What Our Parents Taught Us…

In honor of the upcoming “Parents Day,” this Sunday, eco18 thought it would be the perfect time to take a step back, examine, and appreciate the most influential things our parents have taught us over the years.

Today, the eco18 team is going to be sharing with you our favorite tips and tricks that we have learned from our parents, and that have shaped us into the people we are today.

Lieve: “When I think of lessons from my childhood, the first thing that comes to mind is my Dad’s constant reminder to me and my sisters to ‘Use good judgement’. That phrase became such a trademark saying in our house that we actually printed it onto a T-Shirt for Fathers Day one year (*gift idea alert*). As much as we would always tease him for his constant reminders to follow that rule, I guess it’s time to admit that it was actually incredibly good advice, and can be applied to just about every facet of life. Think before you speak, be kind to others, don’t judge a book by it’s cover, and give all you’ve got. Use good judgement.

Sue: The one invaluable lesson my mother taught me was independence. She always wanted me to live up to my true potential. She had been raised in a time when the expectations for women were to get married and have children. I always felt there was so  much more she could have done if she had grown up in a time when society didn’t dictate who you became. My mom was not a rebel, she towed the line and kept her thoughts to herself. She raised a go-getting, opinionated daughter who has always thought anything she wanted to achieve was possible. Thanks Mom.

Danielle: “My parents taught me to always go after my dreams no matter what and to not live life based on a set timeline.”

Sara: “One of the most significant concepts that I’ve learned from my parents is the importance of empathy. Being able to put your own views aside and truly understand the perspective of someone else is, to me, one of the most important and fundamental aspects of building and maintaining relationships with others. Wrapping your head around a thought process that isn’t your own is definitely challenging, especially when it is often much easier to write that person off by labeling them into a certain stereotype. Being pushed by my parents to always take it a step further with people by being empathetic is definitely a lesson I am extremely grateful for.”

Lourdes: “My parents taught me to work hard for what I want and to always be kind to those around me. My brothers and I from a very young age were taught to give back to those less fortunate.”

Jillian: “I’ve learned a lot from my parents over the years, but one thing my dad said to me years ago really stuck with me. He told me, everyone is replaceable, in terms of work. No matter how good you think you are, you can easily be replaced by someone just as eager and able to do your job, so work hard, don’t become complacent and always look for ways to better yourself and keep yourself marketable.”