At what memorable point did you ...

[dieselguy]

I hope we as a whole are not so thin skinned that we can't honestly relate to this thread. At what memorable point do you recall saying to yourself, "my God I've turned into my parents"? Mine was sitting in a Wally World parking lot waiting on the other half while watching people come and go. I muttered a phrase to myself sometimes coughed up by my Dad ... "geeze I didn't know the circus was in town".

[mlh]

I see people all the time doing stupid stuff and think to myself what the h are they thinking. Like someone opened a small market. There is 3 more established small stores close and they can’t possibly make it. And sure enough nobody stops there. What were they thinking?
Lynwood

[Foldbak]

Mine was when I started paying attention to politics and all of the sudden had an opinion on everything. Just like my dad.... It drove me crazy

[jimcol]

I haven't got there yet but boy has my wife! Obviously she doesn't get on the forum or I wouldn't be posting this. I request all of you who do and sometimes communicate with her to keep your damn mouths shut. I not naming names but you know who you are.

[Mikendebbie]

So many things I do strike me as "just like my Dad". I commented to DW the other day "I hope I never made fun of my Dad and all his supplements and pills he took because I'm doing the same thing now!"

[DutchmenSport]

Edit:

For those of you who read my original comments here, you know know my story. Maybe some things are better kept quiet so I'm deleting that.

Suffice to say, not everyone has a "Leave it to Beaver" childhood experience with their parents. Suffice it to say, for anyone who did not read my original post here, my parents were NOT June and Ward Cleaver.

But, I will say, my Dad WAS an extremely intelligent person. He had his own television repair business, until "things caught up with him". He was a great carpenter, auto mechanic, and could do anything electrical.

If I acquired anything from my dad it's my ability for carpentry and woodwoorking. Every one of his brothers built houses (from scratch). His father and his grand father built houses and did intricate wood crafting. I come from a long line of carpenters (I suppose).

If anything, I realized I was also a "carpenter" and just like the rest of my ancestors. My grandson (9 years old) is now also picking up the craft from me. I think I had the Ah-ha! moment when I was 16 when I built a cabinet in my parents house (Dad was no longer there to finish some of the things he started when he initially built the house).

[dieselguy]

My expectation for responses is wide open as this topic has more than likely been discussed globally in many languages ... it's just the nature in all of us. Just to be clear for others as they respond past your time proven story telling on the MOC ... my thread is not so much about whether you want to be or not be your parents ... it's when you caught yourself in a well known trait of your parent to you used to roll your eyes at.

[mlh]

I can only hope I’m like my parents. They were both very fine people. My mother always thought there was never any alcohol in her home. My father was a Sunday school teacher. Neither one ever spoke bad about anyone.
Lynwood

[Mikendebbie]

Lynwood - I could have written the same statement about my folks.

Dutch - thanks for sharing! And thanks for your service. Somehow I missed that part of your history even after reading your posts for the past several years.

[mlh]

There is something I have always wondered about, nature or nurture. How much of what we are comes from how we were raised. I have a real reason to be curious. I have an adopted brother and two natural brothers. Three of us are very similar. My oldest brother is far different, nature or nurture. Then I know a family that had four kids two girls two boys. They were a very nice family. They had wonderful parents, hard working Christians. He was a self employed old time carpenter and farmer. One boy turned out great, just like his dad. His brother spent half of his life in prison. We were good friends and I’ve always wondered did he find an easier way or did he rob every place he could find for the thrill of it. He went to Florida with a 58 Chevy 427 that got 3 MPG on $20 and came back home, over 1500 miles. Again nature or nurture????
Lynwood

[dieselguy]

I've sometimes wondered what makes a person's outcome as well. My two sons are as different as night and day. The youngest wears his heart on his sleeve and the oldest much like his dad has little heart to wear. Both brought up in the same household 5 years apart. The oldest has a pretty solid life ... the youngest, mostly hit and miss.

[dieselguy]

I surely thought there would be more interesting responses, but maybe I asked it wrong or maybe today's culture of always being politically correct has stood in the way ... so be it ... there's 7.8 billion people on this earth ... you'll not ever keep them all happy. Wanting or not wanting to be your parent is not even close to what I was asking. What trait of either of your parents that you used to cringe at when you were young have you now caught yourself doing? My oldest son related to me that he used to always try to tune out "Paul Harvey's Stand by for NEWS" that I always had on the radio during the noon hour. He says he now searches for some of Mr. Harvey's broadcasts over the internet as he has decided the ole guy had some good stuff to say after all.

I used to ask my youngest before leaving the camp site and again at the boat ramp if he'd checked the drain plug on the jetski ... he used to angrily respond, "Are you getting Senile Dad ... you've asked me a hundred times!" My youngest son says he now gets lip from his own son for repeatedly asking to checking to be sure the boat plug is in the hull before putting it in the water ... he says he certainly understands the why now. Ha!

[AZ Traveler]

I can't remember anything that my parents did to make me cringe but I have been out of the house for many years so I have probably forgotten. I try to pride myself on looking out the windshield to the future instead of the rearview - you can't change the past.

[JABURKHOLDER]

I know this is not exactly what you are asking about, but my daughter would always tell me things she says to her kids that I always said to her growing up.

I had an epiphany a few years ago at a Beatles tribute concert.
I was looking around at the audience and commented to the wife how old everyone was. I then realized how old I was and just said "damn".

Sorry for being off subject.

[dieselguy]

Zack ... I've been out of the house for better than 50 years as well, but can recall things about life at home that with age have taken on a whole different meaning ... some that make me smile. I pride myself as well ... as to being realistic. The view out the windshield is beginning to require rose colored glasses of deeper tint, but the rearview allows me to remove those glasses and relish less stressful times if only for a while. May not work for some, but it will for others.

Jerry ... your epiphany falls easily into the intended conversation.

[hosssmith]

The best thing dad taught me was when to say nothing. I often remember that right after I have said too much.....

[jimcol]

Originally Posted by hosssmith

The best thing dad taught me was when to say nothing. I often remember that right after I have said too much.....

My Dad never taught me that. If he thought it he said it. Age has taught me to the lesson but mouth is a little behind in perfecting the technique.