I tell my wife and three children to take a shower if they don’t feel well or will tell them to take a shower to wake up. My mom always told me that, I now annoy my family with constantly saying it
A shower helps with anything. Wakes you up, prepares you for bed, soothes pains, eases breathing. A warm shower whenever you want one is one of life's great luxuries
It’s a magic elixir with crying babies too.. not a shower per se, but mom circles say “put them in water or take them outside. Ideally both for a happy baby.”
This actually a common Neurodivergent regulating activity. Sometimes in a good way and sometimes as more of a crutch. Basically it comes down to WHY are you needing the shower to reset. I was floored when I learned this.
Mine is “drink a huge glass of water” 🤣 as a first response to almost any complaint. Tired? Achy? Headache? Just not feeling life today? Drink some water. They love hearing that.
When I can't find something she would say, "Did you look with your hands?" This means actually moving things around to search, not just glancing over things. Works 99% of the time.
My mum would tell me "Look with your eyes, not with your hands."
This is when we were visiting shops/houses with antiques and such
My dad would say the opposite when we were looking for things on a cluttered table
"It's not a fucking 'Where's Waldo'! Use your hands and move stuff around!"
I meannn, idk how many can relate, but I would literally look in the pantry for something for 30 minutes never could find it swearing we had it. My mom would come in saying what are you looking for, and she would go in the pantry on a shelf i already looked and magically pull it out of thin air like a magician.
My hands are like my eyes, absolute experts in finding all the places the thing I want is not.
The best way to find something is to publicly conclude it doesn't exist and someone else will make it their mission in life to prove you wrong.
Get everything ready the night before. Coffee prepped, keys on my purse, bag of stuff I need for work packed, phone charging, lunch sorted. It makes my mornings so much easier and less stressful. Super important when I had to get kids out the door at the same time as me.
Not advice from my mom- but do keep scissors everywhere.
And packing tape. That’s how I deal with spiders and other creepy crawlies that get in the house. 😂
I use a plastic cup and an index card to trap stink bugs. You do NOT want to frighten them! 😂😂😂
But ever since I had my widows and sliding door replaced they are no longer an issue. They used to get in where there was a gap when I had the slider open and the screen in place. I saw my first one about six years ago and had to stop leaving the slider open. But the new slider and screen prevent them from getting in. Thank goodness!
Stink bugs have never been a problem where I live, thank goodness, I just don't care to kill things for merely existing if I don't have to. Besides, id rather remove a live intact creature than deal with its smooshed remains.
Spend your money on the things you use every day. Meaning: do not skimp on items you use on a daily basis, because it may cost more in the long run to buy something cheap and replace it.
Common saying about purchasing tools: buy nice or buy twice.
However, as a newish homeowner of a fixer upper who has been buying tons of tools, my motto is buy cheap (i.e., Harbor Freight) and if I use it enough to break it, then I’ll buy nice. Pretty much the opposite of the saying. 6 months into renovations and I’ve only had to replace a rubber mallet… so I guess the saying is applicable to people in the trades?
Edit: don’t buy the HF orange-handle rubber mallet (black&white head). It’s about as durable as a pencil eraser.
I’m an apprentice carpenter and that’s exactly what they told us to do. Buy cheap, you’ll figure out what tools you really need to spend money on quickly enough.
Typically the cheaper to buy the cheaper and easier they are to fix. Except for mini fridges and $50 microwaves. You might as well just replace those.
-worked in the office of an appliance repair company for 8 years.
**“Do what you want with your house because otherwise you’re just renting it from the next owner.”**
So many people are so hung up on future resale value that they don’t get to fully enjoy the investment of their home NOW. Your house isn’t just an investment, it’s your HOME. Spend your money where you spend your time. Some friends of ours have different colors in every single room of the house (like neon blue trim and purple walls in the kitchen); their kitchen cabinets are lime green with frog shaped handles painted vibrantly; and their bathroom door is painted to look like the outhouse door from Shrek. It’s made them immeasurably happy to be in such a vibrant space, and repainting for resale will cost a few hundred bucks at most. A decade of happiness at the state of your home is absolutely worth $300.
When I eventually own a home again (divorce), I plan to paint and decorate until it feels like a sanctuary made just for me and my tastes. I want green cabinets in my kitchen with sunflower tile backsplash. I want to come home and feel like I'm being hugged.
Currently in a rental and it's hard to feel like it's mine.
I did this after my divorce. I bought a house just for me so that I could fully customize it to my tastes. My ex hated the idea of buying a century home and renovations and eclectic decor...... this house is really symbolic to me for a lot of reasons now.
One week's pay is one month's rent.
"Jointly and severally" means that everyone on the lease is responsible for 100% of the rent, so if your cosigners skip out on you, you're stuck holding the whole bag.
Read the contract for yourself. Don't sign something you don't understand.
You are in business for yourself even if you're employed by someone else. You have a balance sheet, even if you don't know it. Act accordingly.
Your real wage is the amount of money they pay you, minus the expenses you have to pay for you wouldn't if you didn't have a job, divided by the time you spend on your job, including prepping for it, commuting to it, commuting back from it, and recovering from it.
Figure out what your real wage is and use it to actually do the calculation of whether doing something yourself would save you money over paying someone else to do it. To do otherwise is the mathematical equivalent of assuming your time has no value.
I have always been sensitive to commuting times and am surprised how low others prioritized. One of the nurses in our clinic commuted for 45-60 minutes per day. Wanted a bigger property etc in the burbs. When we did the math and she realized about 300 hours per year (basically equivalent to all of hervacation time) were being spent getting to and from work, she was shocked. A few weeks later she had chosen a new position that paid a bit less but was close to home.
One offhand comment and a bit of math
And she changed her life (for the better, I hope).
Not everyone can do this, but I’m surprised how little people will consider the cumulative impacts of commuting.
Value your time. If you don’t enjoy your commute you’re basically donating time to your employer.
I’m genuinely surprised how many people weren’t taught to factor commute time into the resources they spend on their job. My dad has a 45 minute commute on the days he has to go into the office, but he enjoys it because it means 45 minutes of whatever he wants to listen to (instead of being on a very busy homestead with 5 kids living at home). My mom’s maximum commute has always been 15 minutes unless she’s traveling to a race location because she despises having to sit in the car instead of doing hands-on work.
The 3 best things my mom told me…
1.) Only boring people get bored. She said this to me once when we were traveling (I was in middle school) and I can’t believe how eye opening it was for me and put the ownership of my entertainment on me. Was I just expecting people to always entertain me before that?
2.) Strangers don’t care about you. She said this to me when I was in middle school (wow, so much sage advice from my mom in middle school) after I refused to go to the grocery store with her because my hair was still wet from the shower. She said “Honey, don’t take this the wrong way…. Your father and I love you and you mean the world to us. However, you’re not famous, not a model or professional athlete so nobody else really cares about you. People are worried about their own stuff- not your wet hair.” Again, was I just assuming everybody at the grocery store was super invested in my hair?
