Friday, December 5, 2003
Friday, December 5, 2003 |
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Things all parents say By Rick Ryckeley Words are something that can’t be taken back. So, moms and dads, be careful when you speak them — especially to your kids. Kids will remember what you’ve said for years after you’ve forgotten. Take, for instance, some of the pearls of wisdom my parents pontificated to us when we were kids. “If you don’t use good table manners, no one will want to eat with you and you won’t have any friends.” om, I’ve got plenty of friends — none of them want to eat with me, but I got plenty of friends. “Watching TV too close to the screen will ruin your eyes.” This one I can attribute to both Mom and Dad, and yes, they were right. Sitting too close to the TV did ruin my eyesight, but that’s okay. I go to ophthalmologist next week and will have 20/20 vision again soon. That’s if I can see the address of the business from the street. “If you eat a cookie before dinner, it’ll ruin your appetite.” Nope. Mom, this could be no further from the truth. Eating a cookie before dinner will not ruin your appetite, at least not for more cookies. Trust me, after that first super chocolate chunk cookie, you can eat the entire bag. Afterwards, you won’t want to eat your dinner, but it certainly won’t ruin your appetite for cookies. “Wait 30 minutes after you eat before you go swimming or you’ll get a cramp.” Nope. Not true, Dad. Going swimming right after you eat two Varsity chili cheese dogs, fried onion rings, a peach pie and a large FO to wash it all down with will not give you a cramp. It’ll make you throw up, but you won’t get a cramp. Mom and Dad said about a bazillion times, “Quit slouching! Sit up straight! You don’t want your back to be hunched over when you grow up do you?” All I can say about this one is that I now go to the chiropractor three times a week. “Stop pinching your sister or your arm will fall off.” Got news for ya; I never stopped. I even pinched her at this year’s reunion and my arm didn’t fall off. She turned around and punched me. My arm was sore for a week, but it didn’t fall off. Mom said, “Eat your vegetables; they’re good for you. If you don’t eat them you won’t get dessert.” I promise myself that when I got older, I would never eat vegetables again. All I eat now is steak, potatoes, plenty of bread, and lots of desserts but nothing green — been doing it for years. Last week I went for a check-up and the doctor said I needed to lose some weight. I told him what I ate, and he said, “Didn’t you ever listen to your mom? You need to eat more vegetables.” I think doctors are in cahoots with moms. “If you keep making that ugly face, it’ll freeze that way.” I looked in the mirror this morning to shave. Okay, Dad, I’ll have to give you that one. All moms and dads tell their children the same thing before they go out on their first date, “Remember, nothing good ever happens in the back seat of a car.” Well, I’m here to tell you that all of those moms and dads are wrong! Something good can happen in the back seat of a car. It’s the safest place for your children to be in their car seats if you’re in a crash. One last quote Dad read off a plaque, “You can live your life trying to relive the past, but the past has already happened. No matter how hard you try, it can’t be changed. You can live your life worrying about the Future, but it hasn’t happened yet. Kids, you must live your life in the here and now, ‘cause that’s all we have, and never forget — it’s a great gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” This one my teary-eyed dad said to us the first Christmas after Mom died. This holiday season, please remember that now might be all that you have. Live every minute of it with people you love. I’ll be spending all my time with The Wife and The Boy. [Rick Ryckeley is employed by the Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. He can be reached at saferick@bellsouth.net.] |