Brag on your parents!

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vluvski

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Ok, we all hear lots of griping and moaning about all the things our moms and dads did wrong raising us… but we all turned out ok (I think!), so they must have done something right.

Let’s all share the ways our parents are totally awesome and wonderful, and all the parents with kids can say, “I want to be like that,” instead of the typical, “I’m not going to make the same mistakes my parents made.”

I love my family, and I feel very fortunate to have realized just how great my parents are at the ripe old age of 23. I can only hope to do as well…

This is not the place to criticize your parents, or criticize what other people feel was positive in their upbringing because you disagree with it in some way. Be positive!

here are mine:

Mom was always very deliberate in spending time with us individually, especially when we were young. When the rest of the kids were playing nicely, she’d whisper in my ear to meet her in the kitchen, for example, and we’d bake cookies just her and me.

My parents always insisted on checking my homework. If something was wrong, they had me explain to them why the answer was wrong, and correct it.

We were always encouraged to do something constructive or play outside. There was no cable TV at our house, so that forced us to be a little more creative than sitting in front of the boob tube all day. Educational TV is way overrated! My favorite computer games were Math Blaster and Reader Rabbit, and my favorite shows on TV were Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy- we watched as a family. Ha ha!

Mom and Dad made it to just about every single athletic event. We never had to go without at least one parent cheering for us.

They took all of us, no matter how young, to Mass every weekend, even when we were on vacation. We knew how to behave from the very beginning, and we knew that taking a vacation didn’t mean a vacation from our Sunday obligation.

They never, ever use(d) foul language. Period.

We had to participate in at least one sport and at least one extracurricular activity. Usually we enjoyed it so much we were always in up to our noses.

We always, always, ALWAYS ate meals as a family (no snacking allowed, “the kitchen is closed,” Mom would say) and prayed before bed.

Impulse buys were NOT NEGOTIABLE. If you want something, you do extra chores (we didn’t get an allowance) to earn money and save up for it.
 
What a great idea for a thread!

I don’t have numerous examples to list other than to say that both of my parents are the most selfless, self-sacrificing, charitable, & giving people that I have ever met.

They are awesome! Faults and all, I LOVE em’!!
 
What a great idea!

My dad was a great person especially given his upbringing. His mother was a prostitute and his father, well, wasn’t his father. He had 2 official step dads and countless other men coming in and out of his house. My mom’s early family life was much more stable but given they both were born during the depression, very poor. Neither of them were able to go to college but they raised 5 kids who all have college degrees, 4 of whom have master’s.

My parents were great because they made it clear that the most important things in our household were faith, family, and education. At dinner, we talked together and debated current events, even when I was about 5!
 
Great idea… Let me start with my dad and I will do my mom later.

My dad passed away when I was three so his influence has been mostly how he lived his life.

Ever since he was very little, he believed in always saying the truth, even if a quick lie would have saved him from getting into deep trouble, he would always say the truth. That would really influence my decisions when picking between a quick way out or the truth. He was captain of the football team in high school, and later a West Point grad, he was popular, tall and goodlooking too, but he was a friend to anyone and everyone, (he would always work hard to make people feel welcome. My aunt would tell me how people that were often rejected by others would always end up being good buddies with my dad). He valued people. He was protestant (brought up in this religion in a very good religious family), but he would have us pray the rosary and he was very strongly opposed to contraception. He learned about the Catholic Church, and in the end he converted. He was also very disciplined and an excellent athlete (I wish some of that would have rubbed off on me). He was in the mlitary, and had a zillion reasons he could have used to postpone having children, but thanks to his and my mom’s generosity I have 3 siblings I love dearly. He loved my mother like crazy and was a great husband.
There are many anecdotes and stories I have heard about my father that have influenced me profoundly, so even if he didn’t technically raise me, I have learned so much from him that he was a big factor in my upbringing, not to mention the fact that I truly believe he is in heaven interceding for our family, helping us out from there.
 
I told my Mom 4 weeks before she died that the greatest thing she and Daddy had given us was good manners.
They drilled manners into us from the time I can remember and that service has benefited me all my life.
 