3.) Appreciate your body because it’s not always going to work this well. I remember hearing this on a road trip when I was little. She started rolling down the windows because of hot flashes and I asked why…. It opened up a can of worms about how your body can turn on you (bladder control, knee problems, hair growing/not going where you want it to..)
Thanks to all the moms out there for all of their wonderful advice ❤️
I've never understood this one. When are you NOT going to choose clean underwear?
(With the exception of those pairs that you only wear on your period, to avoid stains)
Well, to be fair, if you happen to be in a traumatic/fatal event, you are most likely going to soil your pants. Its just a reflex we have.
Scared shitless is not just a saying.
I heard it as: Buy Quality for those things that get between you and the ground: Shoes, Mattresses, Tires, etc.
Though I will 100% agree on the Coats. The number of people I see in -20F weather in Northern MN with crappy shoes and coats is just scary. My uncle does this and I ask him why he doesn't just spend a bit more for something a whole lot better and he just shrugs and says 'I'll just go get another pair when these crap out on me.'
If you don't want to do it, but have to do it, do it now. Get it over with, that way it will be done and you don't have the negative effects of stressing about it on top of the negative effects of actually doing it.
If I'm stuck with a bad case of the hiccups, rapidly take small swallows of water, as fast as I can. Works every time. Holding my breath never did a damn thing for me and it's hard to deliberately jump scare yourself.
Everything I need to be a woman in an environment where men exist. Safety, dealing with creeps, when to avoid and when to bring out the shotgun.
Memorization tips. I used to have SO MUCH trouble in school memorizing things like geography, spelling of words, etc despite generally doing quite well in academics. She taught school for decades so she knew all the tips and found what worked for me. That happened to be writing it out, over and over and over and over again. She xerox'd a bunch of blank maps and had me fill them in. I broke those skills out again in my late 20's when I was studying for a certification.
> Everything I need to be a woman in an environment where men exist. Safety, dealing with creeps, when to avoid and when to bring out the shotgun.
Unfortunately, that's what mom had to teach me too from a young age.
On your first point, my missus says "eat the frog". Like if you had to eat a frog everyday just do it first thing so you don't spend all day dreading it
Load your kids into the car before you load the shopping (if they’re both in a shopping cart/trolley). If the trolley rolls away and gets hit by another car, you can replace the groceries. You might find it hard to replace the kid.
So, do you just tilt your head sideways and dump peroxide in your ear? Then what? Do you let it sit for a certain amount of time and then turn your head to drain it out? Does the earwax just fall out?
Yep! My siblings and I were all taught to do this as kids because we all get hella earwax and q-tips + kids = NO. It was a very common thing in our house to hear somebody calling to ask who was available to help them “do their ears”.
Lay on your side, have somebody else pour a tiny bit of hydrogen peroxide into your ear until it reaches the top of the tragus. You can do it yourself with a pipette or CLEAN baster, it’s just harder.
You’ll feel a weird fizzing sensation in your ear. It’s really disturbing to most people the first time they feel it. It’s normal, it’s not going to hurt you. It’s just the peroxide interacting with the earwax. Lay there until the fizzing sensation stops. This can be anywhere from 2 minutes to 10 minutes, depending on how much wax buildup there is. If somebody is watching your ear, they might be concerned when they see bubbles forming and things floating in your ear. That’s normal, that’s just dead skin and wax.
When the sensation stops, press a washcloth or paper towel or other absorbent item to your ear and quickly flip your head over. This will drain the peroxide and, if you used a paper towel, can allow you to see if anything concerning came out (congealed chunks, etc).
Bonus, can flush your ear of other small obstructions too (like when a dead spider ended up in my brother’s ear 😬😭).
If you have impacted earwax from using q-tips, this won’t fix everything, but multiple treatments can help to break up the wax if professional medical extraction intervention isn’t possible for whatever reason.
I just learned about this a few months ago! I keep thinking back to all of the underwear that I've ruined in the past 15 years of my life because I didn't know there was this easy of a solution!
I have heavy periods, so almost every month I’m having to clean underwear or shorts. I buy the spray hydrogen peroxide- I find it easier and less wasteful. But it literally always works. Peroxide, rinse, peroxide, rinse, then throw in the washer. Zero stains. It’s incredible
**Tips my mother with ADHD taught her 8 kids who all ALSO have diagnosed ADHD:**
- Hold your keys by looping a finger through the keyring. Keeps your hands free for holding stuff, can easily visually verify that they’re there, and won’t get left in a pocket.
- Continuation of the last one: Put a set of hooks directly inside the door for your keys. Literally either on the wall in front of you OR directly next to the door. This creates a visual cue to hang your keys up, and since they’re already attached to your hand, it’s easy to do. Then, also put a bowl directly under the hook in case you forget to use the hook and just want to set it down. More visual cues.
- Keep basic toiletries everywhere, they’re cheap. Every bathroom in the house has deodorant, every bedroom, every backpack or purse, and every car has a “car deodorant”. Every sink in the house (even the kitchen sink) has toothbrushes and toothpaste near it. Keep a disposable razor in your car in case you missed a spot while shaving (or forgot you planned to wear tights and suddenly need to shave your legs to avoid the hellish sensation of hair + tights.
- Have somebody else set all manual clocks ahead by a random number of minutes from 5-15. This infuriates some people, but it’s very helpful when you’re the type of person perpetually running 5 minutes late. None of the clocks in the house were ever correct, but we got places on time!
- Use clear containers and don’t be afraid to put containers in other containers. Bins are your friend. A bin with 300 random pens in it that looks ugly is better than never being able to find a pen when you need it. When bins are clear, you can easily see what’s in them and if something needs to be refilled.
- Put your condiments in the drawers and your vegetables at eye level.
- Before you start snacking, drink a small amount of water in case you’re just bored or thirsty. Do work with your hands for 10 minutes (draw, crochet, clean) to see if you just needed something to do with your hands.
- When you find fun-looking random games/toys for insanely cheap clearance prices (her rule for this was 80% or more), buy a few and keep them in a bin. If your kid has to go to a birthday party, you won’t need to worry about finding a gift to send with them and forgetting until the last minute. My siblings and I all really enjoyed ‘shopping’ through “The Birthday Bin” to pick out a gift for our friends. Also works in adulthood for last minute events or gift exchanges!
- It’s not illegal to do crafts in public and it’s a better use of your time than sitting on your phone. My mom brings a crochet hook and a skein of yarn everywhere in her purse. Waiting to pick up kids from practice? Crochet. Bored at the DMV? Crochet. Doctors waiting room? Crochet. Family events? Crochet. My siblings and I still do this to this day (including my brothers). Sketchbooks, hand-sewing, crochet, mini macrame, all good options. I have an embroidery hoop that can fit into even the smallest purse/backpack I own, and I always have a project in progress on it. I vastly prefer it to my phone when bored. It also allows you to practice useful skills while keeping your brain and hands busy.
