My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low-grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a 15-year-old French prostitute named Chloé with webbed feet. My father would womanize; he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes, he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament ... My childhood was typical: summers in Rangoon ... luge lessons ... In the spring, we'd make meat helmets ... When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds — pretty standard, really. At the age of 12, I received my first scribe. At the age of 14, a Zoroastrian named Vilmer ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum — it's breathtaking ... I suggest you try it.

Actually I had a great set of parents. I was adopted and could not have picked a better set. They taught me to laugh and love life, to work hard and expect the best from others.

My parents taught us the value of doing things as a family.  We went camping constantly as kids.

They also taught us to have a strong work ethic.  My dad's motto is if you aren't on your death bed, get your ass up and go to work and earn everything you have!  It's a real shame that so many people don't share his thought on work.  For the record, he's about to turn 72 and is at work today (construction).

My dad was a marathon runner and mountain climber back in the day. So, I grow up learning the importance of physical activity, he was big on the 'no pain, no gain' concept . Sorry BFers that S wasn't invented here. At 77 he rides his bike 20+ mile every day that the weather allows. Yesterday we went skiing (me on a  snowboard @50 y/o) and believe me, you would never guess that he's 77, he can still tear it up pretty good.

My mom is an artist, and probably I've inherited more of her creative talent than my dad's athletic talent, but being an artist is a really crappy way to make a living, I decided a long time ago that lifestyle wouldn't be for me. I do try keep my creative side alive with photography and cooking

I love when good traits are passed on from parents to children, like is the case with so many of you.

My mom loved to travel. She couldn't afford it much, on a teacher's salary, but she managed to find a job as an elementary teacher in France and she took both my sister and myself to Paris, just the three of us, and we lived there for a year, when I was 10. I came back a different child and it was by far my best childhood year. I enjoy travelling as well, and dream of living abroad for awhile. My mom was also an excellent French teacher and she taught me to respect languages. Except for "shit", she can't speak a word of English, though.  She also has a knack for decoration and has given me some of her skills. But, like her, I could never cook. We live on a diet of chicken, white rice and boiled carrots.

My mom taught me strength. She raised me alone until I was 7. She didn't settle or make us deal with a crappy guy just because she was lonely Or the money aspect would be easier. She made a great guy come along and decide to let him in and be my dad. She also is the big reason why I am a Tom boy and why I am so open minded to gender roles, she wouldn't ever let me have any thing boyish colors or get dirty. I cried when I got my first bike, a girl's pink desert rose bike instead of a blue and gold BMX boys bike like my best friend(who was a boy). She's gonna love the fact that tonight on my 12yo's birthday cake is a pink My Little Pony! Hey, he chose it....so deal.

My dad was a great provider. He always went to work with a smile on his face and came home with one. He wasn't the huggy or sports playing type, but he always made us feel loved for who we were and that we were great! Strong hands and warm heart! Good guy, people like my dad!

All in all, I had a great childhood. Other than my mom & being afraid of letting us like what we wanted without fear that we might be gay(which none of us 3 are, and if we were, so?) they were always there with a kind word and support. Never spanked or hit us. Never yelled at us. Made us feel like we were listened to.

• From my parents, I learned to love books and reading. When I was young they didn't have much money, but the public library is free and they read to me regularly.
•  They taught me that it is okay to be nonconformist, that you don't have to keep up with the Joneses and worry about what other people are thinking. You can live by your own values even though you're in the midst of a consumer society. You can do what makes you happy rather than what would make you seem successful in the eyes of the world.
• They taught me to eat whole foods, cooked from scratch, and to sit down for breakfast and supper together as a family. I still do this even though my family is just my husband and I.
• My father taught me to buy things as good quality as you can afford and then take good care of them.
• They taught me to live within my means and avoid debt as much as possible.

Oh, what the hell, I might as well do this ...

The details of my life are quite inconsequential ... Very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low-grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a 15-year-old French prostitute named Chloé with webbed feet. My father would womanize; he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes, he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament ... My childhood was typical: summers in Rangoon ... luge lessons ... In the spring, we'd make meat helmets ... When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds — pretty standard, really. At the age of 12, I received my first scribe. At the age of 14, a Zoroastrian named Vilmer ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum — it's breathtaking ... I suggest you try it.