Did your parents ever say they were proud of you

Definitely not- don't think my father liked women, he was always much nicer to my brother than me and my mother was too frightened to ever challenge him about anything.
I count myself lucky to have married a lovely man who has always been so good to our daughters

My parents were good providers, but they didn’t get along well.I think that the long separation, during the war, spoiled their relationship. I don’t remember any hugs, or time spent playing with us. Once, in an effort to receive some praise, I suppose, I copied a short poem from a book, and pretended that I had written it. To my mortification my mother sent it to the Childrens’ page of our local paper. It was published, and I received 5 shillings. I went through hell, for years afterwards, expecting to be unmasked as a cheat and plagiarist! That b****y poem is still word-perfect in my memory!
I was never allowed to join anything. My parents were very reclusive, and had no friends. Relations rarely v(isited. I grew up shy and awkward. I passed the 11+ without really understanding what it was, and just got moaned at for the cost of the uniform. Likewise, time spent doing my homework in the ‘parlour’ was just ‘hurry up, and stop wasting the electricity!’
I married the first man that asked me, having no self-esteem and finding any relationships difficult, through shyness. I still find it difficult to make close friends, and envy those who have them.
Reading through your remarks, I realise that I, too, need to tell my family how proud of them I am. I need to be more tactile and complimentary to them all.

No I don't remember my Mother ever saying she loved me or that she was proud of me or even giving hugs. She split from my Dad when I was young and I think at times she could be quite cold, never one to show her emotions. I learned from that and tell my Dtr and Grandchildren often that I love them and say how well they've done and how proud I am of them and I receive it back from them.

No they didnt as they thought I would become big headed. It was hurtful. But I had a nice husband who made up for everything.

I know they were proud of us but in a way they expected us to know that. It was more or less taken for granted that we would pass exams and go on to University - it was a family thing! They were very happy to attend our prize-givings and graduations and always looked proud, though I can't remember them ever using the word. I think we would have known if they'd ever had cause to be ashamed and they never were.

I felt loved growing up but I don't remember any words of praise.
My darling mum was especially loving and I well remember all the cuddles and kisses that she gave me. My dad was less loving but he came from a huge family and probably never had much affection from his mum and dad.

no never .schools expected me to be like my brother he was clevert ,went on to work in a laboratory for brooke bond oxo . hes good at science etc. me .well i'm strange . have always like history/archeology/cats . been diagnosed a few years ago as mildly austistic. so that might explain why i was when i was young...had a funny childhood i was happy enough .but strict .always had to be quiet as my dad had health problems. mum took us out to relatives at the coast.

I was an adopted child, and an only child. I new I was loved and cared for, we didn’t have much money. But there was no hugging and kissing. No help with home work. My mom was strict, I had to do as I was told. They didn’t really play with me. My dad was always Ill so wasn’t like other dads .
I felt looking back my mom had a hard life, husband always Ill, having to scrape by.
I always new I was adopted, so always felt rejected. But never told my mom how I felt.

No, never. After my graduation ceremony my father asked me why I didn't get one of the few individual prizes awarded. I was the only one of the twelve grandchildren on my father's side to go to university, and the second of thirteen on my mother's side, so I assume they were pleased.

There is deep seated hurt that never goes away. You make your own life with the help of supportive people but but there is alway a critic sitting on your shoulder feeding doubt about being ‘good enough’

Yes, all the time. I know I was loved and that my parents were proud of me. My mum, in particular was my biggest champion.

Yes, both our parents praised my sister and me if we did something well.

My sister found school hard because she was dylexic, but our parents always found something to praise in her school report.

Mummy cuddled and showed affection, Daddy was to much of a silent Scot to do so regularly. On the evening of the day we had buried my mother, he said to my sister and I that he didn't know how he would have got through the day without us. We both took that as meaning he loved us both very much, which we knew by some telepathic process, as he couldn't actually say so.

Yes, when I joined the WRAF and had my passing out parade.

Not that I can recall.

No, not even when I passed the "scholarship" as it was called then. Nor when I came 4th out of 72 (yes we had class placings too). "Why weren't you first?" said my father.

No. Was never told I was loved either. Never had a kiss goodnight...

No never said anything regarding any personal achievements to me, or my brother or sister, but according to one of her friends my mother is very proud of how she brought us up to stand on our own two feet and has never had to lend any of us money and that we would never dream of asking for any. ( apparently said in the context of her friend lending her son and his wife some money towards a deposit on their first house). Not sure that's something I would be proud of especially as my brother in particular could have done with some help when he and his wife had their children.

My dad admired cleverness and was pleased and told me so every time I passed an exam or gained an award..... the three older siblings were a bit of ‘duffers’ . Though of course he or I never used that to their faces as they are all such nice people. My mum never said a kindly word but did kind things for me. But she considered reading a book a total waste of time , and if she caught one In my hand, she’d let me know it out loud! There was always so much housework to do and she needed my help. I didn’t mind really.

Never . If I got 98% in an exam then the first words would be what did you get wrong ?

I was never in any doubt I was loved but I can clearly remember an elderly relative at a family party in the 1970s saying my brother was "the clever one in the family but "notagran was good with people so be OK" my parents didn't disagree. I struggled to achieve at school went into the NHS at 18 for a decade (not nursing but unskilled ward work). I married and at my husband's request left when pregnant to stay home and look after my children for almost 20 years.
I was not happy I loved my children but my marriage was not good and my children were unhappy as their dad was not a pleasant man.
I finally found the courage to divorce after 17 years and raised my children whilst again working in low pains temporary jobs.
However when my eldest went to university, I aged 47 decided to apply as well and went to university for a foundation year.
A year later my second child started university the same year I started my undergraduate degree and 3 years later my youngest started university as I started my MSc. In 5 years I went from O'levels to a Masters degree my parents were really proud of my high achievements for both qualifications, I suspect they were also a bit stunned.
But more importantly I realised that actually my brother (who had dropped out of university in his second year) was no cleverer than me, its just Dyslexia wasn't recognised in the 1970s so maybe I had the advantage

No, they never said they were proud of me. All the praise was for my sister because she was academic. I was in a theatre workshop, and a teacher told my mum I was West End material, but she was furious and asked if I were university material. When the teacher said no my mother was outraged saying singing was not a real job! I might never have made it as a famous singer, but I would have loved a job connected to music but my over critical mother trashed my self-esteem. I suffered from depression from an early age and I swear it was the lack of encouragement as a child

I always felt I was a disappointment to my mother as I didn't follow her profession of dancing and acting. I was a successful horse rider, but she only saw me compete once and declared it boring. I gained a degree in chemistry but still felt that she was not impressed. Consequently I always praised my children's achievements and made sure they knew how proud I was of them.

Never any compliments, nor cuddles nor was I told I was loved. What i did hear was they really had wanted a boy, but I arrived!

Definitely not. If I had a really good report card except for maths that’s the only thing my father would mention.

Not that I can remember, my parents were very loving, and I know if I did something well my mums eyes would shine and my dads face would light up. I don’t think it was something they did.
Bu I have always told my d my s and my gd, I was proud of them and a well done.