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Lillith:
I want your mom and dad 😃
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Me Too!!! Truthfully, I turned out ok because I had both good examples and bad examples from both my parents. I want to say thanks to dad I learned to expect more than the average from my kids. Dad always set the standard higher for us as far as behavior went.
 
Mine were always involved in things we did - school, scouts, sports etc. They never missed PTA meetings or ‘meet the teacher/ back to school’ nights. They knew our friends and many of our friends’ parents.

My dad stopped going to Mass when I was 9 or 10, but remained one of the most honest, unright men you’d ever meet. He died in July.

My mom was home with us until my youngest brothers were in high school or college. That was important to my parents.

They took us to fun places . . . we didn’t have money for long vacations, but we’d take day trips in the summer.

I have 4 brothers and we grew up in a great family. My husband tells people he married me for my family 🙂 —KCT
 
My parents raised eight of us on a farm.

My daddy is a country boy down to the tip of his toes. My mother was raised in the city, but her daddy was a farm boy who grew up and became a business executive. He had a “weekend farm” and my mom and her sisters and brothers would spend their summers “on the farm” and most weekends, too–so, she is also a country girl, just with a touch of city on the side. :).

My dad’s daddy died when he was young, and being the oldest boy, he went to work full-time on the farm at age 12. He worked himself all the way through a Phd program, though, and cried with pride and gratitude the day he graduated. (I was 5 years old when that finally happened.) He has determination and work ethic that I have only ever seen exemplified by my own husband. When I turn into the gravel driveway and see him in the distance, riding his tractor in his old overalls, my heart still swells with so much love. He adores his children and his wife, he lives for his land and he serves God. (He prays a perpetual rosary while he works, all day, except when he is talking to one of the hands.)

He still calls me his “little sweet bean.” (I think he got the “sweetpea” thing wrong and it turned into “sweet bean” and stuck. :rolleyes: )

My mama always has a sparkle in her eye and a laugh in her voice. She has a sunny disposition and always a cup of coffee or tea, hot and ready to sit down and “chit chat” while she whips up a pie or mends my dad’s clothing. One of the grandchildren is always around, standing on a chair in the kitchen, helping her bake or running around underfoot. She is so affectionate, something that would embarrass me when I was a teen but now in my 20s, I go to her for hugs and kisses as soon as we arrive. She is a safe person to talk to about problems, but she never lets any of us wallow. She is always reminding us to keep going and keep our chins up.

I always remember my parents being so interested in all of our doings and what we had to say. They were never intrusive, but always genuinely interested in learning about what we thought and how we experienced this or that.

I love 'em! 🙂
 
I posted about my dad and now I will post about mom.

She widowed at age 30 with 4 kids ages 1-7. She never remarried.

We didn’t have cable, though we would rent movies and watch them together.
We had to drop what we were doing and come to dinner at dinner time, and we would all sit together talking, no TV in the background etc.

She was a teacher so she would work while we were at school and be there for us after school.

She got together with other mothers to make a club where we would learn arts and crafts and other fun and educational activities, along with classes on virtues and learning more about our Catholic faith. She would also get together with other mothers and put on a summer camp over the summers with art, music, sports, theater and other fun activities, all in accordance to the Catholic faith, and with classes on virtues, sacraments, etc.

As we grew older we always had curfews (till the day I was married) and chaperones when needed. If we were coming in late she would wait up for us.

She always trusted us, but was always firm with rules that were related to morality.

On the other hand, she was far from being overprotective which allowed us to experience all sorts of things from studying abroad, to trips to Europe, South America to see the Pope, medical clinics in the Dominican Republic to help the poor, and many other activities. She was always willing to sacrifice for us, and always with a smile.

She goes to daily Mass and has always been a great example of prioritizing God over any other activity. No matter where we went on vacation etc. we knew where and when Mass was before getting there.

She prays the rosary daily, and also sets aside time to talk with God.

She always dresses in a nice/modern yet modest way, proving women can look good and be modest, which is contrary to what the media is promoting nowadays.