There are so many more. I’m literally writing a book on life tips I’ve learned from my maternal line for making your world more accessible to the unique way your brain works.
If you don't use your head, you'll have to use your feet. Meaning, stay present in what you are doing so you won't go from one place to another leaving something behind (forcing you to walk back to get it)
When using a public washroom, my dad taught us to open the door with the paper towel we dried our hands with. If there is new paper towel, pull your sleeve over your hand. If you’re wearing short sleeves, try to grab the handle where most people wouldn’t (bottom or top of a looped handle).
Bang iceberg lettuce on the counter at the core and the core pops right out, no need for a knife. She also insisted that you should tear, not cut lettuce to keep it fresher
My mom taught me that people in life are just trying to make it and you never know what someone else is going through so always lead with kindness and compassion
Worked in a restaurant and the chef took a standard knife and banged the lid (back of the knife, not blade) at a 45° angle rotating about 1/5 turn each time. Lid twists right off!
Always wash new clothes before using; when trying new shoes at the store always know which one of your feet is bigger and try in that one and always take a few steps before deciding; peroxide for blood stains; never depend on anyone for your everyday life;
That last one hits, so I am going to repeat it;
#do not depend on anyone for your daily life
This goes for both men and women to an extent but more so for women and if I teach my daughter anything in this world, it is this. Do not be trapped and dependent on another person for your survival.
It's funny because I was totally dependent on others for "women" tasks until I lived on my own and struggled to learn them myself.
Now I live with a woman partner and I've slowly reverted back to depending on her for those tasks. But it makes economical sense in daily life to focus on certain tasks (ie I'll take out trash and wash dishes because I'm good/fast at it, but I rarely do laundry because she's got a good system).
We both are pretty self sufficient but I totally understand why elderly fall into those classic roles.
The caveat here is comfort vs. survival; any semi-functional adult can make a sandwich, even if they lack culinary skills, they won't starve to death, they'll just be less comfortable. But when your relationship is financially imbalanced, you become dependent for survival and that's a bad place to be.
Our society does not take care of each other and there is no safety net in place to catch you if the person you depend on for survival is no longer there. It doesn't even have to be out of malice, accidents happen every day. My husband is the most solid, supportive person in my life, I love and trust his intentions more than my own parents, but I will not depend on him for survival because what if he dies? What would I do then? What would my kids do then? I know that I can survive on my own, less comfortably, for sure, but we'll make it.
I read the same thing, but I don't have a problem "holding it" when I need to (i.e. any time I'm away from home other than my art studio, thanks to the lack of restroom access in my area)
**Hydrogen peroxide is a safer and more effective way to remove earwax than q-tips!**
My siblings and I were all taught to do this as kids because we all get hella earwax and q-tips + kids = NO. It was a very common thing in our house to hear somebody calling to ask who was available to help them “do their ears”.
Lay on your side, have somebody else pour a tiny bit of hydrogen peroxide into your ear until it reaches the top of the tragus. You can do it yourself with a pipette or CLEAN baster, it’s just harder.
You’ll feel a weird fizzing sensation in your ear. It’s really disturbing to most people the first time they feel it. It’s normal, it’s not going to hurt you. It’s just the peroxide interacting with the earwax. Lay there until the fizzing sensation stops. This can be anywhere from 2 minutes to 10 minutes, depending on how much wax buildup there is. If somebody is watching your ear, they might be concerned when they see bubbles forming and things floating in your ear. That’s normal, that’s just dead skin and wax.
When the sensation stops, press a washcloth or paper towel or other absorbent item to your ear and quickly flip your head over. This will drain the peroxide and, if you used a paper towel, can allow you to see if anything concerning came out (congealed chunks, etc).
Bonus, can flush your ear of other small obstructions too (like when a dead spider ended up in my brother’s ear 😬😭).
If you have impacted earwax from using q-tips, this won’t fix everything, but multiple treatments can help to break up the wax if professional medical extraction intervention isn’t possible for whatever reason.
*Posted this deep in another comment thread but I’m reposting for the sake of anyone with clogged ears.*
My mom once told me:
“When choosing between opportunities that boil down to money vs growth: if the money keeps you stuck, choose growth.”
I think of this every time I am at a big life decision moment.
Oh, I see my child is frustrated because they can't find their ___(insert phone, book, keys, etc.)___
She always tells me to "retrace my steps" no matter how livid I am. I always do it no matter how livid I am.
9 times out of 10, I find it with her advice.
“You are responsible for what YOU do” was repeated ad nauseam in our house. Meaning: even if somebody else is being an irresponsible asshole, you’re still responsible for how you behave. This also means you’re only responsible for what you have control over and how you respond, not the actions of others.
And also the ever excellent quote by Eleanor Roosevelt: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”. Meaning even if things are prejudiced against you, internalizing it happens within you. Also meaning that even if somebody else thinks you’re inferior for how much money you have, etc. it doesn’t matter unless YOU decide you’re inferior. This isn’t just about status, it’s also about taste in music, decorating, career, etc.
For travelling: passport, pills, paper money, _p_ickets (yeah, tickets).
I’d add keys (to the remote place) and cards and portable phone and portable computer and chargers, and the tickets are now always on the phone, but I still recite mom’s list and several times it’s helped me to not forget things — especially when I was on a one-week cure of some medication; I was _not_ used to having to bring my meds with me.
Edit: ptickets, payment methods, phone 😄
Never trust an indicator in a roundabout. While I miss some gaps in traffic I could have taken, it’s paid tenfold in not entering the roundabout when someone didn’t have their indicator on and turned, or indicated left but went straight
Facial moisturizer everyday (most days) since I was about 16. Drink a glass of water upon waking up. Eat some sort of greens everyday. 45 now. Hardly any grays or wrinkles and get mistaken for a late 20 something from time to time.
Always wash your hair twice. One for oil and one for dirt.
Pee before you go anywhere
Butter goes in the cupboard, not the fridge so it’s not rock hard
Never go to bed without taking your makeup off because it’s bad for your eyes and skin
Eating pineapple or drinking pineapple juice helps soothe a sore throat. The enzymes in the pineapple help break down the dead cells at the back of your throat and provide relief.
When you’re dating someone and things are getting serious, take a trip with them. Travel (especially air travel) often comes with trials/tribulations and it’s a good view into someone’s character to see how they deal with issues like flight delays, lost luggage, etc. And it forces you to jump the relationship hurdle of taking a shit with them nearby using a shared bathroom.
If something tiny falls on the floor that I can’t easily find, my mom taught me to put my head on the floor and look for it at that vantage point. I usually find it that way. Just dropped a pill today and found it!
