upworthy

raising children

Photo by Isaac Quesada on Unsplash

Man in blue denim jacket carrying girl in white sweater during daytime.

Sometimes the smallest interactions parents have with their kids can have the biggest impact. For parents looking to pass down the positive things their parents did raising them to their kids, they shared their experiences and ideas with others.

"I’d love to know positive memories from your childhood that standout to you. Could be small things your parents said or did to make you feel safe and loved, family trips you may have taken, traditions, or little things you did with your parents," the parent wrote on Reddit. "I want to be intentional with my children and give them a childhood that feels warm and happy and memorable. And I’d just love to hear others positive experiences."

Other parents did not hold back opening up about the meaningful memories. Twenty parents share how their parents made them feel loved and seen, and how they plan to do the same with their kids and generations after to build better relationships.

1. "My dad was never afraid to apologize. When I was about 8, I remember getting Big Red all over his car because I was pouring it out the window and watching it fly. I didn't realize it was getting all over the car (and probably other cars). We had just left the car wash. When we got home he freaked out and yelled and screamed. I got the car wash stuff out of the garage and just sat and cried for a bit. Then he came out and sat with me and said that dad's mess up too sometimes. He said he understood I was just being curious and did not mean it and he wished he had explained his frustration in a calmer way. He hugged me and helped me wash the car again. I remember that he said mean things, but not what he said before the apology. I remember just about every word of that apology though. I think that one sticks out because that was the maddest he had been at me up to that point...maybe ever. There a few other stand out ones, some were even funny, but he always used them as a time to reconnect and really make sure we knew he loved us and respected us." – sstr677

2. "My dad showed up to everything. Every. Single. Thing. Spelling bee, Girl Scouts, cheerleading. When my cheer games overlapped with Buckeye games, he brought his Walkman to listen to the game while he watched me cheer. He did the Girl Scout camp outs with us. I’m 33 and I know that if I called him right this second to say I needed him, he’d be here immediately." – books-and-baking-

dad cheering, dads, parents, good memories, familiesclapping father wild GIFGiphy

3. "My granny would always feed me unprompted. I would be relaxing watching TV and here she came with fresh cut fruit or a glass of sweet tea. It felt good knowing she was thinking of me. She also would always say “Penny for your thoughts” and I always felt open to sharing with her.. I miss her so much nobody ever loved me like Geneva." – AquafinaRaeGina

4. "We had movie nights on Fridays. We were pretty poor but every Friday, we’d go to little Cesar’s down the road and get a $5 pizza. Then we’d go to the dollar store and get to pick out our favorite $1 candy. We’d go home, watch the movie with our pizza and candy, and then have a camp out in the living room. My brothers and I would fight over who got the couch and who got the hand-me-down recliners haha. We’d also drag out all of our mattresses and sleep in the living room on Christmas Eve. My dad made sure to read us a story every night for years. We’d ride our bikes to the library on Saturday afternoons if he wasn’t working and pick our bedtime stories for the week." – Prize_Common_8875

5. "Either one of my parents tucked me into bed every single night and told me they love me, until I was a teen. Meant the world to me now I think back. Will definitely be doing this when my little one goes into his own room." – hainii

tuck in, parents, bedtime, love, memoriesbart simpson sleeping GIFGiphy

6. "One that sticks with me was my dad saying this to me over the years: “No matter where you are or what happens, if you need me, call me and nothing will keep me away.” He kept his promise till the day he died, and I miss him every day." – Baaaaaah-baaaaaah

7. "For me it was going to sporting events with my Dad. It doesn’t have to be even a professional game. I went to multiple games of mid tier college basketball locally with my Dad starting at 5. We would watch the game, hang out with his friends after, get popcorn and a soda, talk about the game on the drive back. It made me feel like I was not only his son but also a buddy that he wanted to talk to and hang out with. I do the same thing with my boys now. I don’t think it has to be sports. Whether it be going to the movies, concerts, plays, whatever including them on events you enjoy is a great way to bond and show love." – HangmanHummel

8. "My mom would leave sweet notes in our lunches. Not every day but I remember oftentimes getting “Happy Friday!” or “Good luck on your game today!” type of notes. I’m tearing up just thinking about it…" – JustAnotherPoster_

lunch note, parents, parenting, kindness, kidslunch i love you note GIF by eviteGiphy

9. "When I was a preteen/teenager, my dad would let me play whatever CD I wanted in his truck. I was an emo/goth/alternative kind of girl so music was important to me, and still is. He actually would give the music a chance and we ended up bonding over a bunch of bands you wouldn't guess he would even like, but it was so nice." – lisa_rae_makes

