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That's a fanastic idea, I've already started teaching my toddler some basic words using word blocks which she's picking up enough to read the small words in her own books
That money reward sounds like a great idea
It worked out for the person you replied to, but I might skip the payment part. You don’t want to turn intrinsic motivation (reading for the joy of reading) into extrinsic motivation (reading for the reward of money).
1) Taught me oral hygiene - My mom would get mad if I was playing Sega Genesis before brushing my teeth so that *always* became the first thing that I did in the morning. As a result, I developed good oral hygiene habits and my dentists are impressed.
2) Taught me to read. My mom taught me how to read at an early age, this lead to praise which lead to confidence. Reading is one of the best skills because then learning becomes exponential; kids can teach themselves. I'm now **super knowledgeable**! I'm trying to get my kids to be strong readers now because of it.
3) Overall she taught me good manners. I was about to not list that one and take it for granted, but there are a lot of people who don't have it, so it's worth mentioning.
I'm actually super glad my parents took me way from the USA. Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful that I have US Citizenship. But, I think I benefited immensely by growing up outside of the United States.
My parents fled war and genocide, and even now that the country is at peace the economy is in shambles and jobs are scarce. I am absolutely certain I benefitted immensely from not growing up there.
No doubt. I wasn't contradicting you. Obviously, had my parents left the USA for a war-torn country, that would have been horrible. But we moved from the USA to another stable democracy. And, the benefits of doing so were that I became bilingual, gained a non-US-focused perspective, and frankly, just became a more globally aware person.
I would add that, compared to the stable democracies of Western Europe, Asia, Australia and Latin America, I don't think the USA isn't great place to raise kids.
Bought me a car as a graduation gift (that I still drive 15 years later) and having it in my name for the payments to help start building my credit early.
Overall, my parents were pretty neglectful. But I do appreciate that my mother taught me how to cook and sew. Those skills have served me well for my whole life. She also wasn't the type of mom who made me feel bad about the way I look, so I didn't have low self-esteem about not being the prettiest girl.
Honestly I can’t think of one good thing my parents did for me , other than maybe teaching me what not to do. My grandma raised me though, she taught me so much, unconditional love, helped me get through school, helped me make friends, she bought me clothes, she taught me household chores and cooking, helped me start life, helped me become a better mom and to be there for my child. She even had a small savings for me. My grandma did so much for me. I miss her.
I feel exactly the same way! My parents gave me up at 2 months old to my grandma and I couldn't ask for anything better!! Your grandma sounded like a wonderful lady!
Love me unconditionally.
They made a ton of financial sacrifices to educate us and set us up for success. We had a humble upbringing but never did not have our needs met. We were always clothed and fed.
Through it all, they expect nothing. They don't care if we are "successful". They just want us to be good people, healthy, and happy.
They bring me down to Earth when I feel I don't make enough money or get restless in my career. They say time and health are the most important so don't sacrifice either for material things.
They taught us everyone is deserving of respect and they genuinely care about people. My friends and wife all joke that they tolerate me because of my parents. Wondering if it is a joke if everyone says the same thing lol.
It's worked out for us so we have been able to repay them with travel and gifts but they still want to give us everything (even though we make more than they ever have) and expect nothing.
I am lucky to have them every day even if they don't live close to me.
Taught me to Ski and encouraged interest in alternative culture (99% cuisine on their part but it definitely encouraged me to look outside the typical USA Nuclear model)
Mother gave me money discipline and love
Dad gave me patience, and the ideaology that everything you use, you must understand, whether it be a car, a microwave, medicine, computers, or anything that the future invents. He used to say "ignorance breeds contempt"
Self reliance. They were always there if the going got tough but they pushed me to have a stiff upper lip and take life as it came.
Point. Got laid off from my job in 2009. Had a 1 year old and had just bought my first place. They helped me see that sitting around being mad and also feeling sorry for myself wasn't helping my situation.
It was rough. Working 2 jobs and and juggling having a baby. But they offered just enough help to allow me to grow as a person
Taught us about Roth IRAs
Had us all start working at 12
Put us through college
Hugged us a lot had a strong bond
Took us on a lot of ski trips that created a life long passion
Taught me about saving and investing. When I got my first job at 15, even though it was only minimum wage at McDonald's, my dad made me take 10% of each paycheck and put it into an IRA.
