I'm going to ask my Dad this very question. He is nearly 78, and very much "with it". But not forever, I know.

I consider my father my "family history book". I want to know what he learned from his parents. They were both Italian immigrants who did not speak much English.

What did YOU learn from YOUR parents?

I learned to always put others first, to be responsible and reliable, to be on time, to be neat and to welcome everyone in my home and feed them!!

I learned the same thing to be on time . Father and mother said not to ly . For someone will find you out . We always welcome people in our home and feed them . To be gracous to everyone .Always tell the truth even it is to you face.

[ December 17, 2005, 02:02 PM: Message edited by: Nancy50 ]

I think one thing I've learned is that maybe my parents did the best they knew how in raising me.

I can tell you all the things that I thought they did wrong until I finally realized I turned out pretty well.

The older I get, the more I realize how much my parents taught me. It's hard to post it all here. I should get out my homestudy from when we adopted our kids 20 years ago because we had to write about all this stuff. It was fun. My husband and I learned a lot about one another's childhoods during that time.

I guess one of the biggest lessons was to treat others the way you like to be treated.

Di, great idea. I can't wait to hear what he says. I think I'll ask my dad too.

Bluebird, I'm coming over so you can feed me! I also love to feed people. I jsut finished food shopping and gots all kinds of ingredients so I can feed people during the holidays.

ah, unconditional love too. I absolutely, positively learned that from Mom and Dad.

I learned a lot from each of my parents....I learned what I did NOT want to do in later life from my Mom, and how I really hoped I'd behave in my last year or two of life from my Dad. Dad was very brave and was able to make conscious, caring decisions as his health failed - my Mom had Alzheimers and had no control over how she behaved or what decisions she could/should/might have made. I saw both ends of the spectrum and I absolutely learned a TON from them both. I was able to tell my Dad how much I appreciated what he'd taught me before he died - He told me before he passed that hearing that from me made everything he'd gone through worthwhile. What a gift that was.

I learned hard work ethics from both mom and dad.

I also learned to stop, think before I act and then be sure to treat everyone as I would want to be treated.

The one thing that was foremost in our upbringing was, 'If God can forgive us anything, who are we to be any different to out fellow man?'

What I can think of now, but I know there is more...

That all four of us kids were their favorites! (often people ask us if one of us was "favorite" and I say, oh yea........ALL of us!) Now, with five dogs, people ask DH and I the same question. I say the same: ALL of them!!

From Mom: to not be afraid to show your sense of humor; to love children; look at the positive in ALL things. Not to get discouraged and stick by my DH no matter what. (My Dad lost his eyesight in his late 30's and Mom never blinked an eye. She just went to work!)

Make new friends by being the first to introduce yourself to others who are new in work, neighborhood, gatherings etc. (Mom died at age 43 )

From Dad: To be creative (hence, my soap business!), keep going, staying busy until you drop. Communicate with your children even as they get older, and be loyal to your "own".

Dad still picks out our Christmas gifts and sends them!

I LOVE MY PARENTS!!!

Di, I always tell all my kids that their my favorite. Of course, they all hear me saying to the others as well, so they know they're all my favorite.