What was the most important thing your parents said to you as a kid...some thing that you still carry forward into every day life... mine was simply "SMILE" it brightens the darkest day.
some of the important things my parents said to me were always to be polite and have manners. I was told to respect my elders and i was told that it didn't cost anything to be clean
When I passed my driving test my dad said 'Just regard everyone else on the road as an idiot' - not true but guess it stuck as I'm always on the alert for the unexpected while driving and leave plenty of room between my car and others. My mum was fond of saying the well-known 'Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves', meaning to be careful with money. She also had a lot of odd little superstitious sayings, trouble is she often got them muddled so we were told 'Blue and green should never be seen' when it's actually red and green. But then what's wrong with either colour combination? As a kid my partner's mum always told him when he wanted something badly but didn't stand a chance of getting it: 'You'll get it when Nelson gets his eye back'. He once longed for a new bike in the local cycle shop window and would stop to look at it every time they passed. She told him: 'Keep your eye on it coz it'll be a long time before you get your arse on it!' - aah, so cruel but so funny!
MY Dad used to say, get a job with a pension/dont give all your money to max factor/anyone not behind their own locked door by eleven at night is up to no good(!)...my mum had the sense to know any parental advice fell on deaf ears, but the names she had for people i carry to this day...if someone was badtempered she would call them Pleasant Amy, anyone dozy she called Lively Polly and anyone who was a bit gloomy she called Smile Awhile, anyone full of thenselves she called Big Truck..if she was hungry she said, My belly thinks my throat's cut.. none of these are important or wise, but i have never forgotten them...my mate's Mum used to say, when we were dolled up to go clubbing, You look like Jessy going for liver(!) which i assume meant dressed up, but i have never heard that saying before or since!
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