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What I Learned From My Dad

Since tomorrow is Father’s Day I took a moment to reflect on the many valuable lessons that I learned from my father. He wasn’t a perfect man but he tried to be a good father and husband and I learned a lot from him.

my dad

My Dad, sisters, and I on our latest family vacation to Mexico.

Honor my mother – At a young age we learned to respect and honor our mother. Our dad did not tolerate any abuse of her by us. He always respected her. I can’t remember a time when he did not open a door for her.

Value motherhood – Growing up our family was far from wealthy and could have benefited from my mother using her degree to earn extra income. Instead she stayed home and raised her children. Her presence in the home was more important to my father than having worldly possessions.

Hard work – My dad has always worked hard. He taught us to work as well. Getting us up Saturday mornings to weed the garden or mow the lawn. At the time I hated it, now I appreciate the lesson he taught me.

Honesty – Being honest with his fellowmen and paying his debts was always extremely important to my dad. Once when a business partner embezzled funds my dad insisted on paying back the debt himself instead of declaring bankruptcy or filing a lawsuit.

Value of education – School was always a priority. We were expected to do our homework and earn good grades. My mother, who my dad always says is smarter than him, often helped us with our schoolwork. As a result three out of his four children received university scholarships.

Importance of family – Every night our family ate dinner together. We celebrated holidays and had family traditions. Whenever we were involved in an activity my dad was there to support us. My dad saved money and took us on family vacations, foregoing extras for himself.

Honoring God – Religion was a priority in my dad’s life. We went to church every week as a family. He taught us to love and honor the Lord. We held daily family scripture study and prayer. He showed us by example what it meant to keep the commandments of God.

What did you learn from your father?

This entry was posted in Parenting Tips/Techniques and tagged , , , by Teresa McEntire. Bookmark the permalink.

About Teresa McEntire

Teresa McEntire grew up in Utah the oldest of four children. She currently lives in Kuna, Idaho, near Boise. She and her husband Gene have been married for almost ten years. She has three children Tyler, age six, Alysta, four, and Kelsey, two. She is a stay-at-home mom who loves to scrapbook, read, and of course write. Spending time with her family, including extended family, is a priority. She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and currently works with the young women. Teresa has a degree in Elementary Education from Utah State University and taught 6th grade before her son was born. She also ran an own in-home daycare for three years. She currently writes educational materials as well as blogs for Families.com. Although her formal education consisted of a variety of child development classes she has found that nothing teaches you better than the real thing. She is constantly learning as her children grow and enjoys sharing that knowledge with her readers.