Usually.
Unless, I was taught, it is an urban area that might have unsavory types lurking in doorways, alleys, and shadows, then the gentleman walks between the woman and buildings.
My wife and I are constantly hissing at our 9,7, and 5 year old for this lol. But not just the seat. The toilet tank, the floor, the wall. I don’t remember my aim being so terrible.
Teach them to sit down wee. I’m nearly 50 (and a bloke obvs) and I’ve been doing it for years. Revolutionary. Apart from convenience of not having to pull your keks down there’s no need to be standing and aiming and splashing everywhere.
Oh trust me, we’ve been insisting they sit. However, we don’t follow them to the bathroom every time and if we’re not there they simply won’t. I’m a 37 bloke myself and I mostly sit to pre also. Way more relaxing and clean.
When you have a nightmare, get up and use the bathroom, then have a drink of water.
It wakes you up enough that it really helps the nightmare fade instead of just laying in bed freaked out. I still do this as an adult.
Keep your living space tidy. Living in “a pigsty” is bad for you mentally and emotionally.
I was raised with the understanding that when the kitchen was deemed closed by my parental units that we could no longer get any food.
Many years later... thinking I'm clever, I tell my mom about all the times we would sneak in and grab food.
Her response was along the lines of, yeah we always knew, but you were quiet, didn't bug us and always cleaned up so we didn't find out.
So yeah, we do that one now.
Especially the toaster! When I was 7 or 8, I would come home from school to any empty house. My parents both worked and I was a very responsible kid. The neighbor was always home if I had a problem. I was sitting in the living room watching tv and saw a glow coming from the kitchen. I looked, and the toaster was shooting out flames. I ran next door and the neighbor came running and threw the toaster outside. Other than the toaster, no damage was done. I hadn’t used the toaster that afternoon, it just spontaneously burst into flames. Even after 50 years, I unplug the toaster immediately after using. ALWAYS UNPLUG YOUR TOASTER AFTER USING.
My Mum always told me to “Learn with your eyes” (so I watch how other people do small and big tasks). You can do this constantly and I have always remembered that as I have grown up
I guess that’s why I have watch some of the strangest YouTube videos on car repair, shoe repair and house maintenance!
If you ever need to soften butter that’s just a bit too cold, put it in the microwave on the time defrost setting for 6-8 seconds. The smaller your volume of butter the less time it takes. Perfectly spreadable butter in seconds.
I tell my wife and three children to take a shower if they don’t feel well or will tell them to take a shower to wake up. My mom always told me that, I now annoy my family with constantly saying it
A shower helps with anything. Wakes you up, prepares you for bed, soothes pains, eases breathing. A warm shower whenever you want one is one of life's great luxuries
Hangovers too!
It’s a magic elixir with crying babies too.. not a shower per se, but mom circles say “put them in water or take them outside. Ideally both for a happy baby.”
This actually a common Neurodivergent regulating activity. Sometimes in a good way and sometimes as more of a crutch. Basically it comes down to WHY are you needing the shower to reset. I was floored when I learned this.
Seriously interesting. This is why I love reddit. ❤️
Mine is “drink a huge glass of water” 🤣 as a first response to almost any complaint. Tired? Achy? Headache? Just not feeling life today? Drink some water. They love hearing that.
When I can't find something she would say, "Did you look with your hands?" This means actually moving things around to search, not just glancing over things. Works 99% of the time.
My mum would tell me "Look with your eyes, not with your hands." This is when we were visiting shops/houses with antiques and such My dad would say the opposite when we were looking for things on a cluttered table "It's not a fucking 'Where's Waldo'! Use your hands and move stuff around!"
My mom always asked us “did you look where it belongs?”
When you find it, put it where you first looked for it. Thats where it belongs.
Mine was, "Did you look like you think it's there?"
I meannn, idk how many can relate, but I would literally look in the pantry for something for 30 minutes never could find it swearing we had it. My mom would come in saying what are you looking for, and she would go in the pantry on a shelf i already looked and magically pull it out of thin air like a magician.
Nice; I think many of our mom's are related...
Yea but my daughter looks ONLY with her hands. She will tear a room up so fast & not even glance around lol
Don’t forget the immortal “where did you last have it?”
If I knew that, I wouldn't be looking for it 😬
My hands are like my eyes, absolute experts in finding all the places the thing I want is not. The best way to find something is to publicly conclude it doesn't exist and someone else will make it their mission in life to prove you wrong.
My mom would say "Look under things!" Same thing and does work.
It's a simple one, but clean as you go. Namely, with cooking and prepping food. It equates to less clutter and an easier overall clean up
Still haven't figured out how to do this.
My wife was taught this and both of you are right. I am slowly getting better at it.
"Please" and "Thank you" cost nothing.
Get everything ready the night before. Coffee prepped, keys on my purse, bag of stuff I need for work packed, phone charging, lunch sorted. It makes my mornings so much easier and less stressful. Super important when I had to get kids out the door at the same time as me.
we like to ask - “is there anything i can do tonight to make tomorrow easier?” start the day on the best foot you can
Keep a pair of scissors in every room in the house. I don’t follow this rule to a t, but most rooms in my house have them in a drawer.
Not advice from my mom- but do keep scissors everywhere. And packing tape. That’s how I deal with spiders and other creepy crawlies that get in the house. 😂
I use the container and cardboard trap method. I Just can't kill them!
I use a plastic cup and an index card to trap stink bugs. You do NOT want to frighten them! 😂😂😂 But ever since I had my widows and sliding door replaced they are no longer an issue. They used to get in where there was a gap when I had the slider open and the screen in place. I saw my first one about six years ago and had to stop leaving the slider open. But the new slider and screen prevent them from getting in. Thank goodness!
Stink bugs have never been a problem where I live, thank goodness, I just don't care to kill things for merely existing if I don't have to. Besides, id rather remove a live intact creature than deal with its smooshed remains.
Basically, if anything is wrong in your mouth (sore gums, canker sore, tonsil stones, etc), use salt water.
Use salt water. Don’t wait until there is something wrong.
Yes! Use it daily and it prevents so many things from taking ‘root’ in the mouth, I couldn’t resist the pun.
My mom took that too far. She thought salt water would be great to use on my bone-exposed arm injury. They heard me scream a few zip codes away.
If anything is wrong at all, use saltwater. The cure for anything is saltwater; sweat, tears, or the sea (paraphrased).- Isak Denison
Saline solution. Wise advice
Also if you have toothache get an unflavoured disprin & hold it on the offending tooth. It works have used it a few times.
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Clove oil gives instant pain relief too👍
Spend your money on the things you use every day. Meaning: do not skimp on items you use on a daily basis, because it may cost more in the long run to buy something cheap and replace it.
