Parenting

Don't

by Alison Lee
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

Don’t wish time away.

Don’t miss out on eating dessert for breakfast.

Don’t hold your farts in.

Don’t go to bed angry.

Don’t wake up angry.

Don’t be late.

Don’t be too early. It’s as much an inconvenience as being late.

Don’t be rude to the waiter/ waitress/ barista/ cashier/ cleaning lady.

Don’t cut your own hair.

Don’t talk yourself out of an opportunity to try something new.

Don’t close your heart to kindness.

Don’t shake hands limply.

Don’t talk yourself down.

Don’t pick at pimples.

Don’t be strong all the time.

Don’t worry about the dishes, until you absolutely have to.

Don’t be a jerk when driving.

Don’t ignore your email inbox to the point of having 1,976 unread emails.

Don’t build so many walls that you can’t be reached.

Don’t buy what you can make.

Don’t ignore your instincts.

Don’t worry about singing in the car, just do it.

Don’t tell lies about other people to make yourself look good.

Don’t be lazy. Unless it’s the weekend. Then be lazy.

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’ve had a bad day with the kids/ failed at your diet. You’re human. Be human.

Don’t slurp your soup.

Don’t judge others. You don’t know their story.

Don’t stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong.

Don’t be afraid of what people think.

Don’t make everything a competition.

Don’t compare.

Don’t say, “I can’t.”

Don’t spend more than you earn.

Don’t buy what you don’t need just because it’s cheap.

Don’t be ashamed to admit you totally rocked to Justin Timberlake’s “I’m Bringing Sexy Back” (what, just me?).

Don’t be afraid to apologize.

Don’t call each other names in a fight. Fight hard, but fight clean.

Don’t neglect books. Read, and read a lot.

Don’t scrimp on a good mattress.

Don’t forget to brush your teeth before you go to bed.

Don’t say no to travel. Seeing the world opens your eyes in surprising ways.

Don’t stalk your ex on Facebook. Just don’t.

Don’t think that the world is against you. Sometimes, it’s just you against you.

Don’t hold onto grudges.

Don’t be afraid to let go of the people who should no longer be in your life.

Don’t forget to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.

Don’t forget to tell your children you love them.

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