Best Advice From Parents...Comes From Friends

[CanDB]

When kids get into a certain age group, somewhere in the teens into their twenties (maybe even later in life) there seems to be one theory that holds up when considering parental advice on key matters....

......the advice that parents give only sounds good when coming from the mouths of friends.

For example, if I try to tell my kids to put money away for a mortgage, they appear to listen, but don't make it a priority........that is, not until their friends start looking at condos and houses and such. When that starts to happen, suddenly my advice becomes relevant.....not that they come back to me proclaiming it was a good idea.

Sometimes it's tough being a parent, when you believe you know the right direction for your child to take, but can only offer it as a suggestion until the fire grows inside them, due to the old peer thing. It's actually a very normal process, because I was the same growing up. The main difference in the argument.....back in my day parents didn't discuss things as much as many of us do today.

Oh well.......plant the seed, and it will likely take hold sooner or later. After all, kids got to learn on their own in many circumstances, otherwise they may even do the right things and not quite capture the reasoning as to "why". Trouble is, as a parent you hate to see them learn the hard way.

Good luck to all parents.....but unlike me at times, be patient.

:thumb:

[Peerless]

You sound like my father.

I save as much money as I can with school/bills/rent... But I'm not "into" finance as I should be.

[CanDB]

You sound like my father.

I save as much money as I can with school/bills/rent... But I'm not "into" finance as I should be.

Guess you don't need another Dad!!!

;)

[jetrazor74]

When kids get into a certain age group, somewhere in the teens into their twenties (maybe even later in life) there seems to be one theory that holds up when considering parental advice on key matters....

......the advice that parents give only sounds good when coming from the mouths of friends.

For example, if I try to tell my kids to put money away for a mortgage, they appear to listen, but don't make it a priority........that is, not until their friends start looking at condos and houses and such. When that starts to happen, suddenly my advice becomes relevant.....not that they come back to me proclaiming it was a good idea.

Sometimes it's tough being a parent, when you believe you know the right direction for your child to take, but can only offer it as a suggestion until the fire grows inside them, due to the old peer thing. It's actually a very normal process, because I was the same growing up. The main difference in the argument.....back in my day parents didn't discuss things as much as many of us do today.

Oh well.......plant the seed, and it will likely take hold sooner or later. After all, kids got to learn on their own in many circumstances, otherwise they may even do the right things and not quite capture the reasoning as to "why". Trouble is, as a parent you hate to see them learn the hard way.

Good luck to all parents.....but unlike me at times, be patient.

:thumb:

It's really funny, the older I get, the smarter my parents become. :laugh:

At least it always seemed that way. Until I was about 20 years old, I thought my parents were clueless about most things, but then, almost out of the blue, the things they had been telling for years started to make sense.

And then the older I got, the more and more their advice seemed to hold true. So much so, that I started to think they were right about everything.

About the age of 30, I found out they weren't infallible, but I still listen to them. Now I just have enough of my own life experiences that I can balance their advice to what I've learned on my own.

[CanDB]

It's really funny, the older I get, the smarter my parents become. :laugh:

At least it always seemed that way. Until I was about 20 years old, I thought my parents were clueless about most things, but then, almost out of the blue, the things they had been telling for years started to make sense.

And then the older I got, the more and more their advice seemed to hold true. So much so, that I started to think they were right about everything.

About the age of 30, I found out they weren't infallible, but I still listen to them. Now I just have enough of my own life experiences that I can balance their advice to what I've learned on my own.

Hey jet.....I don't know your parents, but I'll bet I know a couple of things about them...
1) They care about you
2) They are human and are not right every single time
3) If you listened to everything they told you, you probably would have done even better than you have......other than the fact that I believe you need to make mistakes in life, and learn from them.

It's a tough deal being a caring parent......there are times you know you are right about the advice you give, but until it hits home, you can't force it. Otherwise you become "noise" instead of "value".

[jetrazor74]

Hey jet.....I don't know your parents, but I'll bet I know a couple of things about them...
1) They care about you
2) They are human and are not right every single time
3) If you listened to everything they told you, you probably would have done even better than you have......other than the fact that I believe you need to make mistakes in life, and learn from them.

It's a tough deal being a caring parent......there are times you know you are right about the advice you give, but until it hits home, you can't force it. Otherwise you become "noise" instead of "value".

I'm already finding that with my girls, and the oldest isn't even 4 yet! :laugh:

[CanDB]

I'm already finding that with my girls, and the oldest isn't even 4 yet! :laugh:

I miss when our kids were that age.....(I think they listened to me then!! Hmmmm...may have to reflect on that one:confused:)