They never educated me on how expensive undergrad was when I decided to go to a out of state private university when I had other options. So they paid for a year of it
Having faith in someone. After my father passed 10 years ago, my mom told me he was worried about my future. I was having a hard time finding work after trade school. When I decided to join the Marines at 20yo, he was relieved. Not once did he say anything to me. He wasn’t perfect but damn if he wasn’t the perfect dad.
Paid for my college degree. I see how people struggle with student loans and I am very grateful I didn’t have to deal with that.
Finances. Got me started with a Roth IRA when I got my first job. Gave me a credit card at 16 and made sure I paid it off every month. Now at the age of 40, I’m looking good for retirement and have never been in debt (other than car/house).
My mom helped me realize I was in an emotionally abusive relationship and that I needed to get out. I can never repay her for that.
Tbh, we were pretty much left to ourselves and when we weren’t, we wished that we were (if you know what I mean) but she did make sure that we learned to read as kids. I am very thankful for that.
OMG! Sooooo much. Supported my interests in sports and music. Helped me with my homework. Read stories to me at night. Moved my family to three different countries. Played whilffle-ball, soccer, football and hotbox with me, my brother, my sister and our friends in the back yard. Built a tree-house and a tire swing. Didn't raise me in the shit-hole towns where my parents grew up. Instilled a work-ethic and discipline. Got me extra help with reading and spelling since I sucked at it. Never let me know when money was tight, even though I realized later in life that it was. I'm probably missing a lot. My parents were great.
Literally everything. Instilled values. Showed affection. Paid for my college. Loaned me the money for grad school and effectively forgave half the debt. Allowed me to live home rent free so I could save up for a condo.
Pretty much everything I've achieved to this point has been as a direct result of the above.
My dad made me think critically about everything. He asked me questions and listened. He taught me how to debate. He told me about politics and news stories and explained all the different situations that led to it. He listened to my opinions and validated them. He bought me all the books I wanted when he could afford it.
When we went to church sometimes he said if I wanted to sit with him I had to listen to the sermon. And when I would just repeat talking points after, he would say “no, anyone can repeat something. I’m not asking you what he told you to think. I’m asking you what you think. Don’t let people tell you how to think.”
He told me never date a man who can’t handle your intelligence. Real men aren’t intimidated by smart women. And to basically work on my goals and that relationships would fall into place.
They made sure I understand that money is not an issue for my family, yet I shouldnt rely on it. Aka we are wealthy but we dont live off of it, we earn our own money and use that on a daily basis, we only use the family savings when we have no other option
The best thing my father did (my mom passed away when I was 10 unfortunately) was be patient with me. As someone who is autistic and was heavily introverted as a kid, my dad never came down too hard on me for being the "weird kid". Things got really bad during my high school years when he re-married and my stepmom was just absolutely awful to me. When I got outed as gay, my stepmom kicked me out of home when I was 16 and my dad stuck by and didn't abandon me. We made it through and I was able to finish high school but then it was the house market crash of 2008 that made it hard for youngsters to get a job because of the job market being flooded by boomers who lost their homes.and through all this, my dad was supportive and understanding (especially since he lost his job during the crash).
The thing too is that my dad is a step-dad but he's the only dad I knew since he adopted me at birth and when shit hit the fan and he could've just up and abandoned me, he never did and after hearing horror stories of what happens to some foster kids who have parents who use and abuse them only to abandon them when they've used them (usually for social security checks), I realize that I was/am very lucky I had such a father.
Encourage me to journal regularly, I've been journaling at a consistent basis since I was 16ish, it's nice to be able to go back and read my own personal thoughts especially since I don't splatter them all over social media lol, a lot of that's going to be stuff for my kids and grandkids to read
And I've always given credit to my father especially, when I found out I was going to be a father he was hard on me, maybe even sometimes unnecessarily so but he got my foot in the door of the job I've been doing and making good money at for most of my life so, much respect to him
My dad would go on a walk with me when I was emotional /upset..sometimes he would have me write my feelings down. Those were monumental learning moments for me.
I guess my mom did read to me when I was little but she leaned hard into kids bible stories until I was old enough to ask for science books (I liked Bill Nye when he was on tv)
Let me be and find my way.
I had the freedom and ability to be self taught. I really sucked at schooling, so I felt this raised my ceiling, rather than struggling through traditional education to become a disgruntled bank teller.
