Unsplash | Christian Bowen

19 Life Lessons People Learned From Their Grandparents

Grandparents have a significant impact on their grandchildren's lives.

In addition to spoiling them rotten any chance they get, they have decades of life lessons just waiting to get passed down.

This includes everything from love to money management to cooking to treating others right.

Here, 19 people share the life lessons they learned from their grandparents.

Don't wish your life away

A lot of us have a tendency to do this. When we're kids, we're wishing for the freedom of being an adult. Then, when we're adults, we're wishing we were kids again. Enjoy the present moment now!

That all relationships are built on respect, admiration, and trust

Unsplash | Samantha Gades

"Their advice has kept my relationship strong for a decade. They've been married for 53 years this April, and my husband and I got married on their 50th wedding anniversary at a huge combined celebration for all of us." - chelseamcdonald

That joyful nights bring sorrowful mornings

This person's grandparents must've been talking about drinking and hangovers. But there is a deeper lesson here — to be cautious of your reckless decisions at the moment, as they sometimes have lasting consequences.

That loving yourself is the most important thing

"I didn't learn it directly from him as he passed when I was still a petulant teenager, but he taught my mum that and my mum has always stressed the same thing to me." - u/mozzarellapizza

How to drive

ABC

Forget driving school — this Redditor had his grandfather teach him how to drive at 21 since his mother was too scared.

He went from being terrified to driving to loving it now. If he's stressed out or bored, he drives and it helps.

Always be on time and value other people's time

"Thanks to my grandpa I’m never ever late. I kinda get anxiety if I’m thinking I might be even a few mins late even for the most trivial thing lol." - u/deleted

How to choose a life partner

CBS

This Redditor's grandmother wanted her to end up with the right man. So she taught her to look for a man who cares for her and is always willing to work hard.

Proper money management

"My grandparents were the ones that were diligent about saving for me for college, helped me learn how to save on my own, how to use a credit card, how to properly regulate my finances." - u callmemeaty

Embrace your heritage

Unsplash | OC Gonzalez

This Redditor's grandfather indirectly taught him to embrace his Chicano heritage. Since he was harassed for speaking Spanish in the US army, the Redditor made an effort to learn some Spanish and travel to Mexico in college because of this.

How to cook

"My grandma cooks everything from scratch, and I was always in the kitchen helping her bake little things, cook meals, etc. I don't really cook prepackaged foods now because she taught me cooking skills early on." - u/callmemeaty

If you want something done right, don't let pride keep you from getting it

ABC

"You're not always going to be the best person to get something done, and you're not always going to be right. Be humble, and do you best to get the best outcome, even if it means letting someone else take the reigns." - u/POTUSKNOPE

That the best way to play cards is to cheat

LOL, this just goes to show that not all grandparents are sweet and innocent. This Redditor once found a card hidden in his grandpa's pocket from cheating.

How to do long division

"I spent the night at my Grandparent's once and I could not figure out how to do my homework. Grandad sat me down and patiently taught me his method. The only person who ever got me to understand how to do it." - u/zerbey

That they should marry their girlfriend

Unsplash | sergey mikheev

This Redditor's grandma refused to let him drag his feet. She convinced him that he found a keeper and to marry her.

She also told him to follow his dream of being a writer, so the same year that she died, he got married and quit his job to become a writer.

The importance of having a family meal

"Everyone pitched in, making food dishes, setting the table, making drinks and appetizers, serving and cleaning up. It was a real family effort, and somehow brought us closer together." - u/Back2Bach

Don't borrow money

[CW(https://people.com/tv/modern-family-kills-phil-dad-frank-fred-willard/)

According to this Redditor's grandfather, when you borrow money, the people you borrow it from own a piece of you until it's been completely repaid. We've seen enough mob movies to know this is true!

Give what you can to those in need

Unsplash | Matt Collamer

"My grandfather always gave cash to panhandlers and my grandmother would scrutinize him doing that, stereotyping that the panhandler was just going to buy drugs or booze with it. I remember being in the backseat of their car during one of these exchanges and my grandfather said simply and calmly, 'It's none of my business how they spend the cash, it's my business that I give to someone who asks for help.'" - anonymous

Spend money on your facial routine and shoes

This person's grandmother had some sage advice worth listening to. She believed that our face is the first thing people see and our feet will carry us all the way through life.

That "if you take the man's money, do the man's work"

"Whenever I'm sick of work and feeling like treating my office like my living room, I think about that and I get my ass in gear. It kept me honest and helped me get where I am now." - u/ptthhbbt

H/T: Reddit, Buzzfeed