15 Life Lessons You Can Only Learn From Mom

Don't bleach your upper lip, check your mate's head size, respect people's feelings and more teachings from our mothers

By Jenna Mullins May 09, 2014 7:46 PMTags
Happy Mothers DayGetty Images

Mother's Day is just around the corner (Sunday!), so make sure you send your mom(s) flowers or get her a card—or if you're like our mom, ask for an iPad. She definitely deserves it, but damn, mom! When did flowers and breakfast in bed stop being good enough?!

Moms are a special breed, and everyone has that one reason why their own mom is unequivocally and undeniably their mother. And that reason is: life lessons. 

So direct from staff members here at E! Online, as an ode to our mommies, here are 15 life lessons that only a mom can teach:

"Don't be afraid to go exploring on your own. Go to concerts, take yourself out to dinner, see movies. You don't need anyone else to have an adventure. And always keep toilet paper in the trunk of your car. Also, never bleach your upper lip. It won't look hairless; it will look like you have a walrus mustache."—Nicole Pirshafiey, Social Media Editor

"How to do everything. Seriously, my mom over the years somehow picked up proficiency in everything from making soufflés and sewing to grouting tile."—Natalie Finn, News Editor

"If you ever look like crap while going out in public, like to the store, you will always run into someone you know. And there is nothing that a good night's sleep won't fix. Everything is always better in the morning."—Jenna Mullins, E! Loves Editor

"How to walk in high heels (and not have dad find out)."—Zach Johnson, Senior Editor

"For guys, moms are a great example of what to look for in a woman when dating. They work so hard every day to support their children but they also have careers and a husband to share their lives with. I think they exude what to look for in a life partner who can balance all of those things and above all else, be a caring and supportive person. They can also teach their sons how to treat a woman in a respectable manner."—Jeffrey Wisenbaugh, Interactive Producer

"My mom has taught me how to be both a gracious host and guest, the importance of keeping my commitments, how to be the bigger person and most importantly to ALWAYS wear sunscreen!"—Mara Soldinger, Photo Editor

"For the first twenty years of my life, my mom relentlessly reminded me that only crazy people live in California and that eventually the state will just fall into the sea and take all the crazy people with it. She stopped when she realized that I was determined to move here, and also nurtured my love of writing, cooking and laughing really hard, so I guess I can forgive her."—Lauren Piester, Intern

"How to be a lady. Why you should never feel like you need to be anyone's definition of a lady but your own. Don't worry so much, unless it's about how to make the perfect cup of morning coffee or afternoon tea, because that is of utmost importance. Always laugh at cheesy jokes ('cause they're the best) and never take yourself too seriously. And, according to my mom, anyway—why there is nothing so important in a prospective partner as their head shape. I'm talking actual cranial slope and corresponding dimensions. No joke, it's like her number one thing."—Gina Serpe, Managing Editor

"Always pack snacks! To this day, my mom is concerned that I am constantly hungry and dehyrated. She always reminds me to have a granola bar and bottle of water on my person at all times. It really does come in handy if I'm stuck in the car and hunger strikes. "—Emily Popp, Writer/Editor

"Only my mum could have taught me how to cook the food I love, like homemade lasagna and her amazing roast chicken with potatoes and gravy and her pavlova with cream and berries and apple cake and…"—Jacqueline Lee, Photo Editor

"My mom taught me to love pugs! She also taught me how to shop sales well and try to always pay attention to other people's feelings."—Rebecca Macatee, Editor

"When we were kids, I thought my older brother was the coolest. And I was convinced, thanks to his constant teasing, that he hated me. My mom helped me realize that I needed to stand up to him more—I became a master of the kangaroo kick by age 5—and that underneath it all, he loved me just as much (if not more!) than I loved him. Decades later and we're practically BFFs."—Rosemary Brennan, Supervising Editor

"To never do cocaine because it might actually be laundry detergent. As she would brush my knotted hairs she'd say, 'you gotta suffer to be beautiful.'"—Lindsay Scheinberg, Photo Manager

"How to make Jell-O shots. My mom did after I went to her friend's 40th birthday party. There was my mom with a tray of multicolored Jell-O shots and a can of whipped cream. She later taught me what to do when I wanted to make them for my own birthday party. I was very thankful until I saw that one of my very drunk friends hurled Jell-O colored throw-up all over my bathroom."— Anonymous, to protect the child outing his mom as a Jell-O shot-maker

"If you're fortunate, she teaches you to be grateful for having one person in your life who would do anything for you. And if not, she'll do it anyway. Thanks, Mom."—Erik Pederson, Senior Editor

Your turn! What's a life lesson your mother taught you that only a mom could ever teach?

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