Mother Knows Best …

 

Mums are clever and usually always right (as much as we sometimes hate to admit that)! However, there’s a certain security and trust in their wisdom because it comes from years and years of experience. Mums constantly share little pieces of information and encouragement to help and guide us as we navigate our way through childhood. My own Mum certainly dished out her own little “pearls of wisdom” and, although I’m sure she felt her words sometimes fell on deaf ears, I can assure her, I really was listening! And what’s ironic is, now that I have my own children, I often find myself passing on some of those same snippets of advice. My own children have also helped me understand and value, not just Mum’s words, but the love and commitment that came with them. I have to say, I loved writing this blog post, as it gave me the chance to reminisce and appreciate that Mum and Dad worked so hard and so lovingly to instill in me, and my sisters, the values that they cherished. I can only hope I’ve done them proud!

 

So, listed below, is a collection of some of Mum’s favourite quotes about life in general and also for getting more organised around the home, do any of them sound familiar?

 

• Deal with things straight away and don’t let them pile up

 

• Do your dinner preparation early in the day and then dinner will be easier to get ready

 

• Clean up as your cooking, don’t leave a mess until the end

 

• Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today

 

• Move everything before you dust

 

• Do your dusting first, then vacuum and always work from top to bottom

 

• Never go upstairs empty handed (we lived in a two story house)

 

• Trust your instincts, no matter what

 

• Tell your kids you love them every single day

 

• A place for everything and everything in its place

 

• Spoil your kids all the time, not with stuff but love and attention

 

• If you can’t say something nice, then say nothing at all

 

• Turn off the lights when you leave the room

 

• Water, vinegar and good old “elbow grease” will clean just about anything

 

• Before you go to bed, make sure there are no dishes in the sink and don’t let your laundry pile up

 

• Never swim on a full stomach

 

• The only thing on the floor should be furniture

 

• There is no such thing as the word “can’t”

 

• Practice makes perfect

 

• Always try your best

 

• Treat others the way you wish to be treated

 

• Watching too much TV will make your eyes go square

 

• Eat with your mouth closed

 

• Always save some money for a rainy day

 

• Eat breakfast before you leave the house

 

• Always make your bed in the morning and put your dirty clothes in the laundry

 

• You catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar! In other words, when talking to others make sure your words are sweet and not bitter.

 

• Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

 

• Never judge a book by its cover

 

• Do things right the first time and then you won’t have to do them again, in other words, don’t touch anything twice

 

• Waste not, want not

 

 

So tell me, what is the one piece of advice your remember most from your Mum or Dad when you were younger?