When I was a teenager I hated the way I always had more rules than others (curfews, no skimpy clothes, bikinis, etc). In fact, I hated the way some moms would tell their daughters that they could go to such and such party or whatever only if my mom let me. Now, I appreciate those rules she had to help preserve modesty and purity in this world we live in and I feel so blessed to have such and amazing mother like her. 😃
 
I never heard a bad or sarcastic word from Mom or Dad about anyone. My dad was Super Pop-pop to the grandkids, and now watches them from Heaven. My mom tells me I make her life worth living when I make Sunday dinner. Mom and Dad were always so thankful for everything, and I am pretty thankful to have them for parents.
 
My Dad passed away January 3, 1995…and that’s when I saw how his character had always shone.

When I was a little girl, I was “Daddy’s girl” and I remeber how welcoming he always was to everyone I knew. I didn’t ever get the same welcome from my friends’ fathers. Dunno why.

My parents divorced when I was 8, and much later, Dad moved to his home state. I hadn’t seen him in years before his death.

Living next door to him was a little girl and her mother. They had been abandoned by the little girl’s father. My dad, every single Thursday, would bring the little girl some kind of gift…a rare coin…a video tape…a ribbon…etc. He never forgot about her. His heart went out to this little sweetheart without a father and he gave her so much, and even put her in his will. (He didn’t have much to begin with, and mostly possessions, no money.

At his funeral, there was a beautiful heart-wreath from this little girl, thanking “Mr. Kurt”. I hope to someday possess the generosity and loving acceptance my father had.

My Mother…courage of conviction, blind faith…she does not know her faith well enough to defend it, but she has never questioned it. Mom was/is dedicated to Our Lady and made sure my brother and I had a good Catholic upbringing. She could never afford a Catholic education, and due to the understanding she did have, in spite of the poor to mediochre catechisis we had, she taught us about our faith. (Please pray for my brother…he has not yet accepted what she and the Church teaches and has not had his Epiphany).

Mom made us pray the rosary, and when I cringed and shudded in terror of a storm outside our house, as she rushed around closing windows and whatnot, I imperfectly prayed the rosary while sitting on our livingroom step and waited for the rushing sound of the approaching tornado. I think I met the Blessed Mother that day, and my introduction was the rosary…from the heart of my mother to the heard of OUR Mother.

My Mom drives me crazy, long story there…but she is a saint. She is not only St. Monica, but a saint unto herself. She may never be canonized but I would encourage you all to pray to St. Loretta, still living, still loving, and still my mother no matter what an ungrateful daughter I happen to be.

🙂

I might have to post this on my blog. Great idea for a thread!

Those of you with married/living parents…have you hugged your parents today?
 
If I had to say one thing…my father gave me a tremendous work ethic and the encouragement to stand up for something in the face of adversity…and not worrying if it is popular or not.
~ Kathy ~
 
My parents built a strong Christian foundation in all of their kids - and have never ceased to be examples of how to live as a Christian. They are amazing people, I am proud to be part of their family.
 
My folks are celebrating their 50th next week. They have been a shining example of Catholic love.
 
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Anonymous:
My folks are celebrating their 50th next week. They have been a shining example of Catholic love.
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WOW! How marvelous! My folks have been married 50-some years too. I think this gives us great examples of marriages that last don’t you?

I had the most perfect parents in every way. They are wonderful, loving, positive, and FUN parents too!
 
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sparkle:
WOW! How marvelous! My folks have been married 50-some years too. I think this gives us great examples of marriages that last don’t you?
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Indeed!
 
Wow, my parents were Married 50 years too, the year my father died. He was wonderful, he never said an unkind word about anyone. He worked hard and always took us out for the day on Saturday and always took us to Mass and we prayed the Rosary together as a family, My mother was always available to us, she cooked, cleaned, did laundry and raised nine of us. Wherever we went people said we were the nicest children they ever met, and so polite too, and…they didn’t beat us or anything. 😃 We went to confession at least twice a month too and sometimes even went to Adoration together, way back when (I think they called it 40 hours devotion then.)
 
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