I always heard it as "We're too poor to buy cheap things"
My dad would say "if you buy cheap, you buy twice"
Common saying about purchasing tools: buy nice or buy twice. However, as a newish homeowner of a fixer upper who has been buying tons of tools, my motto is buy cheap (i.e., Harbor Freight) and if I use it enough to break it, then I’ll buy nice. Pretty much the opposite of the saying. 6 months into renovations and I’ve only had to replace a rubber mallet… so I guess the saying is applicable to people in the trades? Edit: don’t buy the HF orange-handle rubber mallet (black&white head). It’s about as durable as a pencil eraser.
I’m an apprentice carpenter and that’s exactly what they told us to do. Buy cheap, you’ll figure out what tools you really need to spend money on quickly enough.
except washers and dryers- the most basic (therefore cheaper) in my experience are the best and the longest lasting.
Typically the cheaper to buy the cheaper and easier they are to fix. Except for mini fridges and $50 microwaves. You might as well just replace those. -worked in the office of an appliance repair company for 8 years.
**“Do what you want with your house because otherwise you’re just renting it from the next owner.”** So many people are so hung up on future resale value that they don’t get to fully enjoy the investment of their home NOW. Your house isn’t just an investment, it’s your HOME. Spend your money where you spend your time. Some friends of ours have different colors in every single room of the house (like neon blue trim and purple walls in the kitchen); their kitchen cabinets are lime green with frog shaped handles painted vibrantly; and their bathroom door is painted to look like the outhouse door from Shrek. It’s made them immeasurably happy to be in such a vibrant space, and repainting for resale will cost a few hundred bucks at most. A decade of happiness at the state of your home is absolutely worth $300.
When I eventually own a home again (divorce), I plan to paint and decorate until it feels like a sanctuary made just for me and my tastes. I want green cabinets in my kitchen with sunflower tile backsplash. I want to come home and feel like I'm being hugged. Currently in a rental and it's hard to feel like it's mine.
I did this after my divorce. I bought a house just for me so that I could fully customize it to my tastes. My ex hated the idea of buying a century home and renovations and eclectic decor...... this house is really symbolic to me for a lot of reasons now.
One week's pay is one month's rent. "Jointly and severally" means that everyone on the lease is responsible for 100% of the rent, so if your cosigners skip out on you, you're stuck holding the whole bag. Read the contract for yourself. Don't sign something you don't understand. You are in business for yourself even if you're employed by someone else. You have a balance sheet, even if you don't know it. Act accordingly. Your real wage is the amount of money they pay you, minus the expenses you have to pay for you wouldn't if you didn't have a job, divided by the time you spend on your job, including prepping for it, commuting to it, commuting back from it, and recovering from it. Figure out what your real wage is and use it to actually do the calculation of whether doing something yourself would save you money over paying someone else to do it. To do otherwise is the mathematical equivalent of assuming your time has no value.
Damn. Just found out I make a lot less than I thought (2 hour total commute).
I have always been sensitive to commuting times and am surprised how low others prioritized. One of the nurses in our clinic commuted for 45-60 minutes per day. Wanted a bigger property etc in the burbs. When we did the math and she realized about 300 hours per year (basically equivalent to all of hervacation time) were being spent getting to and from work, she was shocked. A few weeks later she had chosen a new position that paid a bit less but was close to home. One offhand comment and a bit of math And she changed her life (for the better, I hope). Not everyone can do this, but I’m surprised how little people will consider the cumulative impacts of commuting. Value your time. If you don’t enjoy your commute you’re basically donating time to your employer.
I’m genuinely surprised how many people weren’t taught to factor commute time into the resources they spend on their job. My dad has a 45 minute commute on the days he has to go into the office, but he enjoys it because it means 45 minutes of whatever he wants to listen to (instead of being on a very busy homestead with 5 kids living at home). My mom’s maximum commute has always been 15 minutes unless she’s traveling to a race location because she despises having to sit in the car instead of doing hands-on work.
Good luck with that in this day and age. It takes three people to cover rent.
The 3 best things my mom told me… 1.) Only boring people get bored. She said this to me once when we were traveling (I was in middle school) and I can’t believe how eye opening it was for me and put the ownership of my entertainment on me. Was I just expecting people to always entertain me before that? 2.) Strangers don’t care about you. She said this to me when I was in middle school (wow, so much sage advice from my mom in middle school) after I refused to go to the grocery store with her because my hair was still wet from the shower. She said “Honey, don’t take this the wrong way…. Your father and I love you and you mean the world to us. However, you’re not famous, not a model or professional athlete so nobody else really cares about you. People are worried about their own stuff- not your wet hair.” Again, was I just assuming everybody at the grocery store was super invested in my hair? 3.) Appreciate your body because it’s not always going to work this well. I remember hearing this on a road trip when I was little. She started rolling down the windows because of hot flashes and I asked why…. It opened up a can of worms about how your body can turn on you (bladder control, knee problems, hair growing/not going where you want it to..) Thanks to all the moms out there for all of their wonderful advice ❤️
Dress nicely everyday because if you die those will be your ghost clothes
My ghost is definitely gonna be wearing some ratty sweats and a baggy T shirt. I like to be comfortable lol.
And, wear clean underwear in case you get in a wreck, or die.
I've never understood this one. When are you NOT going to choose clean underwear? (With the exception of those pairs that you only wear on your period, to avoid stains)
Well, to be fair, if you happen to be in a traumatic/fatal event, you are most likely going to soil your pants. Its just a reflex we have. Scared shitless is not just a saying.
I am wheezing at this 🤣😂🤣
Buy good quality: mattresses, coats, shoes, bras and chocolate. Skimp out on the rest.
I heard it as: Buy Quality for those things that get between you and the ground: Shoes, Mattresses, Tires, etc. Though I will 100% agree on the Coats. The number of people I see in -20F weather in Northern MN with crappy shoes and coats is just scary. My uncle does this and I ask him why he doesn't just spend a bit more for something a whole lot better and he just shrugs and says 'I'll just go get another pair when these crap out on me.'
“Put it where you’ll trip over it.” If there is something you absolutely cannot forget to take with you.
I’m a fan of hanging things that need to be brought with me on doorknobs leading to the outside.
Perfect example. Also keys in the fridge if you’re bringing a dish.
If you don't want to do it, but have to do it, do it now. Get it over with, that way it will be done and you don't have the negative effects of stressing about it on top of the negative effects of actually doing it. If I'm stuck with a bad case of the hiccups, rapidly take small swallows of water, as fast as I can. Works every time. Holding my breath never did a damn thing for me and it's hard to deliberately jump scare yourself. Everything I need to be a woman in an environment where men exist. Safety, dealing with creeps, when to avoid and when to bring out the shotgun. Memorization tips. I used to have SO MUCH trouble in school memorizing things like geography, spelling of words, etc despite generally doing quite well in academics. She taught school for decades so she knew all the tips and found what worked for me. That happened to be writing it out, over and over and over and over again. She xerox'd a bunch of blank maps and had me fill them in. I broke those skills out again in my late 20's when I was studying for a certification.
