Say what you will, but I believe that back in our time, it was vintage parenting that made us the people we are today. I am not saying that our parents were perfect. Of course, old-school parenting had some flaws. Sometimes they were stricter than they should and sometimes they showed less affection that we really needed.
But I believe you’d all agree that if it weren’t for our parents back then we wouldn’t know what real values are. This doesn’t mean that modern parenting is wrong. It just means that even though our parents had some flaws in their parenting, we can still take some of their expertise and combine it with today’s parenting.
Here are 12 ways our parents raised us that we should incorporate in modern parenting:
1. They always put family first. I don’t know about you, but my parents raised me with the idea that family always comes first. And to me, that has always been on my priority list. Whatever happened between us, my family has always been the one to be there for me.
2. They taught us respect. When we were kids, our parents taught us that we must always show respect for the ones older than us. I am sure that you’ll agree that this is something that today’s generation knows very little of.
3. They trusted us. I know that most of you can still remember spending most of their childhood out on the streets, riding bikes until midnight, making cakes out of mud and playing hide and seek until our parents called us for dinner. Today’s parents might say this is dangerous. But the truth is, that is what helped us learn what independency is.
4. They made us play outside. There were no phones, tablets or even TVs available back then. We played real games like jump-rope, rock, paper, scissors or hide and seek.
5. They taught us manners. In all honesty, I am shocked by the lack of manners I see in today’s generation. When we were kids, our parents taught us what real manners are. Saying Good Morning, Thank You or Good Day to people was something that came naturally to us.
6. They didn’t force us to compete academically. Instead, they taught us that all jobs matter. They taught us to work hard and efficient, to know our worth, to share, to be respectful of other people and to always be kind.
7. They made the best home parties. We didn’t have much, but we sure did know how to make the best of every situation. If you were raised with homemade, birthday cakes and pin the tail games, you know exactly what I am talking about. Those memories are precious.
8. They taught us responsibility. They helped us develop a basic understanding of cause and effect and that our actions are always followed by consequences. They were the ones who taught us what commitment really means and how important it is to always keep our word.
9. They made eating dinner as a family a thing. I could write all day about this and it would never be enough. Eating dinner with your family is something that is truly important, but it is often overlooked. Yes, we do live in a busy world today, but if you want to see someone, no activity or responsibility will prevent you from doing that.
10. They made us do chores. We knew how to make our own dinner and we knew how to use the mop. We even knew how to fix our own cars. We lived in an era where learning responsibility was one of the most important things while growing. Something that today’s parents must bring back if they want well-raised, humble and skillful children.
11. They kept everything simple. Oh, the good old days. We never had anything served on a silver platter. Our choices were limited, but because of it, our imagination ran wild. Because of it, we fought hard for the things we wanted.
12. They allowed us to be curious and learn on our own. This is one of the most important things that modern parents overlook. Let’s be honest. Today’s parents are overprotective. They are so afraid that their children might fall and get hurt (literally and metaphorically) that they don’t realize how badly their behavior affects these children. They don’t help them. On the contrary, they encourage them to hold on to their fear and never try.
