People With Incredible Grandparents Usually Grew Up Hearing These 10 Old-Fashioned Phrases
Ground Picture | ShutterstockBeing a grandparent is great for aging. And having an amazing grandparent is even better for kids.
Even though people with incredible grandparents usually grew up hearing old-fashioned phrases and old-school life lessons over and over again, the truth is that having them around set them up for success. As a study from Frontiers in Psychology explains, when children have good grandparents around them, they're more emotionally healthy and stable into adulthood.
People with incredible grandparents usually grew up hearing these 10 old-fashioned phrases
1. 'Do as I say, not as I do'
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Even though grandparents tend to be great role models for their kids, it's actually the life lessons and wisdom they impart that are invaluable. They've learned from their mistakes, but just because they know the right ways of doing things doesn't always mean they're living by example.
However, they can still teach kids how to live better lives and care for themselves by teaching. That's why "do as I say, not as I do" is a fundamental phrase in these kids' lives, because they come from grandparents who are self-aware enough to recognize where they lack in modeling behaviors.
2. 'This too shall pass'
When we're in a bad mood or facing some kind of intense hardship, it can feel like forever. The pain we're carrying can feel like something we'll never be able to unwind. That's why the relationships we nurture with grandparents and older family members are so essential, because they're a walking, talking reminder that nothing is permanent.
People with honest, true resilience understand that nothing lasts forever. Wonderful grandparents impart that knowledge on their grandkids with phrases like "this too shall pass," giving them a light at the end of the tunnel to find meaning and growth from adversity, instead of letting it take over completely.
3. 'The best things take time'
Especially for young kids today who are often seeking instant gratification and convenience, having a grandparent who regularly imparts wisdom on patience and waiting is irreplaceable. "The best things take time" helps grandparents manage antsy kids, but it also serves as a life lesson.
Whether it's building a relationship or investing in a career, patient people are the ones who succeed. Patience is great for our mental and physical health, helping to mediate stress and tension, but if we never learn how to be patient, we're stuck in a spiral of angst.
4. 'What they think isn't your business'
Even though many of your grandparents' old-fashioned phrases are coming back, this one is probably the most important. "That's none of my business" or "mind your own business" were likely rooted in their family's need for privacy, but it's also a strong boundary young people need today.
You don't have to take on all the inner turmoil and anxiety that comes from worrying about what others think. You can live your life without constantly comparing. The kinds of judgments other people may have about you say a lot more about themselves than they do about you.
5. 'That's honest work'
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Even though different generations tend to have very different definitions of "honest work," the truth is that the sentiment behind this phrase is still wildly important for young people to understand. Even though cutting corners and taking shortcuts is sometimes easier than putting effort in, the discomfort that comes from leaning into challenges and complex issues is what allows us to grow.
Yes, intelligent people figure out how to work smarter and more efficiently, but they don't avoid things they don't understand or sidestep complicated topics to make their lives easier.
6. 'Protect your reputation'
While the concept of reputation is somewhat replaced by the "digital footprint" for young people today, this idea of being diligent about privacy is still important. Not everyone deserves access to you. Not everyone needs to know everything about you. Grandparents who value privacy know that better than anyone, and are advocates for thinking and reflecting before sharing.
People with the most incredible grandparents heard discussions of reputations constantly, but in adulthood, it's the practice of discernment that really matters.
7. 'Save for a rainy day'
Many people from younger generations today grew up with a picture of frugality in their parents' and grandparents' homes. In a digital world that pressured them to spend and seek out experiences, their grandparents were the voice of financial reason, urging them to "save for a rainy day."
Considering that more than 1 in 5 Americans today don't have any kind of emergency savings fund, it seems that more people need this wisdom early in life, before being thrown into cycles of economic uncertainty and fragility.
8. 'You'll understand when you're older'
Many people are chronically divided about the intention and meaning behind phrases like this. For some people, the tone of voice and context it was used in felt incredibly invalidating and dismissive. However, people with incredible grandparents often heard "you'll understand when you're older" as a means of protecting their innocence.
Their childhood and the protection they received to simply be a kid was partly because of parents and grandparents who saved all the hard, complicated adult stuff for their older years. They didn't force kids to mature too early or expect them to share the burden for adult issues, not because they weren't capable of it, but because they didn't need to.
9. 'Make do with what you got'
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Resourcefulness in older generations came from the environment and society they grew up in. But it's also a mindset that fueled their frugal habits and patience. Instead of over-consuming like young people today, with emotional spending habits and a desire to belong that feeds trends, they made do with what they had.
Even if it was annoying for kids who wanted the next best toys or constant solutions, these kinds of lessons from their grandparents turned into adult superpowers. They're self-reliant and able to solve their own problems. They can figure things out without needing convenience and ease all the time.
10. 'Don't count your chickens before they hatch'
This old-fashioned phrase is essentially a grandparent's way of saying, "Don't celebrate success you haven't achieved yet." While it might have been annoying for kids who only wanted attention and validation from their families at a young age, experts like psychology professor Marwa Azab argue these grandparents were onto something.
Not only does sharing your dreams and goals before making progress on them sabotage the journey and decrease a person's motivation, but it also tends to come across as arrogant to others. Despite operating from a place of insecurity, these people ruin their progress and push people away under a facade of superiority.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
