Since it is Mother's Day, I thought I would let my mom know all of the things that she taught me without knowing it. These were mostly things (like rules) that I would argue with her about (or roll my eyes at) when I was a teen-ager. At this time I, of course, thought that I knew it all and that my mom was clueless. However, now that I am "grown-up" I appreciate these little things and even (gasp) find myself trying to embed them in others!
1) Never leave wet towels on the floor, bed, or in the laundry basket for too long or they will get mildewy. I used to mock this rule and carelessly toss my towels all over the house. Now, I make sure mine are hung up.
2) Too much make-up will make you look like a prostitute. Okay, so I don't think my mom worded it quite that way when I was 11, but she did tell me that I was beautiful without make-up and to save it for when I really needed it. Looking at a photo of myself at age 12 after having a friend give me make-over, I can see she was right.
3) Stop laying in the sun covered in oil. Use sunscreen. Wear sunglasses. You will regret it when you are older and look all wrinkled. True. Totally true. Should have listened to that one!
4) Always make your bed, no matter how rushed or tired you are in the morning. It makes your bedroom just look a little more put together. Plus, it feels WAY better to get into a made-up bed at night.
5) Some of the kids you hang out with are bad news and will get you into trouble. I honestly hated when my mom told me this. I could make my own decisions. I didn't have to follow anybody. However, now I find dolling out the same advice to my 6th grade students when they have friend issues. And, my mom was right. Lots of the kids she was speaking of did turn out to be "bad."
6) Always wear your seat belt. My mom actually would refuse to start the car until all passengers were safely belted. I am actually surprised today just how many people do not buckle up.
7) Eat healthy foods, not junk. As a kid I despised my lunches. All of the other kids would get to enjoy cookies, chips and soda. Meanwhile, I would have a sandwich, crackers, an apple,and a fruit roll-up (the 100% fruit kind)with a (100%) juice to wash it down with. My family also never went to Costco to purchase pallets of muffins, doughnuts, or chips. We actually ate organic food before it was popular. Now I am glad that I was encouraged to eat healthy and still try to today. With the exception of ice cream of course!
8) You are not too short. Your feet reach the ground, right? After completely missing out on the whole "growth spurt" that my peers got around 8th grade, I would often complain about wanted to be taller. It never happened and my mom made me appreciate myself the way I am and to stop comparing myself to others. I may not ever model runway fashion, but I can bust out more double-unders than most people at my gym!
Thanks mom, for making me the person I am today, and I am sorry for not listening to your advice when I was growing up!
