As a dad of two young girls, I'm always wondering what they'll remember about me when they're older.
Of course, our relationship will evolve and change a lot over the years, and hopefully I'll be around for a long time! But I wonder how much they'll recall from the early days. Will they remember the little games we used to play? Will they forever hold a grudge about the time I raised my voice? Will they even vaguely recall the vacations my wife and I meticulously planned?
A heartwarming Reddit thread proves that people actually remember a lot about their parents from when they were young... and it's often the littlest memories that last the longest.
User u/flirtyxfairy kicked off a great discussion with the prompt: What is something good that your parent(s) did for you that you will never forget?
The thread racked up hundreds and hundreds of comments, but most of the incredible responses boiled down to just a small handful of impactful things.
Showing love through food
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Whether it's mom or dad cooking up some comfort food, or just the run-of-the-mill tastes of home, people had powerful and emotional memories of their parents' food.
"My mom waiting at home with a cup of tea and cookies everyday coming home from school. That’s how I’d describe “home” - natashamerczak
"When I was struggling with my first breakup, my mom showed up with a tub of ice cream and a playlist of all my favorite sad songs. We had a mini dance party in the living room—moved from tears to laughter in no time. That little gesture made me feel like I could survive anything." - Ok-Ring-1710
"My mom made the best pancakes every Sunday. like a legit pancake heaven." - blissnifty
"When I was eight, my Mom would take me to TCBY( a frozen yogurt restaurant) every day after school. We would talk and get to know each other." - Elizabeth74G
"Mom made me spaghetti for my birthday. We was on a really tight budget but she still provided me one of the best birthdays I've ever had." - AylenInspiresU
"My parents always made sure we had family dinners every night. Looking back, those moments kept us connected even when life got busy, and it’s something I want to continue with my own family one day." - bimbocutie
Nurturing and encouragement
Encouraging your kids to be who they are was a big hit with many users in the thread. When moms and dads just listened and offered support no matter what, their kids never forgot it.
"I remember when I was younger, I was really into art, but it wasn’t seen as a "practical" career choice. Instead of discouraging me, my parents enrolled me in art classes and bought me supplies. Their support made me believe in myself and gave me the confidence to follow my dreams. Even though I didn't end up choosing art as a career, that unconditional support taught me the value of following my heart, and I’ll always be grateful for that." - Trone1945
"One thing my parents did for me that I’ll never forget was how they always supported my weird, nerdy interests without judgment. I went through a phase where I was super into collecting insects (yeah, jars of bugs everywhere), and instead of being grossed out or telling me to stop, they actually bought me books about entomology and helped me set up proper habitats." -
WhiteDevilMagic
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
"I hated school. Few friends. I didn't want to be there. And I didn't enjoy reading. Which made school that much harder. Mom came home from hitting garage sales one Saturday with a grocery bag of sci-fi books. Which I devoured! I was reading one or two books a day over the summer. This helped me in school. While I didn't thrive. Life was much easier Without that boost, I can't guess how my life would have evolved." - krichard-21
"My mom once told me I could be anything I wanted, so I told her I wanted to be a dinosaur. Instead of shutting me down, she spent a week helping me practice my roar. Not sure if that was good parenting or just her way of keeping me busy, but I'll never forget it!" - NewtHot620
(I'll admit, that one is a personal favorite.)
"One of the most memorable things my parents did for me was encouraging my passion for learning. They always supported my interests, whether it was signing me up for classes, taking me to museums, or just having long discussions about my favorite subjects. Their belief in my potential instilled a sense of confidence that has stayed with me throughout my life." - Sad_Educator_3978
"my mom always made time to listen to me, no matter how busy she was. like, i’d come home stressed about school or life, and she’d sit with me and just let me vent without judgment. it’s something that stuck with me, and i’ll never forget how much that helped. made me feel like i wasn’t alone in dealing with stuff." - SnobbbyCat
Life lessons & preparedness
It's not always the mushy, sentimental things that kids remember when they grow up. If anything, this thread was conclusive proof that one day your children WILL appreciate all those life-lessons they rolled their eyes at when they were young!
"They made me pay rent when I got my first job and I hated it. On my 18th bday they gave me access to 'my' bank account. They saved it all up for me, so I could decorate my first apartment for free… i love them." - starks8253
"Charged me rent from ages 16-18 and then gave it all back to me when I moved out into my first flat. It was honestly such a help…" - Spare-Cell1371
"Encouraged me to study foreign languages well before it was required or even a common thing to do (yeah, grew up in the U.S. in the 80's). It opened all kinds of doors career-wise and I now live in a different country." - zoeyversustheraccoon
"Strict with my education. I was allowed to do whatever I wanted (hobbies, extracurricular etc) but school always had to come first. Instilled a good work ethic in me from a young age." - thatsimsgirl
Dads setting a good example
Dads get a bad rap, and let's be real — sometimes they deserve it. But when dad steps up and shows up? It has a lifelong positive impact on kids, who will look up to their father's example for a lifetime.
Photo by Caleb Jones on Unsplash
"My periods were really severe when I was a teen. I am talking heavy bleeding full 7 days and a fever. Every month my dad would get me my duvet and pillow from upstairs, make a hot water bottle, get me my favourite movie from the video (rental) store, get some ice cream and chocolate as well. Settle me on the couch and pamper me for the first 2 days that were the heaviest." - Long_Taro_9529
"My dad always apologized when he was wrong. I used to take it for granted until I grew up and realized a LOT of people had never gotten an apology from their parents before. This really helped me because I find it easy to own to my mistakes and make amends where necessary." - iusedtobepretty
"My dad drove some horrendous commutes so we never had to move throughout my childhood. It wasn't until I started driving that I realized how bad Atlanta traffic was, and that man would drive 75 minutes each way so my brother and I could grow up in one house, not have to move schools/make new friends. Many people would have moved to the new area when they changed jobs, but my dad made this choice and I've told him since how much I appreciated the stability." - altocleftattoo
Parents out there, take note. If you're like me and you spend a significant amount of time worrying about "screwing your kids up," this should make you feel optimistic — they do remember all the effort you put in.
Even if they don't appreciate your cooking or your sage wisdom now, one day they'll be glad you kept it going anyway.
Local News
