What’s a piece of advice you got as a kid that still sticks with you?

What a fuckin’ weird piece of advice.

Whenever someone gifts you something, just say "Thank you very much" and accept the gift. Don't do the "are you sure" or "oh no you shouldn't have" dance.

Dad was teaching my sister and I to cross the street and told us to look both ways.

We were crossing a one-way road at the time and I asked "Do we need to look both ways on a one-way road?"

He said "People are idiots, you look both ways."

When getting advice, consider if the speakers life is one you want for yourself.

Always wear a condom.

-Dad

"Never pass up the opportunity to keep your mouth shut."

"Don't believe everything you read in books." - my religious dad

Learned pretty early on not to believe a certain book. Woops

"assigning blame is the most useless reaction to disaster. Do damage control and then move on."

My parents used to blame each other a lot when they were fighting. When my friends mess up something, I will them that it's annoying, and then figure out how to deal with it. But I'll never make them feel bad for it, because it's just wasted energy.

Adults: Don't touch, the wood stove is hot.

Toddler Me: [touches anyway] hot! Hot!

I still have the scar.

Literal translation it is a bit funnier in original:
"If you're bored, sharpen a stick and stick it up your butt so you resemble a donkey more."
Basically there is 0 reason to be bored in this life.

In grade school I remember looking up at a brightly colored sign above the door that read, "you are not your circumstance." Decades later, I still think about it as a reminder to treat myself and others a little better.

Innovation never comes from using something the way it was designed to be used.

One that's come up a lot for me went something like "people don't think about you much, they're all focused on their own life and problems, you're just in the background". I have a tendency to nervously overthink other people's reactions, which is why it was brought up, but it has lots of other applications too.

Dad: "Only break one law at a time"

Dad: "A job can give you three things: Good pay, learn useful new skills, and a comfortable and enjoyable place to work. If you aren't getting at least two of those things, look for another job."

Mum didn't really give advice, but I probably would have done a lot more dumb shit if not for her guiding me not to.

In fifth grade my teacher retired halfway through the year. He did nothing wrong, it was just his time to retire. So he taught half the year while training his replacement to take over. He is one of the best teachers I ever had.

On his last day he left us with this piece of advice.

"Credit Cards are a scam." Then he explained in detail how they can be used to trap you in debt and keep you struggling. He said always use cash when you can, otherwise don't buy what you can't afford.

That was the only financial advice I ever got in all of my 12 years of schooling.

It's your life/future. You decide. Context was choice of which school/education to follow. I choose a technical education (and 45+ years later not a single day of regrets) but applys to ...well everything actually.

Not in a good way but: "crying never solved anything." It might not be a full solution but it sure is a relief. Still can't cry to this day without feeling guilty about it.

There’s two people you never lie to: your doctor and your lawyer.

Don’t walk in the middle of the “aisle” (the part cars drive down) in parking lots. I don’t forget it because I constantly see people (morons) not following this advice and almost getting hit by cars.

You won't be everyone's friend.

Along with "don't chase after people who aren't interested" and "you don't like everybody, not everybody will like you".

Genuinely has been so helpful to keep in mind every time I reach out to make connections but get ignored, brushed off or rejected. There will be people who reciprocate my friendship, who recognize my value and enjoy my company and I can use my energy on those relationships.

you don't always have to be right, but you do always need to be correct.

meaning, you pick the things you argue to be right about but you should always do things correctly the first time.

From my mum "whatever you do in life we will be here to support you"

From my dad "dont be a dickhead"

Its hard not to be a dickhead there are so many times I'm stuck between standing up for myself or letting things slide. I think ive learnt how to find the balance but i still miscalculate occasionally.

That's terrible. I, as a man, have cried for women, have cried for male friends,... I have cried on many occasions. I've seen huge guys snicker in sorrow.

Anyway, you don't cry for some one else. Crying helps you to cope with your feelings.

I guess your mother was Hurt bad to give zich a voor advice.

My dad told me, “It is a sin not to live up to your potential.”

He’s not a religious person I think he just wanted to explain how heavy it may have weighed in his own mind, but we both support my mother’s idea of heaven and on occasion go to church with her at a nice church with a good community where they live. I don’t like religion but I do like open minded communities that support themselves as well as people they think differently than.

Anyways I’ve added more openminded sounding meanings to it over my life like, considering opportunities of each individual and “live up to” can mean just being a person of integrity.

"Work problems are the easiest ones"

Everything's better when it's free and they're right, that's why I'm a house burglar now!

Not as a kid, but as a young adult entering the workforce:

Never trade shifts with anyone.

When I heard this advice, I thought that this would be a dick move, because you are supposed to help out each other, since everyone appears to be in the same position (or metaphorically in the same boat). But some time later I witnessed what was meant: I had two coworkers that engaged in a shift-trade. One of the coworkers had an appointment and so he asked another coworker if they can switch shifts. The other one agreed to cover the shift, but he never got the favor back, as if that agreement never took place.

It turns out, that at work, everyone ist fighting for himself, and you should, too, catering to your own interests.