--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The lessons my parents taught are still…" description: "\"“The lessons my parents taught are still with me. I keep a tighter leash when raising my kids than my parents did, but I often find myself doing or say..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/nicholas-sparks-93_advice_the-lessons-my-parents-taught-are-still_665759.jpg" --- # The lessons my parents taught are still with me. I keep a… ![“The lessons my parents taught are still with me. I keep a tighter leash when raising my kids than my parents did, but I often find myself doing or saying the same things they did. My mom, for instance, was always cheerful when coming in from work; I try to behave the same way when I finish writing…” quote by Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/nicholas-sparks-93_advice_the-lessons-my-parents-taught-are-still_665759.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/nicholas-sparks-93_advice_the-lessons-my-parents-taught-are-still_665759.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/nicholas-sparks-93_advice_the-lessons-my-parents-taught-are-still_665759.jpg) > ““The lessons my parents taught are still with me. I keep a tighter leash when raising my kids than my parents did, but I often find myself doing or saying the same things they did. My mom, for instance, was always cheerful when coming in from work; I try to behave the same way when I finish writing for the day. My dad would listen intently when I came to him with a problem, to help me find a way to solve it on my own; I try to do the same with my own kids. At night, while I'm tucking my kids in bed, I ask them to tell me three nice things that each of their siblings did for them that day, in the hopes that it will help them grow as close as Micah, Dana, and I did. And more frequently than I ever would have imagined possible growing up, I find myself telling my children "It's your life", or "No one ever promised that life would be fair", and "What you want and what you get are usually two entirely different things".”” [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on how parental teachings shape their own parenting, noting both continuity and conscious adjustments in behavior and values. **In simple terms:** Parents influence how we raise our kids, often repeating patterns while trying to improve. Key Takeaway Recognize and adapt inherited habits for better parenting. Themes family parenting legacy self-awareness Mood reflective nostalgic thoughtful Type advice personal narrative philosophical When to use this quote - raising children - daily routines - conflict resolution - teaching gratitude - life lessons Key Concepts intergenerational influence behavioral modeling values transmission Questions to Reflect On - How do you consciously change the habits you inherited? - What values do you want to pass on? A Different Perspective Inherited habits may limit growth if not examined. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Kids Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids-parents-345131/) [Lessons Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons-parents-3152894/) [Nice things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice-things/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Parents Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-did/) [Parents Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-taught/) ## Related quotes > [I see parents who bring their kids down because their parents did that to them, instead of reinforcing their gifts, and instilling a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agapi-stassinopoulos/i-see-parents-who-bring-their-kids-down-because-their-parents-did/) [Agapi Stassinopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agapi-stassinopoulos/) > [I've learned great lessons from my parents for things on the court and off. I really look up to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwyane-wade/i-ve-learned-great-lessons-from-my-parents-for-things-on-the-court/) [Dwyane Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwyane-wade/) > [I always managed to get in trouble, like every kid. But I had to learn a lot of hard lessons on my own, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/i-always-managed-to-get-in-trouble-like-every-kid-but-i-had-to-learn/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > ['Dad, Dad, I'm getting married.' 'Sh-sh, don't say it. Nothing, nothing. Don't do anything.' So he honestly - 'cause he was taught don't celebrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/dad-dad-i-m-getting-married-sh-sh-don-t-say-it-nothing-nothing-don-t/) [Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/) > [I'm the lucky father to two young men. When any of your kids, and your parents feel this way about you, clearly, when your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hedges/i-m-the-lucky-father-to-two-young-men-when-any-of-your-kids-and-your/) [Peter Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hedges/) > [Parents aren't clamoring for cell-phone companies to monitor their kids. Parents don't want to see what their kids are really like, but MySpace makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-anderson/parents-aren-t-clamoring-for-cell-phone-companies-to-monitor-their/) [Tom Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-anderson/) > [Kids have parents. Let the parents be responsible for the kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-bickford/kids-have-parents-let-the-parents-be-responsible-for-the-kids/) [Bruce Bickford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-bickford/) > [I know, some kids, their parents have nothing in common and don't ever talk. I can call my dad at 3 o'clock in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-know-some-kids-their-parents-have-nothing-in-common-and-don-t-ever/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [I'm sure all parents think their kids are funny, and I'm sure a lot of kids are, whether their parents are comics or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-davis/i-m-sure-all-parents-think-their-kids-are-funny-and-i-m-sure-a-lot-of/) [Julia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-davis/) > [There are a lot of films that come out for kids, and the parents have to suffer through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carr/there-are-a-lot-of-films-that-come-out-for-kids-and-the-parents-have/) [Steve Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carr/) > [I try to be careful because technology changes so much over the years. But some things don't change. Kids and parents have disagreements, kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-danziger/i-try-to-be-careful-because-technology-changes-so-much-over-the-years/) [Paula Danziger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-danziger/) > [I cannot believe I spent a lifetime taking care of kids. parents, friends, relatives. when all I need is a shoulder to cry on…thats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poore/i-cannot-believe-i-spent-a-lifetime-taking-care-of-kids-parents/) [Paula Poore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poore/) > [Coming