I'm Glad My Parents Taught Me That

This is just a few things I'm glad my parents taught me growing up, no matter how much I complained and dragged my feet along the way.

1. To make the bed: I used to get frustrated at this one. Why should I make my bed when I'm just going to sleep in it again tonight? Now I know that my bed is the centerpiece of my room, and if it isn't made, the entire room looks messed up no matter how clean the rest of it is.
2. Doing the dishes after every meal: It seemed so time consuming, and I used to think "this can just wait till after dinner before I go to bed..." Now I know that if you get them done as they are used, your kitchen stays clean longer and looks nicer, and you have a wider range of dishes to use at any time of the day when there isn't a stack of them in the sink with food all over them. Yuck.
3. No food in the bedrooms: I am the first person in my house to bring my plate to my computer. But after battles against roaches, ants, and mice in an old country house that would normally have them anyways, I know now that if you keep food confined to certain areas of the house, you keep the pests away longer rather than inviting them in. It also helps keep the rooms looking (and smelling) nice.
4. Clean the hair out of the drain after a shower: Okay so I'm the only person in my house that this applies to, but I used to forget all the time and I never had a second thought about it. But when the tub stops up or drains slowly now, I know it's because of me. Clean it out after every shower and the kids' bath will drain properly, so after they are dressed there will not be any water leftover for them to jump back into. Which they do often.
5. Mowing the lawn: I used to hate doing this. It didn't seem like it should have been my job anyways, and it was hard labor outdoors--and I completely despised all three of those words. Now I know that if my husband gets out there and shreds the pastures, I can easily get out there and push-mow the yard. Glad I know how to operate the lawn mower.
6. Anger management and respect: I wasn't the child with the anger problem, though I could have easily been. I know I have a short temper. But thankfully I also had parents that taught me to respect my elders and keep my anger in check; so now I know how to handle authority (which helped tremendously in the Navy) and I know what it's like to be on the other end of the argument, so I feel as if I have more patience towards my kids. It has also done wonders when interacting with my in-laws; no matter how frustrated I might get about something, I know how to stay calm and keep a smile on my face.
7. Folding and hanging laundry: I hate doing this. I always have, and I probably always will. It's not that it's hard, and it's not all that time consuming either. But there's just something about it that drives me crazy and makes me dread laundry day. But I know, after years of being told to get my laundry done, that it really does have to get done once it comes out of the dryer. Otherwise piles of laundry get stacked up by the closet, you have to dig to find your favorite shirt in the morning (if it's even clean), you start to get clean and dirty laundry mixed up, the cat starts sleeping in it, and--not surprisingly--mice are attracted to it as well. But your floor stays clean and you know where all your clothes are if you just fold them and hang them from the get-go.
8. Cooking: Every one of my parents taught me how to cook something different. That's about five different favorite foods that I am glad to know how to make. Waffles and ice cream with homemade chocolate sauce from my stepmom, sausage and rice casserole with cream of mushroom soup from my mom, meatloaf from my stepdad, eggplant parmesan from my dad, and chicken and cream cheese crescent rolls from my dad's girlfriend. Not that I ever hated cooking, I love to cook. Especially baking. But thanks to my parents I know how to make more than just hot dogs and macaroni every day. =)