What did your granny teach you?

bearcub

In the late 50s, I used to stay with my Nan in the school holidays, but sometimes wondered why my dad never visited along with Mum, me and my sister. Turns out that Nan's second husband used to treat Mum like a servant and took her earnings away from her when she started work. Eventually, Mum ran away from home and was taken in by Dad's parents. My Dad never had anything but disgust for my GM. So, my Nan taught me that things are rarely as you see them. Did have good hols with her, though.

concerned43

This caught my attention ESP. As today is the anniversary of her death. We lived with gran and she was a major influence in my life, she taught me many practical things, cooking, cleaning sewing etc but she also taught me manners and respect for elders. She hated false people and would always tell me " you and trust a thief but NEVER trust a lier - they'll get you hung"....that has stayed with me all my life and has stood me in good stead.

sparrer

My Nana taught me to play rummy, canasta and bridge.
She also taught me it's never a good idea to damp down hair with sugar water then tie it in rags overnight. It was agony having it combed out in the morning, I hated those curls and teasing it brought from my cousins

My Papa taught me how to count with pennies which he saved in an old tobacco tin for when I went to visit them the holidays. I can still remember the smell of that tin, it reminds me of a man I loved more than anyone else in the family :A

marleyboy

My Grandmother taught me her secret recipe for the perfect home made rice pudding. Granddad taught me magic tricks (as learned from his time in the army)

marmitepotato

My Granny taught me how to garden. Grow veg and flowers of all kinds. Taught me how to gut and pluck a pheasant, make jam, cakes, make brawn, Christmas puddings, grate suet, clean silver, knit, crochet, sew..... catch and kill bed bugs (yuck)....

She always always had a kiss and a hug for me what ever time of day I turned up on her doorstep!


My Gran taught me that a sherry and a fag at eleven o'clock in the morning was quite acceptable! She was also a naughty Gran who was born wayyyy before her time.


I loved them both and miss them still.

Sharon140

My Grandma (Paternal) Taught me how to Cook and how to sew and knit, she was amazing at crafts and would run up a dress each for me and my cousin in an afternoon and knit the cardigans in the evenings at the same time as watching telly :rotfl: she was also the one to take me to Sunday school every week and then come home to a Sunday roast with rice pudding. Many happy memories of her and my Grandad who taught me gardening and how to grow wonderful vegetables, never grew flowers because they were a waste of space in the garden :laugh: and he loved a bet on the races and we would spend hours looking at the runners and riders in the papers I never seemed to fetch him any luck though

My Mam and Dad Phillips (Maternal) were so wonderful, Mam was truly a saint, Dad had been wounded in Dunkirk and couldn't work so with just a small war pension and 13 children to feed she knew how to stretch everything, all bread was homemade and the most delicious stews and dinners you could imagine, all clothes were handmade also and made to last and last. She was a true lady and had a heart of gold never a bad word about anyone,I hope I can be half the lady she was. Dad was a carpenter by trade so he made most of the furniture in the house and toys for the children and then us lot, he was the complete opposite to my other grandfather he loved growing flowers would never have them in the house though.


I loved both sets of grandparents so much and am so proud to have been able to learn all that they taught me

[Deleted User]

My grandmother taught me that if you're going to be a racist all your life, then for heaven's sake, do leave a note asking the vicar NOT to mention it at your funeral.

wondercollie

Maternal granny diied when I was 2. But according to my Mum I should remember her.

Paternal one? We moved to Canada when I was seven, so I think I saw her on maybe five assorted visits before she died.

From her, I learnt to buy my own jewellery and show the bill to my husband and then pay from the joint account.

That you have to be strong enough to make a life fro yourself because men have their own interests.

My grandad taught me how to make a roast, be patient with a strong woman, and how to read the racing page in a newspaper.

I guess they both taught me that you can survive a marriage when neither party is that interested in the other anymore. Their generation didn't divorce but muddled on. They went on holidays together, visited various children, and lived their own lives. I don't think think either was unfaithful, they just lived separate lives under the same roof.

meritaten

JackieO wrote: »

What lovely memories there are of your Grannies,I sadly had no Gran's left when I was born as my late Mum was 45 and my Dad 55 so their parents were long gone.most of my Aunts lived in either Scotland or the US or Australia or Canada so I grew up minus aunts and uncles and cousins.But my lovely tiny feisty Scots Mum taught me everything I know about how to run a house on buttons, and feed children on next to nothing. Its wasn't that my late Dad was broke (he was a chemist) but during rationing everything was in short supply and my Mum hated the blackmarket and would never buy anything that was 'going the rounds'
She was an amazing lady who to this day I still miss and taught me how to feed children with little in the pantry and when there is an availability of either food or money to get it then always make sure you have a good store cupboard.

Apparently when war was loomimg in 1939 she (having been a teenager during the first war) went to as many shops as she could to stock up on dried food stuff and anything that would keep.She was a very smart lady and had eyes like a hawk.Back in those days of going to the shops the butter, sugar etc was weighed out in front of you and if she asked for 4 ounces that's what she wanted and not over weight or under.I don't think there was a grocer that didn't quake when she came into the shop She was very polite, but also very firm and always got exactly the best value for her money.
She taught us children to be polite at all times and to respect our elders.Her mantra was "Don't do behind my back what you wouldn't do in front of me"
She would help anyone who was down on their luck and many folk had reason to thank her when they had too much time left before their payday.She would never see a child cry without wanting to help, and most of the children in our street knew that Mrs B would always give them a hug and a biscuit if they fell over and hurt themselves.She was the kindest person I have ever met and although strict with us children, absolutely would have walked through fire for us
She taught me to knit,read,cook,clean,wash clothes,make a bed,dance, grow stuff in the garden,wring a chickens neck and draw and pluck it,how to make a shilling do the work of ten and most of all how to love unconditionally your family and friends and to put yourself in the other persons shoes.She taught me respect, and although old-fashioned in lots of ways most of what she taught me made me the person I am today

I am now a Granny myself and hopefully I have passed on something to my seven grandchildren Most of all I would like to think that when I shuffle off to wherever, I will be remembered for the unconditional love I give to my family as to me family is the most important thing in the world and to help each other out and not look for anything (apart from the odd hug) is what I get a kick out of.I adore all of my grandchildren and I look after four of them before and after school and during the holidays so Mum and Dad can work to help pay the bills . My youngest grandson Mikey is 8 and we do have such a lot of fun together I think he thinks of me as a rather older playmate (there is well over 60 years between us) as I have taught him to play cards, and all the boys enjoy a game.I have taught the boys to cook , tie their shoelaces and to care for each other and we are a close-knit familyI take the kids to the Drs ,dentists,zoo,museums and parks and taking care of the boys keeps me on my toe's they have taught me to see life from their point of view and how different it is from my childhood

I hope you don't mind JackieO, but, I have just shed a few tears for the loss of your lovely Mum! her and my nan would have gotten on like a house on fire!
I know what you mean by 'being' a Nan/Gran - I do the same - there is usually a grandchild or three in my house. all wanting to cook or craft or just hang out with me!

the local kids loved my nan - she was always good for a glass of milk or a biscuit or to chase off bullies. in the last years of her life at home she would be sitting in the front room window as the kids went to and from school - and every single one of them used to wave to 'Jones' (as she was known). the older ones used to make the littlies wave and they in turn made the next lot of littlies wave - it was really touching! and most of them made Christmas cards for her..............she kept them all.

Snowy_Owl

I have so many fond memories about my grandparents. I'm glad that I'm not the only one and it has amazed me what grandparents have passed down!

Thank you all for sharing - & have made it to the weekly email!!:beer: