25 Real life things I hope to teach my daughters

I'm realizing more and more just how sheltered my life was growing up.  It's a parents job to shelter and protect their children.  My parents did an exceptional job!!  I grew up going to church every Sunday morning & evening, Wednesday night and bible study too.  I went to a private Christian school for middle school and my freshmen year.  My parents worked hard to give me the life that I had, but made it look so EASY!!  While they were protecting & sheltering me...they failed to really prepare me for what real life was.  We didn't really talk about real life things.  I just thought I'd grow up, meet Prince Charming, get married, have lots of babies and then have my happily ever after. 

Here is a list of real life things I wish my parents had told me and explained to me and taught me to be IMPORTANT!!  25 things that I hope I'm successful in passing on to my children before they learn the hard way.

1. School is your JOB!!  It is your most important responsibility from age 5 on.  It's not always gonna be easy and when it's not just work even harder.  Going to college is MANDATORY!!  It's not up for discussion, so you'd better do your best all through school so you can get into the college of your choice.  We'll figure out how to pay for it later.

2. Don't depend on anybody else to take care of you or to make you happy.  If you're always relying on someone else to make you happy, you're always gonna be setting yourself up for disappointment.  The only person you have total 100% control over is YOURSELF!!

3. Your credit score is CRUCIAL to your success in life!!  One bad financial decision can scar you for years and prevent you from ever getting ahead in life. 

4. People LIE!!  Don't believe everything you hear.  Boys are gonna tell you EXACTLY what you want to hear, but aren't gonna mean a word of it.  Until they are men, they are incapable of thinking about your feelings.  All they're thinking about is their "tool"...and how they can get you to play with it. 

5. Laugh at yourself...(I've mastered this, but only through years of experience). Life is too short to let things embarrass you.  If you fall flat on your face, jump up and laugh it off.  If you spill something on your shirt, rock it like you meant to do it.  Nobody notices or cares about these little things nearly as much as you think they do.  And if you laugh so hard a little poot slips out...blame it on the person sitting behind you.

6. Money doesn't grow on trees.  Learn how to earn it and save it...and spend it wisely.

7. Don't let your body define you.  But be proud of what you've got!!  Ex. I had enormous boobs.  I HATED them!!  I was embarrassed by them....but I was known for them.  I let them define who I was. My children are going to have enormous boobs too.  I hope that rather than being embarrassed by them, they will carry them like they're proud (but well covered).  I hope that they don't confuse the attention boys will give they're "girls" for genuine interest.

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9. You are nobody's property.  Never allow someone to call you their "old lady", "bitch", "booty call", "baby", "boo" or "woman".  You are either their friend, girl friend, fiancee or WIFE!!  If they don't respect you enough to call you one of those....WALK AWAY with your head held high!!

10. Money doesn't buy class.  It just makes it a little shinier.  Just because someone has more money than you doesn't mean they are better than you.  Just because they have nicer things than you, doesn't mean they're happier than you.  But if you want those things, work harder to get them!!  You don't have to settle with the cards you were dealt!!  DO SOMETHING!!  Go to school, work hard, get a good job and save your money.  But remember there is always someone with less than you...and you're NOT better than them either.

11. Try new things.  Be willing to leave your comfort zone.  Don't avoid doing something just because you don't think you'll do it well.  Everybody falls off their bike at least once before they master it.

12. Be YOU!!  Love YOU!!  Don't change YOU to make someone else like YOU.  If they don't like YOU just the way YOU are...YOU don't need them.  Don't pretend to like "mind numbing metal" music just because a boy likes it.  If someone looks down on you because you like to wear cammo and go to mud bogs...they just don't know what they're missing.  They should be jealous of you!!

13.  Don't confuse a redneck for a "real man".  Just because he can bait a hook, fix his own truck or take you on the "hell ride" of your life....does NOT mean he is a real man.  A real man should hopefully be able to do all of those things....but he also works hard, takes his responsibilities seriously, loves his family, respects others feelings and READS!!  If a man doesn't treat you right, don't make excuses for him...excuse him for your life.

14. Set goals!!  Real goals...not "I wanna grow up and get married and have babies" kind of goals.  Dream big!!  See the world!!  I wouldn't trade my kids for ANYTHING...but there are lots of things I wish I had done before I had them.

15. Think with your head NOT your heart!!  That old saying "follow your heart" is for dumbasses!!!  There is a difference between taking risks and diving head first into shark infested waters. Boys think with their "tool" not their heads.

16. Learn to cope!  Life isn't fair.  Bad things happen to good people....really bad things.  Don't let those bad things dictate which roads you take in life.  Don't use them as excuses to let your life take a nosedive!!  Chin up!!  And live your life!!

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18. Don't be a doormat!!  Learn to tell people no!!  Stick up for yourself.  Your feelings are just as important as anybody else...NEVER FORGET THAT!!

19. Stay informed about politics and what is going on with our country. Make an educated choice and VOTE!! 

20. Admit when you're wrong or have made a mistake.  Nobody's perfect!!  But when you're right...learn when to stand strong and when to compromise or walk away.  Don't argue with idiots.  People watching might not be able to tell the difference. And you can't fix STUPID!!

21.  Be compassionate...but know what a lost cause looks like.  You can't change anyone but yourself.

22.  Stand for something!!  Pick a cause that is close to your heart.  Volunteer!!

23. Actions speak louder than words.  Show your loved ones how much they mean to you!!  Just because you tell them you love them...doesn't mean they know you love them!!  Make time for your parents and grandparents...even when they know you'd much rather be hanging with your friends.

24. Show initiative.  If you see something that needs to be done...do it!!  Don't wait for someone to ask you and don't do it for the praise it might get you.  Just do it!!  People with initiative have ambition and drive that take them so much further than those that procrastinate.  Start small...put the new roll of toilet paper on the holder, instead of leaving it on the counter.  Build onto it by taking the trash out when it's full....then clean your room before you're asked.  This will set a firm foundation for the rest of your life!!

25. Smile through the pain.  Find the funny in everything...it'll keep you young at heart.  Don't let a boy see you cry...because you think he's gonna feel sorry for you.  He won't!!  Don't use your tears to manipulate a situation.  In the end you look like a dumb girl instead of the strong confident girl you really are.