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Are you turning into your mother (or father)?

(24 Posts)
FlicketyB Tue 04-Jun-13 10:26:09

No, my mother, much as I loved her, was on a completely different wave length to me from birth. Despite the love on both sides, it often made the relationship difficult. There are a few physical resemblances, but essentially in looks and personality I am an even mix of both parents and both sets of grandparents.

Bags Tue 04-Jun-13 06:13:30

nannaB, I enjoyed your post about your mother's remark: "what was the point of winning the war, blah, blah, blah" grin

My mum says I'm like my dad. I think she found that one of him was enough.

DD1 has said since she was about twenty that she "is getting" like me. She seems to be pleased about it.

NfkDumpling Mon 03-Jun-13 22:44:04

Whenever I get cranky I'm accused from all sides of turning into my mother. It's guaranteed to change my mood!
I can't do much about inheriting her wonky knees though.

Mishap Mon 03-Jun-13 22:24:25

Mollie - "As for personality I think I'm more my father's child which explains a lot about my relationship with my mum. I don't think she ever understood (or tried to understand) him..." You could be descibing my situation precisely!

Deedaa Mon 03-Jun-13 22:18:39

I am looking more and more like my mother although personality wise I am a mix of her and my father. The hilarious thing is that I sound just like her and my daughter sounds like me. While my mother was alive we all sounded exactly the same on the phone, which could make for some interesting conversations while you worked out which one you were talking to smile

grannyactivist Mon 03-Jun-13 21:02:57

Ah inherited health problems.
My mother is 84 and in good health for her age; she has late onset type 2 diabetes and occasional asthma (well controlled). My father had many health problems; as do I and two of my brothers. Our older sister has escaped most of these although she did suffer from a couple of hereditary illnesses when she was younger.

Babs1952 Mon 03-Jun-13 20:30:59

My middle sister is the image of my Mum and has all her health problems[ sad] I'm a mixture of both my parents but as for personality I don't think I'm like either of them. Dad was a bigot and I hope I'd never be described as one of those!

Wheniwasyourage Mon 03-Jun-13 20:24:36

A few years ago, in the Glasgow Science Centre, I tried a machine which claims to show you what you could look like as you age, or if you were of the opposite sex. I made myself into an older man, and was amazed to see my father looking out at me! I know I look more like him than like my mother, but it was still a bit surreal.

On the other hand, I know I am turning into my mother when I hear myself saying what she would have said. The first time I noticed it was when DD1 was a baby, and one day I opened my mouth and my mother told her a nursery rhyme. That was surreal as well, but I got used to it. grin

Aka Mon 03-Jun-13 19:34:22

Bejesus, I hope not! hmm

NannaB Mon 03-Jun-13 19:09:43

I was only thinking the other day that I have turned into my mother! For years I have favoured my father but now it is my mum's turn! I must add only in looks, I am not like her in personality (I am not as prejudice as she is, and I can't use the expression 'what was the point of winning the war, blah blah blah).

Nelliemoser Mon 03-Jun-13 18:50:59

I am like my Dad in terms of appearance, height (or rather lack of), and his personality. I seem though to have inherited several of my mums health issues. Thanks Mum!

I also have my dads hair colouring but my mums hair texture, wiry and hard to manage.
My big sister has Dads fine straight hair but mum's mousy hair colour. My sisters hair has not faded but mine is now about 50/50 black and white, all mixed up I hasten to add.
I find the way these genes have transfered across the generations quite fascinating.

HappyNanna Mon 03-Jun-13 18:38:23

Oh yes! If I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror, I am definitely morphing into my Mother. I'm nothing like her personality-wise though and I don't think I'm like my Father either.

ElliMary Mon 03-Jun-13 18:28:59

i definitely look like my mother, so many people have told me so. But I don't have her sweet personality. My father was short tempered and i was when I was younger but have calmed down now- about time!

Greatnan Mon 03-Jun-13 18:14:04

I hope so - she was a lovely lady.

harrigran Mon 03-Jun-13 17:12:58

Absolutely not. I am nothing like my mother.

grannyactivist Mon 03-Jun-13 17:12:17

I look like my mum sometimes, but more a fleeting resemblance than anything too obvious. I'm not like either of my parents in terms of personality or character and have always been the cuckoo in the nest - I'm very different from the rest of the family - but I do think that I've inherited my mother's tolerance and acceptance of people whatever their age, ethnicity, religion, background etc.

granjura Mon 03-Jun-13 17:10:34

I wish - both were extremely elegant and slim. And fabulous people and parents.

kittylester Mon 03-Jun-13 17:06:50

I b****y well hope not!

She never praised any of us and was an out and out snob! She stirred up trouble between me and my youngest brother (her favourite). I do walk like her though!

ninathenana Mon 03-Jun-13 16:39:22

I found some old passport photos of mum taken when she was about 10yrs older than I am now. I now can see the resemblance.

Personality wise we were polls apart. Mum was a very private person. Her and dad had no friends just the neighbours. I had to ask permission to bring a friend home.
My house is open to all grin

grandimars Mon 03-Jun-13 15:18:07

I see my mother looking back at me from the mirror. Sadly I didn't inherit her ability to succeed with any form of handicraft. She was much more houseproud than I am, but for me that's a plus, as for me housework is a last resort and I can usually find something much more interesting to do.

sunseeker Mon 03-Jun-13 14:16:15

I look more like my mother every day! I can't say my personality is like either of them. My mother is very self centred and my father was distant and frankly, not very likeable.

Movedalot Mon 03-Jun-13 13:50:27

shysal your mother sounds like mine, father was the same too! When I look in the mirror I look exactly as she did, apart from the perm. Fortunately my personality is not a bit like either of my parents and i chose a husband the exact opposite of my father! I know I won't ever be like them in anything other than looks.

mollie Mon 03-Jun-13 13:35:21

When I look in the mirror I can see both my parents depending on the day. If I catch a full body reflection I am definitely my mother and sometimes I know that I'm moving or physically doing something like her too. Can't say I'm pleased about it. As for personality I think I'm more my father's child which explains a lot about my relationship with my mum. I don't think she ever understood (or tried to understand) him and I suspect I baffle her too.

shysal Mon 03-Jun-13 13:13:08

I sincerely hope I am not, but sometimes I see my mother when glancing at my reflection. I think the only character trait I have inherited from her is a love of animals and wildlife. I rarely saw her smile, especially in later years, and she was so critical of me (light shone out of her DS's backside though)! I like to think my good qualities come from my father who was a lovely gentle man with a ready smile and twinke. I also now have the whiskers!
What are others' feelings on this?