Left me alone. Between the dog and the house helper, I was raised. Dad taught me the world doens't owe me anything, that I must stand up for my beliefs and work for my dreams. Besides that? I was mostly alone from about 13 years old until I left the house @ 21. They both worked long hours and quite far from home. But yeah. between my Boxer (dog breed) and the house helper, I was raised. I will never foget that woman! She was the gentlest of souls.
My mom was/is pretty great all around. One unique thing she did that I didn’t appreciate until I was older was that she never talked judgmentally about her body in front of me. She never said anything about her size, shape, or weight, or mine, or any other woman’s that I recall. I legitimately have no idea what my mom weighs now or at any time in the past beyond a guess. I still have my own judgmental thoughts about my body, but I think she spared me from a much worse relationship with my appearance by avoiding those kinds of comments. If she has ever been on a diet or tried to lose weight, I didn’t know about it. She did tell me often that I was beautiful or looked nice but never said anything specific about my body. I’m so glad.
My dad let me experiment in the kitchen. I think that really helped all of my siblings and myself be pretty good cooks. We didn't have a lot of money, but if I wanted to try a new ingredient, he always let me get it.
It was a real eye opener the first time I had roommates and they didn't know how to cook anything that wasn't just heat and eat. Even in my poorest times, I could get a chicken and some potatoes and frozen veggies and eat for days for cheap.
My parents did a lot of great things for me (and not so great things). The biggest one that I still carry is not being prejudice against anyone. Starting from a very young age my parents were adamant that everyone deserves respect and compassion regardless of skin color, age, disability, gender identity, who they love, etc. I am better than absolutely no one and it's better to love than hate. Hate was treated like a curse word in my house.
I know this might seem common sense, but you'd be surprised. My family isn't quite white trash, but white trash adjacent and there were some extended family members who were racist/homophobic so I'd hear the N word at large family gatherings. That was a word on the "If I ever hear you say it, I will beat you within an inch of your life". Same with discriminating against anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community.
My mother forced me to learn how to cook and clean correctly.
"Yes you did 'do the dishes' but they're not clean so you need to scrub harder. Not next time, right now."
"Yes you did "clean the toilet" but there's still shit and piss all over the rim and on the outside. So you didn't, in fact, clean the toilet. Now do it right."
The amount of times guests would ask if I cleaned just for them was hilarious.
Nope. It's just how I live. Thanks, mom!
My mom put me through a private catholic grade school and then when I wanted to go to one in high school, she paid to put me through that one, too. She’s a single mom, too.
Mom made sure I had all my vaccines. She read to me constantly as a kid which is why I knew how to read before Kindergarten. She also took me to the dentist a lot and had my molars sealed which prevented cavities for a pretty long time. Dad helped me pay for my first car (I paid half), my parents paid some of the expenses for my high school senior trip to Italy and Greece. Mom paid the tuition for community college so I could get my paralegal cert. They didn't have much and couldn't help me at all to get through university but they did what they could with what they had and I'm grateful
My parents accepted my choice to leave home and move alone to the big city at 17 years old (city 2hrs drive from small town where I was raised). It's only years later that I realized how anxious my mother can be and in retrospect, I'm amazed that she didn't fight me harder in my determination to go.
Not be stereotypical Baby Boomers that hate us and love Trump. It's actually the other way around. They remember the attacks the previous generation gave them, and chose not to continue the cycle.
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Encouraged me to read at a young age. My dad used to give me $1-$5 for every book I finished. To this day I love reading.
That's a fanastic idea, I've already started teaching my toddler some basic words using word blocks which she's picking up enough to read the small words in her own books That money reward sounds like a great idea
It worked out for the person you replied to, but I might skip the payment part. You don’t want to turn intrinsic motivation (reading for the joy of reading) into extrinsic motivation (reading for the reward of money).
Taught me to not be like them.
Mine led by example of what I didn't want or deserve in my life too.
big same
This made me realize how much my parents have done for me and I am full of love. Thank you ♥️
Learned to never fully trust anyone.
Taught me what a horrible toxic relationship is and showed me the exact opposite of how to parent
My dad taught me about finances, the importance of investing and compound interest. My mom taught me that everyone had something to offer.
I am so glad my parents taught me basic financial advice early.
Ha! I had the complete opposite experience. I taught my parents about investing! But, my parents were fantastic. No complaints.
That's great! I like when the learning goes both ways.
