"You'll thank me when you're older"

[MetroStyles]

"You'll thank me when you're older." We've all heard it a million times. And most of the time, we knew it was bullshit then and know that it's bullshit now. But once in a blue moon, we actually did end up thanking our 'rents when we grew up.

For me, two things come to mind:

1) When my mom forced me to join a bunch of nerdy clubs in HS. It totally worked and I got into some good colleges because my app was stacked. I didn't actually have any kind of innate inclination to join these clubs on my own, but it was better that I did.

2) When my mom didn't let me buy these dreadful giant-graphic-on-the-back-leg JNCO baggy jeans before moving to a new town for HS. Thank god. What was I thinking? It was a very preppy school and I would have been mocked mercilessly.

How about you? This isn't about things you are generally thankful for. But rather those things that your parents said "You'll thank me when you're older" about, literally or implied. Or things you resented as a kid but ended up appreciating.

 

[StephenHero]

Piano lessons.

 

[willpower]

"Treat a lady like a whore and a whore like a lady" - thx Gramma

 

[Harold falcon]

"You don't need to go to college it's too expensive. Now give me another beer."

I wish I would've listened.

 

[darkdream]

Math tutors at a young age to get away ahead of everyone else. Never knew the true importance of excellent mathematical skills until college and it's correlation to high paying careers.

 

[bluemagic]

Sit straight.

 

[Dakota rube]

Always wear clean underwear.

 

[v.freeman]

Braces. I had one overlapping tooth and at that age I didn't think much about it, but now I'm pretty glad my parents forced me to get braces.

 

[Piobaire]

The one and only thing my parents did in the way of advancing my education, was teaching me to read well, starting at age three. I have no idea why they worked with me on reading like that, but best thing they ever did for me.

 

[wahwho11]

when you get touched by your uncle- wait this is general chat.... uhhh when you want to go that place all your friends are going.

 

[Don Carlos]

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

"You'll thank me when you're older." We've all heard it a million times. And most of the time, we knew it was bullshit then and know that it's bullshit now. But once in a blue moon, we actually did end up thanking our 'rents when we grew up.

For me, two things come to mind:

1) When my mom forced me to join a bunch of nerdy clubs in HS. It totally worked and I got into some good colleges because my app was stacked. I didn't actually have any kind of innate inclination to join these clubs on my own, but it was better that I did.

2) When my mom didn't let me buy these dreadful giant-graphic-on-the-back-leg JNCO baggy jeans before moving to a new town for HS. Thank god. What was I thinking? It was a very preppy school and I would have been mocked mercilessly.

How about you? This isn't about things you are generally thankful for. But rather those things that your parents said "You'll thank me when you're older" about, literally or implied. Or things you resented as a kid but ended up appreciating.

I had a similar story to #1, back in junior high. I was a smart slacker; didn't really give two ***** about grades, though most of them were As with a smattering of Bs. Had absolutely no inclination to do dorky and time-wasting extracurriculars. My mom sat me down one day and basically told me that it would be fine to hate her for the next 10 years of my life, but damn it, I was going to get As and do the work and join the stupid clubs and so forth. I'm glad I listened to her.

I plan to pressure the hell out of my slack-ass kids in a similar fashion someday. Looking forward to it.

 

[Stazy]

1) Going to church. I'm not religious but I think it helped me develop a good moral compass.

 

[rach2jlc]

(1) +1 on the braces. Hurt like hell at the time, but am very happy now.

Unrelated, but having lived abroad, I've realized how much perfect teeth are an American cultural thing. Other cultures just don't care and the idea of spending $x,000 to make your kids teeth straight seems bizarre. Regardless, seeing some Japanese girl my age with beautiful eyes and skin and giant buck'd chompers jutting out like a Frank Stella sculpture... I say, "Thanks mom and dad!"

 

[JayJay]

My parents would never let me quit anything I started. If I joined a club or started an activity, then I had to continue with it. It taught me perseverance.

 

[Sherlockian]

"Always make sure she **** first. Once that's outta the way, you can go piledrive in there and blow your load wherever you goddamn like. Just like that film I showed you last night with Uncle Harry and Auntie Sue."

Man, my mom was great.