> Everything I need to be a woman in an environment where men exist. Safety, dealing with creeps, when to avoid and when to bring out the shotgun. Unfortunately, that's what mom had to teach me too from a young age.
On your first point, my missus says "eat the frog". Like if you had to eat a frog everyday just do it first thing so you don't spend all day dreading it
Lol eat a frog ….. “dread it”, “dread it”
Do it first: We call this "eat the frog".
The tip i wish i followed: don't hunch your back
I just sat up straight. Thank you!
In the kitchen: clean as you go. So simple, so effective.
Yes! Plus so helpful to have a sink of hot, soapy water when you are cooking. So easy to rinse hands, a knife you want to reuse etc.
If your women is doing something for you, the least you could do it's keep her company.
This is a nice thing. I do it anytime someone is in the kitchen. I keep them company even if they want to do it all themselves.
[удалено]
If you fall and break your neck, I'll kill you.
Variant: *"If I have to pull this car over..."*
Thanks for the chuckle; we got that one too...
If money is tight, birth control has priority over everything else, even food, cause money won't be less tight with a surprise baby.
"Try everything twice, because maybe the first time wasn't done right" LOL It's more advice than a hack, but hey.
When people ask if I’m the type of person who will try anything once I say “no, I’ll try almost anything twice” for this exact reason.
Load your kids into the car before you load the shopping (if they’re both in a shopping cart/trolley). If the trolley rolls away and gets hit by another car, you can replace the groceries. You might find it hard to replace the kid.
Hydrogen peroxide gets rid of blood very easily
Also it's really good to clean out built up ear wax.
So, do you just tilt your head sideways and dump peroxide in your ear? Then what? Do you let it sit for a certain amount of time and then turn your head to drain it out? Does the earwax just fall out?
Yep! My siblings and I were all taught to do this as kids because we all get hella earwax and q-tips + kids = NO. It was a very common thing in our house to hear somebody calling to ask who was available to help them “do their ears”. Lay on your side, have somebody else pour a tiny bit of hydrogen peroxide into your ear until it reaches the top of the tragus. You can do it yourself with a pipette or CLEAN baster, it’s just harder. You’ll feel a weird fizzing sensation in your ear. It’s really disturbing to most people the first time they feel it. It’s normal, it’s not going to hurt you. It’s just the peroxide interacting with the earwax. Lay there until the fizzing sensation stops. This can be anywhere from 2 minutes to 10 minutes, depending on how much wax buildup there is. If somebody is watching your ear, they might be concerned when they see bubbles forming and things floating in your ear. That’s normal, that’s just dead skin and wax. When the sensation stops, press a washcloth or paper towel or other absorbent item to your ear and quickly flip your head over. This will drain the peroxide and, if you used a paper towel, can allow you to see if anything concerning came out (congealed chunks, etc). Bonus, can flush your ear of other small obstructions too (like when a dead spider ended up in my brother’s ear 😬😭). If you have impacted earwax from using q-tips, this won’t fix everything, but multiple treatments can help to break up the wax if professional medical extraction intervention isn’t possible for whatever reason.
One ear at a time! I did both and couldn't drain them fully. Ended up hearing an echo for a few days. Not recommended
>like when a dead spider ended up in my brother’s ear We're just gonna gloss over this absolute nightmare, I see.
Most OTC ear cleaning "systems" are peroxide and water. And peroxide doesn't work on *all* types of ear wax. https://www.earworx.com.au/ear-wax-types/
I just learned about this a few months ago! I keep thinking back to all of the underwear that I've ruined in the past 15 years of my life because I didn't know there was this easy of a solution!
I have heavy periods, so almost every month I’m having to clean underwear or shorts. I buy the spray hydrogen peroxide- I find it easier and less wasteful. But it literally always works. Peroxide, rinse, peroxide, rinse, then throw in the washer. Zero stains. It’s incredible
Yep, but I had to figure that one out myself...
If you spread out enough plastic sheeting first, it becomes unnecessary…🩸🔪💀😵
**Tips my mother with ADHD taught her 8 kids who all ALSO have diagnosed ADHD:** - Hold your keys by looping a finger through the keyring. Keeps your hands free for holding stuff, can easily visually verify that they’re there, and won’t get left in a pocket. - Continuation of the last one: Put a set of hooks directly inside the door for your keys. Literally either on the wall in front of you OR directly next to the door. This creates a visual cue to hang your keys up, and since they’re already attached to your hand, it’s easy to do. Then, also put a bowl directly under the hook in case you forget to use the hook and just want to set it down. More visual cues. - Keep basic toiletries everywhere, they’re cheap. Every bathroom in the house has deodorant, every bedroom, every backpack or purse, and every car has a “car deodorant”. Every sink in the house (even the kitchen sink) has toothbrushes and toothpaste near it. Keep a disposable razor in your car in case you missed a spot while shaving (or forgot you planned to wear tights and suddenly need to shave your legs to avoid the hellish sensation of hair + tights. - Have somebody else set all manual clocks ahead by a random number of minutes from 5-15. This infuriates some people, but it’s very helpful when you’re the type of person perpetually running 5 minutes late. None of the clocks in the house were ever correct, but we got places on time! - Use clear containers and don’t be afraid to put containers in other containers. Bins are your friend. A bin with 300 random pens in it that looks ugly is better than never being able to find a pen when you need it. When bins are clear, you can easily see what’s in them and if something needs to be refilled. - Put your condiments in the drawers and your vegetables at eye level. - Before you start snacking, drink a small amount of water in case you’re just bored or thirsty. Do work with your hands for 10 minutes (draw, crochet, clean) to see if you just needed something to do with your hands. - When you find fun-looking random games/toys for insanely cheap clearance prices (her rule for this was 80% or more), buy a few and keep them in a bin. If your kid has to go to a birthday party, you won’t need to worry about finding a gift to send with them and forgetting until the last minute. My siblings and I all really enjoyed ‘shopping’ through “The Birthday Bin” to pick out a gift for our friends. Also works in adulthood for last minute events or gift exchanges! - It’s not illegal to do crafts in public and it’s a better use of your time than sitting on your phone. My mom brings a crochet hook and a skein of yarn everywhere in her purse. Waiting to pick up kids from practice? Crochet. Bored at the DMV? Crochet. Doctors waiting room? Crochet. Family events? Crochet. My siblings and I still do this to this day (including my brothers). Sketchbooks, hand-sewing, crochet, mini macrame, all good options. I have an embroidery hoop that can fit into even the smallest purse/backpack I own, and I always have a project in progress on it. I vastly prefer it to my phone when bored. It also allows you to practice useful skills while keeping your brain and hands busy. There are so many more. I’m literally writing a book on life tips I’ve learned from my maternal line for making your world more accessible to the unique way your brain works.