from a broken home, I wanted to be as sure as I could be that my kids would have two parents who will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/coming-from-a-broken-home-i-wanted-to-be-as-sure-as-i-could-be-that/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [Many kids, it seemed, would find out that their parents were flawed, messed-up people later in life, and I didn't appreciate getting to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-bender/many-kids-it-seemed-would-find-out-that-their-parents-were-flawed/) [Aimee Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-bender/) > [“... it isn’t the kids who have two parents and a stable home who are the luckiest ones. It’s the kids who know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/it-isn-t-the-kids-who-have-two-parents-and-a-stable-home-who-are-the/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) ## More by Nicholas Sparks > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Nothing is ever lost nor can be lost; the body aged, sluggish,cold… the embers left from earlier fires shall dully flame again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-is-ever-lost-nor-can-be-lost-the-body-aged-sluggish-cold-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I'm sure you think that I don't understand what you're going through, but I do. It's just that sometimes, our future is dictated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-m-sure-you-think-that-i-don-t-understand-what-you-re-going-through/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“You weren't out there that long, were you? I can't bear to think that no one found you right away." Noah shook his head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-weren-t-out-there-that-long-were-you-i-can-t-bear-to-think-that/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“And in your smile, I will live forever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/and-in-your-smile-i-will-live-forever/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [When we first met, I didn't want to get involved with anyone. I didn't have the time or energy, and I wasn't sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/when-we-first-met-i-didn-t-want-to-get-involved-with-anyone-i-didn-t/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“There is something terrible in the moments after waking up, when the subconscious knows that something terrible has happened but before all the memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-is-something-terrible-in-the-moments-after-waking-up-when-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [There is nothing like love. You should try it.” Thibault shrugged. “Maybe one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-is-nothing-like-love-you-should-try-it-thibault-shrugged-maybe/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“more time she’d spent with him, the more convinced she became that he was by far the sexiest guy she’d ever met. Who else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/more-time-she-d-spent-with-him-the-more-convinced-she-became-that-he/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Dear John, tell me everything. Write it all down, that way, we’ll be with each other all the time, even if we’re not with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/dear-john-tell-me-everything-write-it-all-down-that-way-we-ll-be-with/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [You were spying on us?" "It was kind of hard not to. You were right there by the workshop with Will. it looked like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-were-spying-on-us-it-was-kind-of-hard-not-to-you-were-right-there/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [There are lots of real men out there - men who could fall in love with you at the drop of a hat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-are-lots-of-real-men-out-there-men-who-could-fall-in-love-with/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [...nothing wonderful lasted forever. Joy was as fleeting as a shooting star that crossed the evening sky, ready to blink out at any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-wonderful-lasted-forever-joy-was-as-fleeting-as-a-shooting/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [He put his arms around her. “Well, in my defense, then, whatever I did seemed to work, didn't it?” She sighed. “I suppose.” “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-put-his-arms-around-her-well-in-my-defense-then-whatever-i-did/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I don't know. I really don't. While I was in the living room, I kept asking myself what I really wanted in life." She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-don-t-know-i-really-don-t-while-i-was-in-the-living-room-i-kept/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) [Explore all 1,309 Nicholas Sparks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The lessons my parents taught are still with me. I keep a tighter leash when raising my kids than my parents did, but I often find myself doing or saying the same things they did. My mom, for instance, was always cheerful when coming in from work; I try to behave the same way when I finish writing for the day. My dad would listen intently when I came to him with a problem, to help me find a way to solve it on my own; I try to do the same with my own kids. At night, while I'm tucking my kids in bed, I ask them to tell me three nice things that each of their siblings did for them that day, in the hopes that it will help them grow as close as Micah, Dana, and I did. And more frequently than I ever would have imagined possible growing up, I find myself telling my children \"It's your life\", or \"No one ever promised that life would be fair\", and \"What you want and what you get are usually two entirely different things\".”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nicholas Sparks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/the-lessons-my-parents-taught-are-still-with-me-i-keep-a-tighter/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/the-lessons-my-parents-taught-are-still-with-me-i-keep-a-tighter/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/nicholas-sparks-93_advice_the-lessons-my-parents-taught-are-still_665759.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/nicholas-sparks-93_advice_the-lessons-my-parents-taught-are-still_665759.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/nicholas-sparks-93_advice_the-lessons-my-parents-taught-are-still_665759.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The lessons my parents taught are still with me. I keep a tighter leash when raising my kids than my parents…” — Nicholas Sparks", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nicholas Sparks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The lessons my parents taught are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/the-lessons-my-parents-taught-are-still-with-me-i-keep-a-tighter/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/the-lessons-my-parents-taught-are-still-with-me-i-keep-a-tighter/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```