If Your Parents Made Sure They Could Afford 11 Specific Things, They Likely Did A Fantastic Job Raising You
Ron Lach | PexelsRaising kids takes patience and serious endurance, but it also costs a lot of money. Food and shelter are obvious necessities, but kids need more than the basics to truly thrive. They need access to things that open their minds and challenge their perspective. And if your parents made an effort to afford certain things, they did an amazing job raising you.
Having a family is a lifelong investment, and the average cost of raising just one child averages $310,605 from birth to age 17. While unconditional love and support are important, so are additional expenses many see as frivolous. Money isn't everything, but spending on their kids has real-life impacts.
Things your parents made sure they could afford growing up that show they did a great job raising you
1. Vacations
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Traveling is a luxury, as it requires expendable income. Taking trips with the whole family can be expensive, but for parents who made sure to take their kids on vacation, even if it wasn't 5-star hotels or extravagant stays, they'll always remember how much it meant.
If your parents spent their money on family vacations, it shows they wanted to open your eyes to new things. If you flew halfway around the world or piled into the family minivan for a road trip, traveling together was a bonding experience and a memory you’ll hold onto forever.
2. Books
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Reading is foundational to the way we understand ourselves and the world around us. Being surrounded by books does more than help kids learn to read, it sets them up for success later in life.
According to a 2019 study, home libraries are one of the most important things for kids to have. Being surrounded by books helps children build their vocabularies and develop cognitive flexibility. There's a strong connection between kids who read in childhood and those who find educational and occupational success in adulthood.
Reading fosters curiosity and creativity. It gives kids the opportunity to imagine the world as they want to see it. If your parents put their money toward filling your home with books, and read them to you at night as well, they did a great job raising you.
3. Family dinners
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Many families make sure they have dinner together every night. It doesn’t matter if they bought filet mignon or fast food, what matters most is that you ate meals together. By emphasizing the importance of these dinners, your parents taught you how to nourish your body and soul.
According to family therapist Anne Fishel, "Kids who grow up having family dinners... tend to eat more healthily and to have lower rates of obesity. Then the mental health benefits are just incredible. Regular family dinners are associated with lower rates of depression, and anxiety... and higher rates of resilience and higher self-esteem."
4. Doctor’s appointments
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Doctor’s appointments aren’t the most enjoyable way to spend time or money, but your parents taught you the true value of taking care of yourself. They made sure to prioritize your health by making sure they could afford to take you to the doctor, both for your annual visit and when you were sick.
They helped you feel comfortable in seeking out medical support. But they also did more than pay for annual check-ups. In fact, they modeled actual self-care and self-advocacy, lessons you carry with you for the rest of your life.
5. Games and puzzles
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Games and puzzles might not seem important, but if your parents ensured they could afford those things, they raised a great person. Putting their money towards kid-friendly activities shows how much your parents put your social and cognitive development first.
Games are more than just a fun way to spend a few hours, they also teach kids crucial life skills. When kids play games, they learn how to take turns and how to share. They learn how to handle losing gracefully. They learn how to think critically and compete in a compassionate way.
6. Concerts
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Getting a chance to see live music is worth its weight in gold. While tickets today are increasingly expensive, if your parents took you to concerts, they did an amazing job raising you. They introduced you to the pure joy that comes from seeing your favorite band in person. They fostered your sense of belonging to something bigger than just yourself, since music is a communal experience.
By buying concert tickets, your parents showed you the value of spending money on cultural events and not just material objects. They lit a flame within you, stoking your passion and appreciation for music. Their devotion to live music led you to believe there’s no better feeling than hearing your favorite song while you stand next to strangers, because it’s a memory you can return to over and over, and still feel the warm glow of that moment.
7. Birthday parties
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By spending money to make your birthday celebrations truly unforgettable, your parents showed commitment to your happiness. Even if it was just a party with pizza and games, not an over-the-top celebration with a bouncy castle and party princesses, it made all the difference.
They did everything they could to make you feel special. They instilled a sense of self-love within you by putting in that extra effort and money. They led by example, showing you just how much you mattered to them and how happy they are that you’re here.
8. Artwork
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If your parents spent money to decorate your family home, they helped you appreciate the finer things in life. They taught you to pay attention to beauty and be moved by works of art. They showed you why it's so powerful to consider your living space a sanctuary.
Having art in your childhood home inspired you to fill your own home with beautiful things. As Laurau Design Collective pointed out, “art is essential.”
“Art can provide both a sense of connection to the outside world and an opportunity for reflection within oneself,” they shared. “Art should evoke emotion… It should also reflect their happiest or most influential memories, and the atmosphere they hope to create within each room of their home.”
9. A weekly allowance
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Your parents were committed to teaching you financial literacy from a young age, which involved helping you manage your very own money. According to Cornell University community educator Cathy Sweet, an allowance is an important financial teaching tool, as it teaches kids how essential it is to make good choices on how they spend and save.
“The value of an allowance is for kids to learn to control money to achieve recognized wants and needs,” Sweet explained. “By making small purchases, saving up for something more expensive and, once in a while, spending money on a disappointing item, [children] learn to live within a budget.”
10. Nice clothes for important events
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If your parents scraped money together and always ensured they had enough to afford nice clothing for you, it shows just how much focus they put into raising you right. They let you express yourself, but they also taught you the importance of dressing appropriately for a specific occasion.
They invested in your wardrobe and showed you that dressing for a job interview is different than dressing for a school dance. While outward appearance isn’t everything, part of feeling good about yourself involves feeling comfortable and confident with what you’re wearing.
11. A family pet
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Owning a pet taught you how to be responsible for another living creature from a young age. You learned exactly what was involved in caretaking, from both a practical and an emotional standpoint. By taking care of a childhood pet, you learned early on just how deep your capacity for love can be.
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, pet ownership teaches kids the value of loyalty and affection. As they explained, “Positive relationships with pets can aid in the development of trusting relationships with others. A good relationship with a pet can also help in developing non-verbal communication, compassion, and empathy.”
Alexandra Blogier, MFA, is a writer based in Boston, Massachusetts who covers psychology, social issues, relationships, self-help topics, and human interest stories.