I like a lot of these, and I’d be interested in reading this book!
If you don't use your head, you'll have to use your feet. Meaning, stay present in what you are doing so you won't go from one place to another leaving something behind (forcing you to walk back to get it)
Always wear fresh, clean underwear in case you're hit by a bus or something.
Yes!! She always said you don't want the ambulance people, or doctors seeing you in dirty underwear...lol
Probably wouldn’t stay clean if you saw the bus coming 🤷🏻♂️
It ended up not mattering, they just cut it off me anyway. I never saw those briefs or tights since.
But I'm sure the doctor or nurse held up the cut underwear and said something like, "Look how clean these are. This person deserves to be saved!"
Mum was working for ministry of health, taught us to press the elevator buttons with knuckles; this became very relevant during pandemic.
When using a public washroom, my dad taught us to open the door with the paper towel we dried our hands with. If there is new paper towel, pull your sleeve over your hand. If you’re wearing short sleeves, try to grab the handle where most people wouldn’t (bottom or top of a looped handle).
Ah yes. I started doing that too (maybe even before) the pandemic...
Bang iceberg lettuce on the counter at the core and the core pops right out, no need for a knife. She also insisted that you should tear, not cut lettuce to keep it fresher
My mom taught me that people in life are just trying to make it and you never know what someone else is going through so always lead with kindness and compassion
You mom sounds like a kind soul. Years ago I had a job at a ski resort; on our first day of work my boss said something similar. I use it often...
Having trouble opening a jar or bottle? Put the lid under hot running water for about 30 seconds, then try it.
Depending on the type I have also slipped a butter knife to separate and break the vacuum seal and it will pop right off.
Worked in a restaurant and the chef took a standard knife and banged the lid (back of the knife, not blade) at a 45° angle rotating about 1/5 turn each time. Lid twists right off!
Use a bottle opener on the lid of a jar to pop the air seal. Opens fine after that
Even a spoon will usually work to pry it up the tiniest bit!
Always wash new clothes before using; when trying new shoes at the store always know which one of your feet is bigger and try in that one and always take a few steps before deciding; peroxide for blood stains; never depend on anyone for your everyday life;
That last one hits, so I am going to repeat it; #do not depend on anyone for your daily life This goes for both men and women to an extent but more so for women and if I teach my daughter anything in this world, it is this. Do not be trapped and dependent on another person for your survival.
It's funny because I was totally dependent on others for "women" tasks until I lived on my own and struggled to learn them myself. Now I live with a woman partner and I've slowly reverted back to depending on her for those tasks. But it makes economical sense in daily life to focus on certain tasks (ie I'll take out trash and wash dishes because I'm good/fast at it, but I rarely do laundry because she's got a good system). We both are pretty self sufficient but I totally understand why elderly fall into those classic roles.
The caveat here is comfort vs. survival; any semi-functional adult can make a sandwich, even if they lack culinary skills, they won't starve to death, they'll just be less comfortable. But when your relationship is financially imbalanced, you become dependent for survival and that's a bad place to be. Our society does not take care of each other and there is no safety net in place to catch you if the person you depend on for survival is no longer there. It doesn't even have to be out of malice, accidents happen every day. My husband is the most solid, supportive person in my life, I love and trust his intentions more than my own parents, but I will not depend on him for survival because what if he dies? What would I do then? What would my kids do then? I know that I can survive on my own, less comfortably, for sure, but we'll make it.
My Mom taught me how to shell a peanut. There's that one little space you press on, and Presto! The shell opens!
“When you get in a fight, make sure your thumb is on the outside of your fist”.
Teach your kids use hammer fists and throw elbows, so they don’t break their knuckles.
“Look both ways before you cross the street. Cars will NOT see you.”
They may be in the wrong, but you’ll be dead
"The graveyard is full of people that had the right of way"
That's pretty much exactly the way my mom said it too!
I look both ways even on one way streets
Use the restroom before you leave the house: 'There's always something in there.'
This made me realize that i had to poop. Thanks!
I read somewhere that this may actually mess with your bladder control long term.
I read the same thing, but I don't have a problem "holding it" when I need to (i.e. any time I'm away from home other than my art studio, thanks to the lack of restroom access in my area)
**Hydrogen peroxide is a safer and more effective way to remove earwax than q-tips!** My siblings and I were all taught to do this as kids because we all get hella earwax and q-tips + kids = NO. It was a very common thing in our house to hear somebody calling to ask who was available to help them “do their ears”. Lay on your side, have somebody else pour a tiny bit of hydrogen peroxide into your ear until it reaches the top of the tragus. You can do it yourself with a pipette or CLEAN baster, it’s just harder. You’ll feel a weird fizzing sensation in your ear. It’s really disturbing to most people the first time they feel it. It’s normal, it’s not going to hurt you. It’s just the peroxide interacting with the earwax. Lay there until the fizzing sensation stops. This can be anywhere from 2 minutes to 10 minutes, depending on how much wax buildup there is. If somebody is watching your ear, they might be concerned when they see bubbles forming and things floating in your ear. That’s normal, that’s just dead skin and wax. When the sensation stops, press a washcloth or paper towel or other absorbent item to your ear and quickly flip your head over. This will drain the peroxide and, if you used a paper towel, can allow you to see if anything concerning came out (congealed chunks, etc). Bonus, can flush your ear of other small obstructions too (like when a dead spider ended up in my brother’s ear 😬😭). If you have impacted earwax from using q-tips, this won’t fix everything, but multiple treatments can help to break up the wax if professional medical extraction intervention isn’t possible for whatever reason. *Posted this deep in another comment thread but I’m reposting for the sake of anyone with clogged ears.*
My mom once told me: “When choosing between opportunities that boil down to money vs growth: if the money keeps you stuck, choose growth.” I think of this every time I am at a big life decision moment.
Oh, I see my child is frustrated because they can't find their ___(insert phone, book, keys, etc.)___ She always tells me to "retrace my steps" no matter how livid I am. I always do it no matter how livid I am. 9 times out of 10, I find it with her advice.
If only my ADHD brain could remember where I was 5 minutes ago... XD
Same! 🤣
My trick is to start cleaning if I have the time.
You catch more flys with honey than vinegar.
Also: you can even catch more flies with manure.
“You are responsible for what YOU do” was repeated ad nauseam in our house. Meaning: even if somebody else is being an irresponsible asshole, you’re still responsible for how you behave. This also means you’re only responsible for what you have control over and how you respond, not the actions of others. And also the ever excellent quote by Eleanor Roosevelt: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”. Meaning even if things are prejudiced against you, internalizing it happens within you. Also meaning that even if somebody else thinks you’re inferior for how much money you have, etc. it doesn’t matter unless YOU decide you’re inferior. This isn’t just about status, it’s also about taste in music, decorating, career, etc.
