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Lessons from dad

(99 Posts)
JanePGransnet (GNHQ) Wed 28-May-14 17:13:36

What useful life lessons has your father taught you? Father's Day is coming up soon, and we think it will be a fun way to show our appreciation by sharing some of these gems of wisdom.

We at GNHQ have learnt how to drive and how to remember the amount of days in a month ("thirty days hath September" etc), amongst others. Also a love of football!

Go on, what's your dad taught you?

Grannyknot Thu 29-May-14 23:09:31

That last comment was in response to gratefulgran.

flowers for all the lovely dads and granddads.

Grannyknot Thu 29-May-14 23:05:38

roses me neither. My granddad was a wonderful, wonderful person.

Galen Thu 29-May-14 22:02:18

My father's favourite opera was Rigolletto and I'm sure it was because it contained the song ' Oh my beloved father, I loved him tenderly!hmm
Actually we only really got on after I joined him in general practice!
After that we meshed so well. I taught me so much more than you learn at medical school about treating patients as people , rather than as medical subjects.
Modern medicine has lost so much humanity. It treats the biochemistry rather than the person.

Supernan Thu 29-May-14 21:54:20

I'm with you Grannyknot, and it was a very valuable lesson.

gratefulgran54 Thu 29-May-14 21:43:03

My Dad taught me about love, care, compassion and the importance of family......also good manners, a love of Formula One and wrestling (the old-fashioned type, not this daft WWF stuff), how to have a grand day out with a packet of biscuits, a bottle of squash and a sense of adventure, how being a 'silly sausage' and saying daft things makes life fun...and a million and one other things.
He also passed all that on to my lovely sons, whom he absolutely doted on, even though he was 60 odd when he became a Grandpa. He was the father-figure they looked up to and adored (their father left when they were 5,7 and 9), and I'm so grateful for what he taught them.
Sadly we lost him 17 years ago, but when I look at my boys today, I see all those wonderful traits in them, and am pleased that they are now passing them on to their children.
Thank you Dad smile

rosesarered Thu 29-May-14 20:42:34

I certainly don't begrudge others having good Fathers though, far from it.This is a nice thread.smile

rosesarered Thu 29-May-14 20:41:13

Same for me too Grannyknot.

Grannyknot Thu 29-May-14 17:42:02

My "father" taught me what sort of men to avoid - men like him. It has stood me in very good stead!

annodomini Thu 29-May-14 17:18:48

biker ((((hugs))))

bikergran Thu 29-May-14 17:06:23

KatyK as with you I won't give me reasons for not having admiration for my dad, who is still alive and I have seen today,but to all you that have happy and cherished memories then that is lovely.

jinglbellsfrocks Thu 29-May-14 16:55:25

But I can remember when Fathers Day was first imported from the US. I think it was the late sixties/early seventies. And then it took a while to catch on. The card companies have been very insistent.

nannyfran Thu 29-May-14 16:06:15

My Dad taught me how to make the best of what you have, not to give up and to respect other people's opinions. Also, a love of books and nature in all its forms. On a lighter note, how to enjoy pints of real ale!

Riverwalk Thu 29-May-14 15:31:44

nina we are talking 55 years ago ..... I assume, and hope, that things are different now for young children without a dad.

I remember my teachers with affection smile

ninathenana Thu 29-May-14 15:08:23

Riverwalk bad teacher angry there must have been a male relative you could have made a card for.
I've helped many a child make a card for grandad or uncle. At least they felt included.

Agus Thu 29-May-14 14:04:36

Riverwalk and Dragonfly flowers

gillybob Thu 29-May-14 13:24:27

My dad taught me to appreciate what you have worked hard for. We were a working class family with very little money but my mum and dad put my sister and I first. My dad was hard and very strict but we girls never went without and always had good shoes, clothes and food. Plus if there was enough money around we had a seaside holiday.

On a lighter note, my dad passed on his love of music and took me to some amazing concerts when I was a child/teenager.

Nelliemoser Thu 29-May-14 13:23:27

Riverwalk I can see how sad that would be for you. flowers

Atqui Thu 29-May-14 12:56:05

I'm sure there are many women on Mumsnet whose fathers were absent due to relationship break ups, given the increased number of divorces in that generation, so I can't see how it would be a more appropriate thread for MN.
Seems a reasonable topic to me.

Grannylin Thu 29-May-14 11:59:26

Dragonflyflowers.
My Dad taught me about equality and fairness.The saddest thing he taught me was that smoking can kill you sad

Riverwalk Thu 29-May-14 11:54:46

I didn't mean to put a dampener on everyone's memories .... thank you for the flowers and hugs!

Right now I'm waiting for my DGS(8) to arrive from deepest Somerset for a long weekend, but last night reading the thread I was a five-year old in primary school and given the task of tidying up the plasticine box and nature table whilst everyone else was making father's day cards.

How silly to remember that! smile

Dragonfly1 Thu 29-May-14 11:48:59

Do you know, sitting here reading through his thread, I have suddenly, and blindingly, realised that I cannot think of one single thing my father taught me. He's still alive and in all my 60+ years I have NO recollection of anything I learned from my dad. He was always too busy with his business to spend time with me. This epiphany has shaken me to the core.

jinglbellsfrocks Thu 29-May-14 11:47:49

smile

Soutra Thu 29-May-14 11:41:13

OK jingl you've made your point but reading posts from those whose fathers died when we were children or who were for whatever absent in our early years does not negate their contribtion to who we are today. So can we have less sniping and if you don't feel able or don't want to contribute - fine. My father visited my mother daily in hospital 10 miles away from his home for months on end despite being in his 80's unable to drive and suffering from angina. She wasn't always happy to see him as she had grown very short tempered but what he taught me in those years was dedication some might even call it even stubbornness. And a strong sense of duty. Oh and when I was a child he taught me to SPELL and to love and use language with respect! (My typos of today would have him spinning in his grave!)

vegasmags Thu 29-May-14 11:36:08

My dad taught me loads of practical things from how to clean shoes to the reading of a micrometer. Like many posters, I learned from my father many skills that came in very useful when I had my own house and garden to take care of. In his youth, he was well travelled, firstly in the merchant navy and secondly as an armaments inspector when war broke out. I used to love hearing stories about other places and countries and this inspired a love of maps and a streak of wanderlust. He had an excellent sense of humour and I still remember many of his silly jokes.

nanapug Thu 29-May-14 11:30:49

I don't see what the difference is between it being asked on Mumsnet and on here *jinglbellsfrocks". Just because we are older is irrelevant, we still all had a father at one point in our life and it is nice to be allowed to voice appreciation should we choose to. You don't have to read it if you find it patronising.
Also, I don't understand why people feel people shouldn't talk about their fathers just in case someone who's father died feels sad. I personally didn't know my father at all, but I don't see why others shouldn't be allowed to have and share their happy memories. We have all had things happen in life but we have to get on with it and allow others to appreciate things.