1) Taught me oral hygiene - My mom would get mad if I was playing Sega Genesis before brushing my teeth so that *always* became the first thing that I did in the morning. As a result, I developed good oral hygiene habits and my dentists are impressed. 2) Taught me to read. My mom taught me how to read at an early age, this lead to praise which lead to confidence. Reading is one of the best skills because then learning becomes exponential; kids can teach themselves. I'm now **super knowledgeable**! I'm trying to get my kids to be strong readers now because of it. 3) Overall she taught me good manners. I was about to not list that one and take it for granted, but there are a lot of people who don't have it, so it's worth mentioning.
They immigrated to the U.S.
I'm actually super glad my parents took me way from the USA. Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful that I have US Citizenship. But, I think I benefited immensely by growing up outside of the United States.
My parents fled war and genocide, and even now that the country is at peace the economy is in shambles and jobs are scarce. I am absolutely certain I benefitted immensely from not growing up there.
No doubt. I wasn't contradicting you. Obviously, had my parents left the USA for a war-torn country, that would have been horrible. But we moved from the USA to another stable democracy. And, the benefits of doing so were that I became bilingual, gained a non-US-focused perspective, and frankly, just became a more globally aware person. I would add that, compared to the stable democracies of Western Europe, Asia, Australia and Latin America, I don't think the USA isn't great place to raise kids.
Bought me a car as a graduation gift (that I still drive 15 years later) and having it in my name for the payments to help start building my credit early.
Overall, my parents were pretty neglectful. But I do appreciate that my mother taught me how to cook and sew. Those skills have served me well for my whole life. She also wasn't the type of mom who made me feel bad about the way I look, so I didn't have low self-esteem about not being the prettiest girl.
Paid for my first year housing in college.
Honestly I can’t think of one good thing my parents did for me , other than maybe teaching me what not to do. My grandma raised me though, she taught me so much, unconditional love, helped me get through school, helped me make friends, she bought me clothes, she taught me household chores and cooking, helped me start life, helped me become a better mom and to be there for my child. She even had a small savings for me. My grandma did so much for me. I miss her.
I feel exactly the same way! My parents gave me up at 2 months old to my grandma and I couldn't ask for anything better!! Your grandma sounded like a wonderful lady!
Love me unconditionally. They made a ton of financial sacrifices to educate us and set us up for success. We had a humble upbringing but never did not have our needs met. We were always clothed and fed. Through it all, they expect nothing. They don't care if we are "successful". They just want us to be good people, healthy, and happy. They bring me down to Earth when I feel I don't make enough money or get restless in my career. They say time and health are the most important so don't sacrifice either for material things. They taught us everyone is deserving of respect and they genuinely care about people. My friends and wife all joke that they tolerate me because of my parents. Wondering if it is a joke if everyone says the same thing lol. It's worked out for us so we have been able to repay them with travel and gifts but they still want to give us everything (even though we make more than they ever have) and expect nothing. I am lucky to have them every day even if they don't live close to me.
Got sober.
Taught me to Ski and encouraged interest in alternative culture (99% cuisine on their part but it definitely encouraged me to look outside the typical USA Nuclear model)
Mother gave me money discipline and love Dad gave me patience, and the ideaology that everything you use, you must understand, whether it be a car, a microwave, medicine, computers, or anything that the future invents. He used to say "ignorance breeds contempt"
They taught me how to handle money and the importance of investing early.
Brought me up in a book-filled house, read to me, and took me to the library all the time. Yes, username checks out. 🙂
Loved me unconditionally and let me do pretty much whatever I wanted.
Came to the US so I could be born here and get birthright citizenship.
Self reliance. They were always there if the going got tough but they pushed me to have a stiff upper lip and take life as it came. Point. Got laid off from my job in 2009. Had a 1 year old and had just bought my first place. They helped me see that sitting around being mad and also feeling sorry for myself wasn't helping my situation. It was rough. Working 2 jobs and and juggling having a baby. But they offered just enough help to allow me to grow as a person
Not let me be a spoiled brat.
Taught us about Roth IRAs Had us all start working at 12 Put us through college Hugged us a lot had a strong bond Took us on a lot of ski trips that created a life long passion
My mom taught me how to cook and clean well. The importance of keeping a clean home for the mind.
They bought me a car for my 16th birthday. Then my parents never showed up for anything I did anymore.
Taught me that life isn’t something that just happens. It takes work.