10. "Honestly as an adult, my mom went to therapy when I asked her to. She made significant growth over the last few ways and it’s allowed us to repair and deepen our relationship in a way I would have never imagined. It shows so much love and effort that at 60 she has learned how to take accountability and change how she treats us. It is my ongoing goal to always be willing to apologize to/listen to my kids." – hfdxbop

11. "Spaghetti was ready to serve with table set, right as I got home from track practice. The sunsetting rays would come through the windows and I could see the steam coming off food, table set beautifully. This was such a treat as a young teenager, I can replay this scene in my head clear as day. The feeling of emptiness being filled with that warm homemade, healthy meal - yeah, that's love." – NocturneGrind_739

spaghetti, meals, parents, parenting, teensMichelle Tanner Pasta GIFGiphy

12. "My dad has always randomly given me a hug and a kiss, followed by an 'I love you'—and he still does it, even now that I'm 38 years old. I'll be working at my desk, and he'll come over, give me a hug and a kiss, and say, 'I love you.'" – repderp

13. "As I was falling asleep, my mom would get up to leave and I’d reach out the her… she always quietly sat back down and continued waiting. It made me feel loved and safe. She died when I was young. Just knowing she always chose me was a gift. She also was always the first person to tell me happy birthday first thing in the morning before anyone else." – FoodisLifePhD

14. "My mom was at EVERY game, recital, musical, or other event I was a part of. She volunteered in our classrooms at school, on field trips, or behind the scenes in the productions I was in. She was always working too, but she did everything she could to be there for my extracurriculars and that meant so much." – savsheaxo

dad hug, parents, parenting, moms and dads, kidsdeandre jordan love GIF by NBAGiphy

15. "My dad would just hug me while I fell apart & cried. He did it until I’d stop. Happy to do the same with my kiddos." – offensivecaramel29

16. "Ever since I could remember, my dad told me beautiful bedtime stories where I was the main character, and he prompted me to add to the story, keeping things interesting. It helped build our communication and grow my imagination. ❤️" – JeremeysHotCNA

17. "Had room on their lap for me. Read books to me. Asked me what I thought or what I thought something was in nature? I was raised by hippies who did build me up to be smart and forever willing to learn from new things." – Spiritual_Lemonade


mom reading to kid, reading, bedtime, parents, teachingIs There Life Out There GIF by Reba McEntireGiphy

18. "When I started driving and borrowing my mom's car to go to parties, she told me, 'If you ever can't drive for any reason, including drinking, call me; I don't care how late it is. I won't give you a hard time when I come get you, and we can talk about whatever it is later. But I'd much rather you be safe and alive than feel like you have to hide something from me and do something dangerous.' I actually never ended up needing the offer, but I definitely felt much safer knowing I had an ace in my pocket." – Dowager-queen-beagle

19. "My parents were not perfect by any means but they were intentionally present in our lives and remain so to this day and I'm now 57. They show up, they respect our free will and support us even when they don't agree with us. They have independent relationships with their grandchildren. Their actions match their words and their actions are driven by their love for us." – DbleDelight

20. "One simple thing was whenever my dad ordered food, like from a fast food restaurant, he would always give them my name for the order. I felt so special and grown up to have my name called for the food." – Appropriate_Ad_6997

Family

Parents are sharing the one thing that surprised them the most about having kids

"I genuinely didn't believe it until I saw it with my own two eyes just how hard it is to find childcare that fully covers your working hours."

There are so many things that can catch you off guard as a parent.

Becoming a parent is simultaneously one of the most rewarding and terrifying life experiences a person can have. And try as you may, no matter how many books or blogs you read, there's really no way to fully prepare for the ongoing reality of parenting. There's always something you didn't expect or account for, some surprise child-rearing delight or horror that catches you off guard.

Parents on X are sharing the one thing that most caught them by surprise about parenting and it's a treasure trove of "What to Expect" wisdom and experience that might—might—help prospective or new parents feel a little bit more prepared.


The thread started off with @realgirl_fieri posing the question and sharing her own unexpected parenting plot twist.

"What is one parenting thing that caught you completely by surprise?" she asked. "I was prepared for sleeplessness, tantrums, picky eating. But I genuinely didn’t believe until I saw it with my own two eyes just how hard it is to find childcare that fully covers your working hours."

Other parents hopped right on in with surprises that run the gamut from food to sensory overload to kids' hilarity.

Let's start with sleep. We all know to expect to be tired with babies, but until you're in the thick of it with a baby who really doesn't sleep well, you don't know how life-altering it can be. There's a reason sleep deprivation is used as a torture technique, after all.

Some parents were taken aback by having less socialization than they expected.

"Honestly, I thought I'd see my friends with kids more," shared one mom. "My two best friends had babies when I did in 2022. I’ve seen each twice. I thought we’d be together all the time," offered another.

"I thought there would be more play dates," agreed another. "Maybe we’re just not there yet, but with work, school, life it just doesn’t happen? Sometimes with my friends with kids but rarely with friends from school."

