One of Dayton’s best known authors is Erma Bombeck.
She paved the way for Parent Advice columns, Parenting blogs and much more.
Her wit, wisdom and wicked sense of humor not only got her through parenthood it made her famous.
Her profound advice on parenting and life is as timeless as it is humorous.
As a fellow writer and parent from Dayton I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite Erma Bombeck quotes and add my own take on them.
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“I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage”
Family meals and what our kids eat are important.
The most important part of any meal is who you share it with.
Keep the gravy to a minimum, but make sure you have regular family dinners!
“Never go to a Doctor whose office plants have died”
Make sure to choose your child’s Doctor, Dentist and even their Hair Stylist wisely.
These people take special care of your children. In fact be aware of any adult who has an impact on how your kids think, act and feel.
“There’s nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas Morning and not be a child”
Make Christmas and the other holiday’s fun for your child. They will remember your presence more than the presents. Holidays are the days when it’s okay for all of us to be a kid again. This quote also reminds us that adulthood is tough. Be prepared to give your child the best advice you can when they become adults, their will be many times when they’ll need it.
“Guilt the gift that keeps on giving”
Kids are masters at using the guilt card so learn the right times to say “no” and you’ll both be better off for it. You are never going to make everyone happy and this includes your kids.
“Never lend your car to anyone whom you have given birth”
Be careful what you let your kids have. They are good at destroying things and not always on purpose.
Teach kids the value of money and valuables. If you really care about something keep it in a safe place….like another state!
“When humor goes, there goes civilization” & “If you can’t make it better, you can laugh at it”
Life and being a parent can get pretty serious some times, so it’s important to keep a sense of humor. None of us are perfect, so laugh at yourself, laugh at others and laugh with your kids. The moments of joy & laughter you share are the moments that you cherish forever.
“Before you try to keep up with the Joneses, be sure they’re not trying to keep up with you”
Teach your kids and yourself to be grateful for what you have. If you worry about what everyone else has and does you’ll be miserable. Most families have more than enough. Remember the most important thing every family has is each other!
“It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else”
Erma Bombeck dreamed of being a writer. She started with a daily news column and she somehow managed to make motherhood cool. She ended up writing multiple New York Times Best Sellers thanks to her wit, wisdom and common sense.
“Children make your life important”
Children make you lose lots of sleep, they borrow lots of money from you and as teenagers they enjoy making fun of you. They also rely on you, learn countless lessons from you and love you immensely.
Academy Award winners, Nobel Prize winners, Presidents and Erma Bombeck have all said that the most important job they ever had was being a parent. All of them are right. Our children make our lives important. They also make our lives better!
