What are some useful life skills you wish your parents had taught you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish my mom had taught me how to clean and organize. She didn't know either, but I do wish someone had.

+1

[Anonymous]

I wish my parents had taught me to make connections. Not to use people but how to network successfully. I wish they had told me that all the hard work in the world won't help without emotional intelligence.

I wish I knew how to do more with my hands. As a homeowner, that would sure come in handy.

[Anonymous]

I wish my mother had enjoyed cooking, and had taught me proper nutrition. I know what to eat, but those bad habits from my first 18 years are hard for me to shake.

[Anonymous]

To not be a doormat and a people pleaser. My mother was so obsessed with me showing respect and being liked. It's been a hard one to unlearn as people (including her) have taken advantage of me.

[Anonymous]

How to entertain and host dinner/cocktail parties, especially for more than 2-4 people. I get very stressed and flustered by this. Also, how to decorate well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To not be a doormat and a people pleaser. My mother was so obsessed with me showing respect and being liked. It's been a hard one to unlearn as people (including her) have taken advantage of me.

Same. Lots of time and money spent in therapy to learn to say no and put myself first.

[Anonymous]

Cooking (from scratch.) It would have helped me stay at a stable weight and I would not have had to learn the hard way.

Not to people please and listen to my gut. Like the other pp, my parents were authoritarians who wanted to be respected and obeyed at all times. Its hard when you go out on your own, people sense your weakness and use you.

[Anonymous]

Taking care of my skin. My mom popped pimples all the time and I have a terrible habit of picking (sorry gross)

But mainly sunscreen! To this day, my mom and dad don't wear sunscreen. She said I wouldn't get a tan if I wore any. I cringe at all the sun damage I've done. And wrinkles

[Anonymous]

Money management x1000.
Cleaning.
Good sportsmanship/sticking with something I committed to...they didn't care if I bailed on sports mid-season because I was tired of it or bored.
Time management
Doing my homework/being a hard worker

[Anonymous]

Don't fuck people unless they are serious about you and want to get married. That's all it is fucking.

[Anonymous]

Money management. It should be taught in schools, actually.

[Anonymous]

Better handwriting. I'm not sure how I got through high school with my awful handwriting. It's embarrassing.

[Anonymous]

Positive. How to speak up. To ask for what I want and need. To use my words and voice.

Negative: no budget or cooking skills

[Anonymous]

I guess grooming eyebrows and putting on makeup is a life skill to some of you. Where is yesterday's poster who thought the dashboard oil light meant change your oil?

[Anonymous]

Most of this stuff you would have had no interest in learning as a child or teen!

As a adult, you have to expect to learn new things and pick them up as you go. You don't stop learning just because you are an adult, and if you have that mindset, it is really unhealthy as your brain ages and it limits your sense of discovery and accomplishment in life, even in simple tasks.