Women reveal 10 of the most important things about life they wish they'd learned in childhood

Life never stops teaching.

Childhood is a wonderful phase where kids learn and grow through experience and guidance. It is the best time to shape up the little minds and prepare them to face the realities of life. Many parents nowadays are consciously following uplifting and encouraging parenting methods so that their kids grow up to be able-minded and emotionally intelligent adults. But that may not be the case in every home. As adults, when we face the true test of time, it is natural that we wish our parents or our teachers had prepared us for the real world. So, when u/No_Blackberry_6286 posted on an all-women community on Reddit asking, "What do you wish you learned or experienced as a little girl?" lots of women bore their souls in the comments. Here are the 10 crucial life lessons that women wish they had learned in their childhood.

1. Having my own back

I wish I was taught to stand up for myself more. u/jeezyall. My dad sat my brother down when he was young and told him he would never get in trouble for defending himself. I never got that talk. I got horribly bullied as a kid (one girl knocked out my front tooth with a basketball), but I never fought back. I wish I had gotten the same talk. I was just so scared of getting in trouble. u/conceitedpolarbear

2. Others' opinions don't matter

I wish I got to experience growing up in a stable home environment. I wish I learned not to care about other people’s opinions of me. I’ve gotten better now as an adult but it’s still something that can affect me at times. u/itsalwayssunny99. I wish I had experienced acceptance. I was always belittled for having big feelings when there wasn't anything wrong with having them. I always wish self-confidence was instilled in me. I'm working on it now, just wish it was something I grew up with. -u/MediumStomach1988

3. It's okay not to be too responsible

Being carefree. Being loved unconditionally. Being cared for and protected instead of being expected to be responsible for my parents' emotional well-being. At the same time, I am immensely grateful for how not experiencing these things has shaped me (sensitivity, integrity, depth of character, vulnerability, courage, persistence, warmth and tenderness) and considering how it allows me to help others now, I'm not sure if I would change it if I could. u/TheVivaciousLady

4. Being kind to oneself

I wish I witnessed my mom and the other women around me being kinder to themselves. When you hear your mom talking negatively about her appearance and then you grow up to look like her, it knocks you down a peg. If I ever had kids, I would try really hard to only ever let them hear me say nice things about myself. u/Haleighghielah. I wish I experienced a mom who spoke respectfully and lovingly about her body and herself. u/Rachface93

5. Self-worth over validation

I wish I had been taught my value and worth. My dad set the bar so low. I wish I knew how to love myself and didn’t seek approval, validation or desire from men to feel any validation as a human. u/mthr2humans. I wish I was more validated as a child. I constantly sought the attention of men and wanted to be validated by them so badly. Still a work in progress but I feel like if I had been told more that I’m beautiful and worthy I wouldn’t have such a poor self-image. u/Its_Not_Kosher

6. Dealing with the emotions rather than hiding it

I wish I was taught how to regulate my emotions and understand it's okay to feel the things I was feeling and how to cope with those feelings. I wish I wasn’t belittled or met with anger for expressing my emotions or my fears and as an adult, I’m still trying to get used to having serious conversations or confrontations without fearing explosive backlash for expressing how someone’s actions have affected me. u/glucosewhat. I wish I was taught how to process my emotions. u/ConfortableTop3167

7. Styling my own hair

Might sound silly but honestly I wish I learned how to style my own hair or just experienced it like my mom doing my hair. I’m 24 and still can’t for the life of me figure out how to even braid my own hair or do anything other than just straighten it. u/lucylr. I have thick, curly hair while my mom has thinner, fairly straight hair. My hair in middle school was a travesty. I had to teach myself to French braid also. I'm so glad for my daughter that I know how to take care of curly hair now so that hopefully she'll grow up loving her curls! u/Mrswetzel

8. Some basic life skills

I wish I would have learned how to cook basic meals. When it comes to experiences, I wish I could have experienced what it is like to have friends and be allowed to have/keep them. u/Delicious_Stock_4659. It would have been great to know how to cook and clean before I moved out on my own at 19. My mother had no patience to teach me anything. One time I was hard boiling some eggs and she freaked out, chasing me out of the kitchen. u/moxymoxalone

9. Presenting myself better

Proper skincare and hygiene routines. Not copious products, just simply washing and moisturizing daily, how to tend to acne properly, how to apply tasteful makeup at an appropriate age. How to use feminine hygiene products. u/ulele1925. I wish I had experimented with makeup more. I struggle with doing eyeliner in particular because I never experimented with it as a kid and now I don’t dare experiment as an adult, lest I look exactly like a child trying eyeliner for the first time. -u/eljesT_

10. Slowing down my childhood

I wish I had experienced having a childhood. I grew up too fast. More mature equals more responsibility. u/StonniBalonni. I never felt my age always felt like I was a 40-year-old woman trapped in a little girl's body. I hated kids my age and younger even a little bit older because of how clueless, obnoxious, ignorant and energetic they were. But they were only acting like regular kids, how kids should act. I never felt like I belonged just because I felt so old. u/The_Book-JDP