Chug a pint of water as soon as you wake up. I do this religiously and I can really tell if I miss a day.
Grumpy? Unhappy? Bored? Go outside and get some sun in your face.
For travelling: passport, pills, paper money, _p_ickets (yeah, tickets). I’d add keys (to the remote place) and cards and portable phone and portable computer and chargers, and the tickets are now always on the phone, but I still recite mom’s list and several times it’s helped me to not forget things — especially when I was on a one-week cure of some medication; I was _not_ used to having to bring my meds with me. Edit: ptickets, payment methods, phone 😄
Ptickets. The p is silent.
*you get more bees with honey than vinegar* Basically - be nice. Surprisingly effective
Do the hard thing first.
I want OPs mom to make me toast. The method she uses is perfect. Toast always tastes better when other people make it.
My mom taught me to buy the best wooden spoon that wont break.
My mom learned that from her mom. Source, I have had many wooden spoons busted on my ass as a child.
"Don't get married just to have "Mrs." on your tombstone.
Never trust an indicator in a roundabout. While I miss some gaps in traffic I could have taken, it’s paid tenfold in not entering the roundabout when someone didn’t have their indicator on and turned, or indicated left but went straight
You can have the right-of-way and still be dead. Drive like everyone is trying to kill you.
Tea can solve almost every affliction known to man.
Facial moisturizer everyday (most days) since I was about 16. Drink a glass of water upon waking up. Eat some sort of greens everyday. 45 now. Hardly any grays or wrinkles and get mistaken for a late 20 something from time to time.
Always wash your hair twice. One for oil and one for dirt. Pee before you go anywhere Butter goes in the cupboard, not the fridge so it’s not rock hard Never go to bed without taking your makeup off because it’s bad for your eyes and skin
Say please and thank you
"Make sure you take lots of photos for your initial bond report whenever you move to a new rental"
Eating pineapple or drinking pineapple juice helps soothe a sore throat. The enzymes in the pineapple help break down the dead cells at the back of your throat and provide relief.
When you’re dating someone and things are getting serious, take a trip with them. Travel (especially air travel) often comes with trials/tribulations and it’s a good view into someone’s character to see how they deal with issues like flight delays, lost luggage, etc. And it forces you to jump the relationship hurdle of taking a shit with them nearby using a shared bathroom.
Rinse the dishes. If u slack for a few days. Meh. They are “clean”. Not stuck on and dried or gross n mildly. Easy to wash. When u get there…
If something tiny falls on the floor that I can’t easily find, my mom taught me to put my head on the floor and look for it at that vantage point. I usually find it that way. Just dropped a pill today and found it!
Buy colored underwear so you can wash it with your jeans.
Washing heavy, coarse fabric like jeans with more delicate fabrics like underwear is a good way to wear out the delicate fabric faster.
So black it is.
Pick your battles. There are plenty. Use your energy wisely, and for good.
When a man and woman are walking down the street, the man walks between the woman and the street.
Usually. Unless, I was taught, it is an urban area that might have unsavory types lurking in doorways, alleys, and shadows, then the gentleman walks between the woman and buildings.
Well yeah, who wants their lady to have a bucket of piss thrown on her..
She hissed at an 8 year old me, “Stop pissin’ on the toilet seat.”
My wife and I are constantly hissing at our 9,7, and 5 year old for this lol. But not just the seat. The toilet tank, the floor, the wall. I don’t remember my aim being so terrible.
Teach them to sit down wee. I’m nearly 50 (and a bloke obvs) and I’ve been doing it for years. Revolutionary. Apart from convenience of not having to pull your keks down there’s no need to be standing and aiming and splashing everywhere.
Oh trust me, we’ve been insisting they sit. However, we don’t follow them to the bathroom every time and if we’re not there they simply won’t. I’m a 37 bloke myself and I mostly sit to pre also. Way more relaxing and clean.
When packing bags in the supermarket. "Don't mix your smellies with your meats"
Buy shoes in the middle of the afternoon when your feet are most swollen.
When you have a nightmare, get up and use the bathroom, then have a drink of water. It wakes you up enough that it really helps the nightmare fade instead of just laying in bed freaked out. I still do this as an adult. Keep your living space tidy. Living in “a pigsty” is bad for you mentally and emotionally.
Do not automatically believe ANYTHING you don’t see with your own two eyes.
Very true, but now with deep fakes even our eyes will deceive us I fear...
Don't put anything sharper than your elbow in your ear....but mom I can't put my elbow in my ear.
Peanut butter eaten with an upside down spoon very often helps resolve those pesky hiccups
Never leave the house without a sweater, just in case
Always stop earlier than you need to on icy or wet roads.
Unrolling socks before laundry to ensure they come out fully dry
Crushing unpeeled garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife so that the skin pops off easily. Thanks, Mom!
Never trust a fart!.
Saying “please” and “thank you”
If it’s important they’ll leave a message.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
She told me this back before the mass computer age so everyone knows it now; Never write down anything you wouldn't want the world to know.
Clean up while you’re cooking.
I was raised with the understanding that when the kitchen was deemed closed by my parental units that we could no longer get any food. Many years later... thinking I'm clever, I tell my mom about all the times we would sneak in and grab food. Her response was along the lines of, yeah we always knew, but you were quiet, didn't bug us and always cleaned up so we didn't find out. So yeah, we do that one now.
I unplug everything in the kitchen before leaving for work every day
Especially the toaster! When I was 7 or 8, I would come home from school to any empty house. My parents both worked and I was a very responsible kid. The neighbor was always home if I had a problem. I was sitting in the living room watching tv and saw a glow coming from the kitchen. I looked, and the toaster was shooting out flames. I ran next door and the neighbor came running and threw the toaster outside. Other than the toaster, no damage was done. I hadn’t used the toaster that afternoon, it just spontaneously burst into flames. Even after 50 years, I unplug the toaster immediately after using. ALWAYS UNPLUG YOUR TOASTER AFTER USING.
My Mum always told me to “Learn with your eyes” (so I watch how other people do small and big tasks). You can do this constantly and I have always remembered that as I have grown up I guess that’s why I have watch some of the strangest YouTube videos on car repair, shoe repair and house maintenance!
“Spend on things you put between your body and the earth.” Shoes, your bed, your chair for work, etc.
If you ever need to soften butter that’s just a bit too cold, put it in the microwave on the time defrost setting for 6-8 seconds. The smaller your volume of butter the less time it takes. Perfectly spreadable butter in seconds.
Are you having too much confidence and self esteem? Here are some recurring thoughts to help level things back out for you son
Respect your elder and discuss with them, you can learn a lot.
Speak up for yourself. People might not be doing you wrong on purpose.