Some have been surprised by how true the stereotype of Mom always having her meal interrupted can be. When kids are little, it's shocking how many times you find yourself getting up from the dinner table, even when you think you had everything ready to go.

"The line from A Christmas Story resonates," shared one commenter, "watching his mom getting up/down at dinner and Ralphie narrates 'My mother had not had a hot meal for herself in 15 years.'"

And then there's the not really getting to sit down at all part due to snacks, spills, finding things, breaking up fights, etc. And when you finally do sit, you immediately becoming a lap to sit on or a climbing apparatus.

Some parents were surprised by the number and variety of toys and the noise that came with them. "Nobody told me there would be so much smashing and crashing of toys," wrote one parent. Others were amazed by how quickly you become overrun with toys even when you don't buy any. It's like they just appear out of thin air.

Others offered up the out-of-left-field, unexpectedly-expensive need for berries. All the berries. So. Many. Berries.

As one dad shared, "One of the most ernest pieces of advice I got from a friend with two toddlers was to never introduce your children to blueberries. They are so expensive and children will eat an unlimited amount. They will bankrupt you."

On the up side, kids can also be delightfully bright and rip-roaring hilarious right from the get go.

And then there's the sheer relentlessness of it all and the constant space your beloved children take up in your psyche.

"You're never alone, never off duty, never just responsible for yourself, never just thinking about yourself and your wants/ needs," shared one parent. "This is the one," agreed another. "I haven't been alone for any meaningful period of time in eight years."

Even if you manage to carve out some time for yourself, you're never not thinking about your children in some part of your mind, and your parental instincts are always "on."

It's good to share these things as parents so we know we're not alone and so that people becoming parents aren't totally blindsided. No matter how much people tell you, there will certainly be some things you still weren't prepared for, so anything that makes prepping for parenting even a tiny bit easier is worth sharing.

Family

Here are 5 things a child therapist says he doesn't do while playing with his kids

Parents often do one of these things to try to make play educational, and it may surprise you.

Five things a child therapist doesn't do while playing with his kids

Being a parent is both oddly unique and similar for all who embark on that life journey. You're in a state of constant worry that you're messing up in one way or another, while simultaneously knowing that you're doing your best to raise good humans. Not everyone can be an expert in child development, and that doesn't mean they're doing anything wrong.

But when you've got the inside scoop from someone who does have a deep understanding of child development, you pay attention. A child therapist has shared a list of things that he never does while playing with his children. Even if you have this insider knowledge, a refresher like this one can be helpful.

Joshua Terhune is a child therapist and father of two who keeps his list of "don'ts" in mind when engaging in child-led play with his children. Here are five things he says he avoids while playing:


1. Asking questions while playing with his kids

Terhune explains that asking questions brings children out of the moment and forces them to perform instead of play organically.

2. Commanding or demanding a behavior change

The therapist explains that commanding or demanding a change in behaviors can raise the tension between child and parent. Instead, he attempts to ignore or redirect unwanted behaviors from his children.

3. Criticizing or judging their play

This involves not commenting on how much he likes a drawing or what they've built and focusing instead on the process they've used. Terhune says praising something as good means that you also have the power to say something is bad, which could deter the child from doing things for their own enjoyment instead focusing on what will make the parent happy.

4. Using sarcasm or mockery

He explains how using sarcasm or teasing can hurt children's feelings and "stifle their spirit." Terhune explains, "they have very, very, very little time when they feel in control," so play is where they're in charge and can feel a sense of control over their lives.

5. Allowing distractions to enter play

Terhune says he uses child-led playtime for mutual enjoyment of time together without the distractions of screens. The father of two says that having a screen present can break the immersion in play, so he avoids it as much as possible.

You can get even more detail from his interview below with Good Morning America:

Family

Sweet video shows dad get emotional after taking his 3-year-old to the dentist

"She's just sitting there…and the water works start coming..."

Image pulled from Youtube video.

Parenting is full of surprises

True
What Dads Do

Parenting can be a little stressful. There's no checklist for how to do it perfectly.

As the father of two young daughters, Doyin Richards has a lot of experience in that department. Like most parents, he hopes he's doing it right. And like most parents, he has a little voice in his head that sometimes makes him second-guess his choices.

What if he's doing it wrong?


On his 3-year-old daughter's first trip to the dentist, Doyin was pretty worried she would freak out about the treatment. Of course, it turns out that the only person who lost their composure that day was him — when he realized she was totally fine and able to handle things herself.

Which made him realize that despite all his fears, he might actually be OK at this whole dad thing.

Watch Doyin try to hold it together while his daughter is totally chill at the dentist in this episode of "What Dads Do":

This article originally appeared on 08.23.16