Parents. They work hard to make you who you are. But do we ever stop to really think about what sacrifices they make for us? Such as:
1. Feeding us
I really, really like food (if you've seen some of my other posts, you know this already). However, I never realized how expensive and stressful buying and preparing a good, healthy meal is until I moved out. Some days, I just get lazy and stir fry whatever I have left over in my fridge! I have to give my parents credit: they always tried to put together a meal of good food that my brother and I like--a great challenge in and of itself. And if there wasn't time between all of our sports, lessons, and rehearsals, they'd take us to a restaurant that we loved eating at. So, is it something that all guardians are supposed to do? Yes. Am I still lucky? Absolutely.
2. Supporting our hobbies--no matter how strange they are
I was pretty into Pokémon as a kid. I would wake up at some crazy time in the morning to watch it on the TV in my parents' room, and I remember my mom joining me. For years, I got Pokémon cards in my stocking for Christmas. Pokémon was my life for a long time, and when I lost one of my Eevee figurines in our front yard, you can bet that my parents helped me look everywhere to find it. (It was actually my dad who found it, weeks later when he ran over it with the lawn mower.)
3. Letting us eat dirt
Kids, right? Sometimes, parents just have to let them do--and eat--whatever they want. And "eating dirt" doesn't only apply to the literal meaning of the word eating, it also means that sometimes, kids just need to fall over. And over. And over. How else do we learn how to walk?
4. But also providing medical care when it was necessary
One of my first really vivid memories of my father is of him carrying me back to the house after I split my chin playing outside. I'm pretty sure that between the crying and the bleeding, I ruined his shirt. Later, my parents took me to the hospital to get stiches in my chin. Kids fall down, and eat things they shouldn't, and sometimes they need the kind of care that parents alone can't provide.
5. Reading to us
I'm pretty sure it's because my parents read to me when I was a kid that I love books now. I've read to kids--both as a teacher, and as a babysitter--and it can be pretty rough. Sometimes, they want to hear the story a few times in a row, or they only want to hear one story over and over, for days. Kudos to all of the parents out there that do that, because it gets pretty boring to say "Goodnight, Moon," after a while.
6. Not letting us get away with things
I wasn't always the angel that I am today (ha). Sometimes, I was mean to my brother--I'd take his toys and put them on high tables, or I'd steal his books. My parents didn't put up with that, and I'm glad that they didn't. Their responsibility was helping me to learn how to act around other people, and I think that scolding me, even if I didn't like it, helped me more than I'll ever know.
7, Encouraging us
What more is there to say? There's a reason there are t-shirts at cheerleading competitions that say "cheerleaders for the cheerleaders."
8. Going to all of our competitions, concerts, plays, games, etc
Kids events are boring, friends! Waiting for hours to just see your kid perform for maybe two minutes, or listening to music that you don't even like, or watching your kid strike out when it's their turn can be soul-crushing. But parents go to them all the time. I've been to my students' concerts, because it's my job, and there are always parents there, ready to take videos to keep forever. Parents are champs. Actually, going off of that...
9. Taking pictures of everything
I have a few friends that have their own kids now, and they always take pictures of them to put on Facebook. It may seem annoying now, but, truthfully, it's a good thing to do. My mom still has pictures of me from my elementary school Halloween parade, and you can bet that I'm glad she does. I think now, more than ever, I'll send her a message and ask for pictures from when I was a kid for something, and I'm so happy that she still has them.
10. Working their butts off to buy us stuff
Kind of along the same lines with the food thing, stuff is expensive! Toys are expensive, games are expensive, books are crazy-expensive! But parents work hard every day to buy things for their kids.
11. Letting us get a pet (even when they end up doing all of the work)
I read "Fluffy, the Classroom Guinea Pig" when I was a kid, and I needed one. Guinea pigs were so cute, and fluffy, and affectionate. Fast forward to me owning not one, not two, but three over the course of my childhood. You can bet that I fed them and gave them water, but I sometimes forgot, because I was a dumb kid. My parents were the ones that picked up the slack and kept those piggies alive.
12. Dealing with us as teenagers
Me, after my brother started to act more like a teenager: "Was I like that?"
My mom: "Hmmm, well, ummm..."
SORRY
13. Driving us everywhere
I didn't get my license until I was sixteen, which means my parents had to cart me everywhere for sixteen years. Those sports games that they used to go to? Yup, they drove me to practice. Violin lessons? Mom gave me a ride. Taekwondo on the weekend? Only went then because that's when my dad went.
14. Forcing us to get that first job
My parents didn't really "force" me to get my first job, but I was bored, and they didn't want to deal with me all summer, and working kept me busy. I ended up working at the same place three years in a row. Having a job helped me learn how to handle other people, and my parents are the ones who reminded me to re-apply every summer.
15. Helping us move out
When I moved in to my dorm room every year, my parents were there to help me carry everything and unpack. When I was completely unprepared to move out at the end of the year, they were there to throw things in bins. They're always there to help me carry my suitcases and decide what to bring when I fly back to Japan. I honestly don't know what I'd do with my stuff if I didn't have them.
16. TAXES
Holy cow, taxes. I am so, so lucky to have my dad to help me learn what to do and how to do it, because I'm 100% sure that I would mess something up without his help. Or just forget to do it without him reminding me. My dad is a pro at taxes, so I know that I can always go to him if I have no idea if I'm supposed to fill out 6a or 6b.
17. Watching our shows with us
Remember my mom joining me for Pokémon? That's not the only show she watched with me. When I went hardcore anime nerd in middle school, she was right there with me watching Naruto. We talk about Supernatural when we're both caught up, and we watched the most recent season of Game of Thrones together.
18. Introducing us to what they like
I think part of the reason I like the same types of media that my mom does is because she was so open about what she liked. Of course, some of her likes and mine are very different (I can't watch horror movies, which she loves), but she was the one who introduced me to Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. We watched all of the Harry Potter movies together. My mom turned me into a nerd, while my dad got me into sports--he helped coach my softball team, and he and I did Taekwondo together for years. I think them being so open to my likes, and sharing with me their likes, has helped our relationship so much.
19. Showing us the world
My family and I used to go to Canada every summer. We have hiked in national parks across the US. When I was in high school, my parents helped me go to Japan for the first time. Even just going to the park, or across the border to Delaware, were ways that my parents showed me the world around me. Without their effort, I don't think I would've studied abroad, or moved back to Japan to work. They gave me a taste for travel, and now I can't get enough of it.
20. Pushing us to do the things we don't want to do
I'm a pretty anxious person, and there's a lot of things that I'd rather just not do than deal with the stress of it. Small things, like making a phone call or going to the bank, and bigger things, like job interviews. My parents are always pushing me to do those things, even if it means taking time out of their own day to help me. Going with me the first time I have to do something seems simple, but it has such an impact on handling my anxiety.
21. Embarrassing us
I have a theory that there's a class that all parents take to learn how to embarrass their kids. If there is, I'm pretty sure my parents got an A+. That's the only way they could be so good at doing the goofy things that they do now.
22. Loving us
Looking back at this list, I know that the reason my parents--and your parents, or aunt, or uncle, or grandparents, or guardians--do the things they do is because they love us unconditionally.
Go forth, my fellow millennials! Pick an item on this list, and go thank the people who raised you for doing it!
