I am now. If something is a fad and everyone is doing it, I will go out of my way to not do it.

My dad told me to always stand up when I felt I was right.

And never be afraid to say no.

crw201

Never pass up the opportunity to use a bathroom when you come across one.... been there done that..... "oh, I can wait...." uht oh.....

^^^^^

DH, not Mom, drilled that into my head.

He is absolutely right!

I remember when I was considering dropping out of university. Mom told me to finish my degrees, that I would regret not getting an education. She was right. Although I am not working now, I am glad I graduated with 2 degrees (Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Education).

"Never force anything." My dad was talking about mechanical things, and I do think of his advice every time I attempt to take something apart or put something together. But it can be applied to all sorts of situations.

Just remembered some things my dad always said. Your word is your bond and don't make promises you can't or won't keep.

We were never told that we couldn't do something, only that we hadn't done it yet.

Earn a college diploma in preparation for a career. No one can ever take that away from you and you will always be able to take care of yourselves and your families. Our parents died when we 4 kids were still in school. All 4 of us earned our Bachelor's Degree and three of us earned Master's Degrees. They were right. We have all managed well come what may.

From my mom- if one person tells you you got a tail growing out your butt, you can ignore them. If two people tell you, you might want to listen, if three or more people tell you you have a tail, you better turn around and check!!

Applies to many situations in life.

My dad (tongue in cheek and only said to me after I was an adult) it's better to ask forgiveness than permission! ;) (Note, I DON'T follow that one, though I did frequently as a teenager)

Like Carol in California, my parents taught me to say 'no'. It's not always the easiest route, but it will weed out some of the people you don't need around you.

Sylvia, I'm sorry you must have had a rough childhood because of your mom, but I do like the advice she gave to you!

Alisande, I vaguely remember my dad giving me the same advice, not to force anything mechanical. To this day, when something mechanical won't open or work the way it's supposed to work, I'm scared to death to force it. Ha!

Really, I don't remember any specific advice given, and don't think my parents were too keen on giving it. It was more of an unspoken 'Do the right thing.' Funnily enough, or maybe not, I waaaaaaay overcompensate(d) with my kids and am constantly giving unsolicited advice, even though I know they don't want it. Can seem to help myself.

Not from my mother but from my god-mother: It is better to be single and wish you were married than to be married and wish you were single.

Always wear clean underware........this too shall pass.

pkramer60.....wise god mother!

More through his actions than his words, my father instilled in me a self-reliant, can-do attitude. Home repairs, plumbing, electrical work, tiling, appliance repair or lawnmower repair, especially when it comes to cobbling together a solution from materials on hand. He would always approach any project or problem with a attitude of "I can do that" although sometimes he was in over his head and put the project in a box and set it aside and forget about it.

He would also say how important it was to develop a good BS detector to avoid being duped, or scammed or taken in or lead astray. If someone has anything to gain by you believing what they are saying, there's a good chance it is BS.

Words from both parents as kids:

Don't judge a book by it's cover

People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

So if they told you to run in front of an oncoming bus, would you do that too?

Family first. Your friends will come and go but your family will always be there for you.

If you're going to do it, do it right or don't do it at all.

Treat others as you expect them to treat you.

If you're plans don't work out it's only because there is something better coming your way.

Charity starts at home.

It's better to give than to receive.

I myself can't think of much anything but I'm interested that so many of you can.

"Honesty is the best policy." More and more it's so true. I see SO often, even in the forums, where people's attitude is just tell a lie if you don't WANT to do something... and then you have to tell another lie to cover for that lie and then another and then another. Hurt feelings are part of life. Sometimes people need their feelings hurt. The truth hurts sometimes but it's still most often the best way to deal with people.

Otherwise I never really got that much in the way of advise but they did an admirable job of leading by example. Things like doing what's right will have you at least respecting yourself, be punctual, help people when you can, etc. And that you don't need a diploma to do great things in your life.

A few come to mind.

From my Dad, along the lines of honesty is the best policy , but he used to give the example that if you tell a lie, it spirals and you have to spend a lot of energy keeping on top of it to be consistent.. It is easier to just tell the truth. It's does not require any work.

From my Mom, she used to say don't ever try to make sense of how people spend their money, or how they practice their religion.

I had 2 very wise parents. missed every day

I couldn't think of anything specific that I was *told*. Then I read Bob's post.

My mother taught by example. She valued people from all walks of life and taught me to treat everyone with respect. Example: I was invited to my aunt's beautiful new home to meet her new husband. As I arrived, a gardener looked up from tidying some bushes in the front yard. I smiled as I passed by him and said, "Good morning." He nodded, and I went into the house. Shortly, the same man -- now cleaned up and looking like the astute businessman my aunt had married -- came in, gave my aunt a kiss, and greeted me with a broad smile. I had been 'tested'!

My mother also taught me to be self-reliant. She showed me a woman could figure out how something was supposed to work and what might repair it when it broke. She had the patience to let me try. Since my DH had no such encouragement, my small 'mechanical' skills have been useful in our marriage. (Tradesmen and car salesmen still address DH *at first*!)