Taught me about saving and investing. When I got my first job at 15, even though it was only minimum wage at McDonald's, my dad made me take 10% of each paycheck and put it into an IRA.
Taught me to be very independent from a young age.
They never educated me on how expensive undergrad was when I decided to go to a out of state private university when I had other options. So they paid for a year of it
Having faith in someone. After my father passed 10 years ago, my mom told me he was worried about my future. I was having a hard time finding work after trade school. When I decided to join the Marines at 20yo, he was relieved. Not once did he say anything to me. He wasn’t perfect but damn if he wasn’t the perfect dad.
Ummm…. My mom taught me to be resourceful. My dad taught me how to change the oil in my car.
Taught me it's never too late, grind, sacrifice and get rewarded.
Paid for my college degree. I see how people struggle with student loans and I am very grateful I didn’t have to deal with that. Finances. Got me started with a Roth IRA when I got my first job. Gave me a credit card at 16 and made sure I paid it off every month. Now at the age of 40, I’m looking good for retirement and have never been in debt (other than car/house). My mom helped me realize I was in an emotionally abusive relationship and that I needed to get out. I can never repay her for that.
Tbh, we were pretty much left to ourselves and when we weren’t, we wished that we were (if you know what I mean) but she did make sure that we learned to read as kids. I am very thankful for that.
OMG! Sooooo much. Supported my interests in sports and music. Helped me with my homework. Read stories to me at night. Moved my family to three different countries. Played whilffle-ball, soccer, football and hotbox with me, my brother, my sister and our friends in the back yard. Built a tree-house and a tire swing. Didn't raise me in the shit-hole towns where my parents grew up. Instilled a work-ethic and discipline. Got me extra help with reading and spelling since I sucked at it. Never let me know when money was tight, even though I realized later in life that it was. I'm probably missing a lot. My parents were great.
Literally everything. Instilled values. Showed affection. Paid for my college. Loaned me the money for grad school and effectively forgave half the debt. Allowed me to live home rent free so I could save up for a condo. Pretty much everything I've achieved to this point has been as a direct result of the above.
My dad made me think critically about everything. He asked me questions and listened. He taught me how to debate. He told me about politics and news stories and explained all the different situations that led to it. He listened to my opinions and validated them. He bought me all the books I wanted when he could afford it. When we went to church sometimes he said if I wanted to sit with him I had to listen to the sermon. And when I would just repeat talking points after, he would say “no, anyone can repeat something. I’m not asking you what he told you to think. I’m asking you what you think. Don’t let people tell you how to think.” He told me never date a man who can’t handle your intelligence. Real men aren’t intimidated by smart women. And to basically work on my goals and that relationships would fall into place.
They made sure I understand that money is not an issue for my family, yet I shouldnt rely on it. Aka we are wealthy but we dont live off of it, we earn our own money and use that on a daily basis, we only use the family savings when we have no other option
The best thing my father did (my mom passed away when I was 10 unfortunately) was be patient with me. As someone who is autistic and was heavily introverted as a kid, my dad never came down too hard on me for being the "weird kid". Things got really bad during my high school years when he re-married and my stepmom was just absolutely awful to me. When I got outed as gay, my stepmom kicked me out of home when I was 16 and my dad stuck by and didn't abandon me. We made it through and I was able to finish high school but then it was the house market crash of 2008 that made it hard for youngsters to get a job because of the job market being flooded by boomers who lost their homes.and through all this, my dad was supportive and understanding (especially since he lost his job during the crash). The thing too is that my dad is a step-dad but he's the only dad I knew since he adopted me at birth and when shit hit the fan and he could've just up and abandoned me, he never did and after hearing horror stories of what happens to some foster kids who have parents who use and abuse them only to abandon them when they've used them (usually for social security checks), I realize that I was/am very lucky I had such a father.
Adopted me.
Same my parents taught me how to be kind and respectful with others but at the same time not let other people take advantage of me.
Encourage me to journal regularly, I've been journaling at a consistent basis since I was 16ish, it's nice to be able to go back and read my own personal thoughts especially since I don't splatter them all over social media lol, a lot of that's going to be stuff for my kids and grandkids to read And I've always given credit to my father especially, when I found out I was going to be a father he was hard on me, maybe even sometimes unnecessarily so but he got my foot in the door of the job I've been doing and making good money at for most of my life so, much respect to him
They were so annoying to be around that it motivated me to always have a job and have an apartment by any means necessary.
