10 Times We Realized We Wouldn't Trade Our Parents for the World

Our parents dedicated their hard work, emotional energy, and countless sacrifices to raise us to the best of their ability. Although they may not possess the extraordinary powers of the heroes in our beloved comic books, their immense kindness, unconditional love, and unwavering support truly make them everyday superheroes. Today, we want to highlight some of the most touching things parents did to keep their kids safe and happy.

• Recently, I was video chatting with my mom. My toddler was unpacking her laundry basket, and I let out a little sigh. My mom commented that she is so cute for unpacking everything, and a bit of a messy room never hurt anyone.
  Then she went on to say that although this is just a little mess, toddlers make a mess everywhere, which adds up to a lot of work for me. It struck me that she totally gets it. She is not judging me for my messy house but empathizing with me over the fact that I have to clean it. © Vonnybon / Reddit

• When I was 18, my parents planned a trip and let me invite my first boyfriend, Tom. My dad liked him, but during the trip, Tom flirted with other girls. Later that day, I saw Dad pull him aside and whisper something into his ear. Then he said, "Tom is leaving now." Tom turned white and left.
  10 years later, I got an unexpected text from him saying, "Your dad told me that day that I was not treating his daughter the way she deserved and that if I kept treating people that way, I’d lose someone important and regret it forever. His words stuck with me for years."
  As I read the message, I realized that what my dad did that day not only impacted me, but also my ex. It completely changed how I viewed and respected myself.

• My mom supported me throughout my school years. She would go to different stores to get supplies for my projects and tried to read the same books I had to so she could engage in critical thinking discussions. She attended my sporting events and cheered me on.
  After I had a nightmare, she would lay in bed with me and run her fingers through my hair until I fell asleep. She constantly reassured me that I was capable of pursuing my dreams. She made sure to tell me she loved me every day and give me hugs frequently. She’s an amazing woman, and I am so grateful to have her. © heatherwants2play / Reddit

• I remember putting dishes away as a child. As I went to put a big platter away, it slipped from my hands and shattered into many pieces. I instantly started crying and felt horrible for breaking it. It matched the dinnerware set and everything.
  My mom came in, confused as to why I was crying. She asked if I broke it on purpose. Still crying and apologizing, I said no, and she replied, "Okay, a platter is just a thing, and you didn't break it on purpose, so being mad at you wouldn't make any sense. You were trying to help, and it was an accident. I'll buy another one."
  That moment really stuck with me. © rmblmcskrmsh / Reddit

• My dad would always say, "If you fail your exam, I'll make you croissants." I'm super Type A and would stress out a lot about tests in high school, but I always knew that no matter what I did in life, my dad would do nothing but love me. © tea24601 / Reddit

• I was born to two loving parents who waited until they were well-off financially to have children. I'm in college now, and my parents pay for my expensive university with all their hearts. They go out of their way to do little things to make me happy. My mom surprises me with takeout from my favorite restaurant, while my dad surprises me with basketball tickets or takes me to see a movie.
  We have "arguments," but it's 99% of the time over little things that we don't remember 10 minutes later, and it rarely happens. We operate as a family and make decisions together. Every important decision I make isn’t solely on me; it’s a family decision, so it feels low risk, high reward.
  A big part of being loving parents is being responsible, and my parents have always been responsible adults. I think it's a special kind of cruel when a child loses the strong image of their parents, or never had it in the first place. I view my parents as strong figures—anchors in my life. They have their moments of weakness, but overwhelmingly, they are always strong. © canitreallygetworse / Reddit

• When I was a kid, and we had an argument, it would end with us apologizing to each other for yelling and explaining our reasoning. I’ve never been made to feel like my feelings aren’t valid or don’t matter, and that’s something incredibly important to me now. I think parents can often be dismissive of their kids because they’re just kids, and they don’t realize how much that can undermine a child’s confidence and communication skills for life. © sapphic-internet / Reddit

• My parents had my back no matter what. They always accepted me, didn’t make me feel one bit guilty about going to art school, and when I was in a terrible place, my mom told me she would sell her house if that’s what she needed to do to take care of me.
  Luckily, she didn’t have to do that, but it certainly hammered into my mind the concept of unconditional love and the role of family. © AmberFall92 / Reddit

• My parents are very open-minded and accepting people, I remember multiple times when my siblings and I were young they would say, “We don’t care what or who you are,” and that really stuck with me because I’m Bisexual. When I actually came out to them, both of them never backed out of their word and have accepted me for who I am. My mom and I even discuss LGBT topics over tea, and my dad won’t stop with the puns. © Dia_Danger / Reddit

• My dad worked seven days a week, twelve hours a day, at two different hospitals for a large portion of my childhood. The man would get sick if he was on vacation; he called it “motionless sickness.” Somehow, he still managed to wake up several hours early and make me and my sister breakfast before school.
  He was a strong believer in working hard and set so many examples for me while also being a child at heart. I don’t know how he did it, but I love him. © TurtleFisher54 / Reddit

Discover more heartwarming stories in this article that celebrate the extraordinary ways parents go the extra mile to ensure their children feel deeply loved and appreciated.