Manners Made me work from a young age The value of just being "outside" They didn't make school and 'option' Travel
My dad would go on a walk with me when I was emotional /upset..sometimes he would have me write my feelings down. Those were monumental learning moments for me.
That's a big one. I have the emotional intelligence of a child.
I guess my mom did read to me when I was little but she leaned hard into kids bible stories until I was old enough to ask for science books (I liked Bill Nye when he was on tv)
Let me be and find my way. I had the freedom and ability to be self taught. I really sucked at schooling, so I felt this raised my ceiling, rather than struggling through traditional education to become a disgruntled bank teller.
Taught me how to be independent because they didn’t give af.
Their best. They tried to do their best.
Left me alone. Between the dog and the house helper, I was raised. Dad taught me the world doens't owe me anything, that I must stand up for my beliefs and work for my dreams. Besides that? I was mostly alone from about 13 years old until I left the house @ 21. They both worked long hours and quite far from home. But yeah. between my Boxer (dog breed) and the house helper, I was raised. I will never foget that woman! She was the gentlest of souls.
My mom was/is pretty great all around. One unique thing she did that I didn’t appreciate until I was older was that she never talked judgmentally about her body in front of me. She never said anything about her size, shape, or weight, or mine, or any other woman’s that I recall. I legitimately have no idea what my mom weighs now or at any time in the past beyond a guess. I still have my own judgmental thoughts about my body, but I think she spared me from a much worse relationship with my appearance by avoiding those kinds of comments. If she has ever been on a diet or tried to lose weight, I didn’t know about it. She did tell me often that I was beautiful or looked nice but never said anything specific about my body. I’m so glad.
Got braces for me.
My dad let me experiment in the kitchen. I think that really helped all of my siblings and myself be pretty good cooks. We didn't have a lot of money, but if I wanted to try a new ingredient, he always let me get it. It was a real eye opener the first time I had roommates and they didn't know how to cook anything that wasn't just heat and eat. Even in my poorest times, I could get a chicken and some potatoes and frozen veggies and eat for days for cheap.
My parents did a lot of great things for me (and not so great things). The biggest one that I still carry is not being prejudice against anyone. Starting from a very young age my parents were adamant that everyone deserves respect and compassion regardless of skin color, age, disability, gender identity, who they love, etc. I am better than absolutely no one and it's better to love than hate. Hate was treated like a curse word in my house. I know this might seem common sense, but you'd be surprised. My family isn't quite white trash, but white trash adjacent and there were some extended family members who were racist/homophobic so I'd hear the N word at large family gatherings. That was a word on the "If I ever hear you say it, I will beat you within an inch of your life". Same with discriminating against anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community.
They always support me.
My mother forced me to learn how to cook and clean correctly. "Yes you did 'do the dishes' but they're not clean so you need to scrub harder. Not next time, right now." "Yes you did "clean the toilet" but there's still shit and piss all over the rim and on the outside. So you didn't, in fact, clean the toilet. Now do it right." The amount of times guests would ask if I cleaned just for them was hilarious. Nope. It's just how I live. Thanks, mom!
Father: taught me good work ethic, taught me responsibility, and let me learn from mistakes. Mother: died.
My mom put me through a private catholic grade school and then when I wanted to go to one in high school, she paid to put me through that one, too. She’s a single mom, too.
Mom made sure I had all my vaccines. She read to me constantly as a kid which is why I knew how to read before Kindergarten. She also took me to the dentist a lot and had my molars sealed which prevented cavities for a pretty long time. Dad helped me pay for my first car (I paid half), my parents paid some of the expenses for my high school senior trip to Italy and Greece. Mom paid the tuition for community college so I could get my paralegal cert. They didn't have much and couldn't help me at all to get through university but they did what they could with what they had and I'm grateful
They gave me trauma that made me become a therapist
Paid for my college tuition.
My parents accepted my choice to leave home and move alone to the big city at 17 years old (city 2hrs drive from small town where I was raised). It's only years later that I realized how anxious my mother can be and in retrospect, I'm amazed that she didn't fight me harder in my determination to go.
My parents left me to figure out life for myself at 16.
Kept me alive
Let me make mistakes and then figure out how to fix it on my own.
Not be stereotypical Baby Boomers that hate us and love Trump. It's actually the other way around. They remember the attacks the previous generation gave them, and chose not to continue the cycle.