If Your Adult Kid Has These 11 Daily Habits, You Raised A Genuinely Good Person
PeopleImages | Shutterstock Even though basic manners are becoming lost on many younger generations today, at least according to a study from Social Psychology Quarterly, great parents continue to uphold old-school traditions and parenting styles to ensure their kids hold onto even the most unsuspecting healthy habits. From using "please" and "thank you" to being kind to service workers in public, if your adult kid has these daily habits, you raised a genuinely good person.
While there are certainly pros and cons to every parenting style, ones that revolve around a balance of responsibility and warmth teaches kids a range of skills. From independence to accountability, it's these skills that change their lives and relationships for the better as they grow up and out of the house.
If your adult kid has these 11 daily habits, you raised a genuinely good person
1. They say 'thank you' often
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According to a study from Psychiatry, appreciating and expressing gratitude on a regular basis is associated with better well-being and happiness. Not only does it encourage people to lean into appreciation and focus on what they already have, rather than what they're missing, but it also bolsters their relationships.
If your kid has these daily habits, you raised a genuinely good person. They're not entitled enough to believe that they deserve access to everyone and everything, but instead thank people for making time and space for them in their lives.
2. They apologize openly
Teaching kids to take accountability starts with modeling this kind of behavior. According to the Orchard Mental Health Group, personal accountability is often associated with greater well-being, life quality, and relationship satisfaction, but when it's not taught to kids from a young age, they can lean into entitlement in ways that sabotage their success.
From refusing to be wrong to leaning into coping strategies that avoid vulnerability, these are all habits that great adult kids and good people avoid entirely. They aren't afraid to say "sorry," even if they didn't hurt someone intentionally or cause harm.
3. They're not afraid to be uncomfortable
A general comfort with discomfort is a common thread between good people and their parents. As kids, they were expected to fill their own boredom, build a strong work ethic, and appreciate the things they had without focusing solely on what was missing. They learned to appreciate a challenge, rather than constantly running from it or expecting someone else to entertain them.
Teaching kids to tolerate discomfort comes from parents who teach emotional intelligence. If a kid doesn't have the emotional regulation skills to tolerate difficulty and uncertainty, they'll go into adulthood struggling to manage even the most basic life struggles and stressors.
4. They treat service workers with respect
While other people may use service workers as "scapegoats" for their own immaturity, low emotional intelligence, and anger, if your adult kid treats these people with respect, you raised a genuinely good person.
They're not only emotionally regulated in chaotic and stressful moments, but they respect people regardless of their income, occupation, or external perceptions. They know how to offer kindness, even if they're not being actively rewarded or noticed for it.
5. They admit when they don't know something
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Rather than getting defensive in the face of feedback and doubling down when they don't understand something, if your kid admits when they're wrong and seeks advice, you raised a genuinely good person. Not only do they make people feel important by asking for help and seeking out their expertise, but they also grow as people, rather than leaning only into compensating for their inadequacies and insecurities.
They seek out challenges and understand that it's impossible to know everything. They accept that not knowing something isn't a "weakness," but an opportunity to learn from others and grow as a person.
6. They include everyone
If you raised a good kid and person, chances are they'll immediately notice when someone's feeling left out. Even in conversations at work, they simplify their language to be more inclusive and make sure that everyone is on the same page.
Instead of focusing on bolstering their own self-image or social status by appealing to people they deem "important" or "cool," they work to create healthy, deep connections with everyone, even if it's less convenient.
7. They speak kindly behind people's backs
Rather than feeding into rumors and drama with contagious negative energy, people who were raised by good parents and taught the value of empathy speak positively behind people's backs.
They care about ensuring they're feeding into their relationships with thoughtful energy, but they also care about making people feel appreciated and understood, even when they're not close or sharing the same opinions. Instead of making other people associate them with drama and unease, they speak kindly about everyone, and boost their well-being and social standing simultaneously.
8. They listen more than they speak
Many kids who were forced to beg for attention or speak loudest to be noticed at home struggle with making space for productive conversations in adulthood. They lean on overconfidence for control and often overestimate their worth in conversations with people who only want to be heard.
However, if your kids know the value of silence and the intentionality behind being quiet, you've raised a good one. They not only help people to feel seen and appreciated through active listening, but they bolster their success, well-being, and relationships by feeding into balanced, productive, and thoughtful conversations.
9. They keep their commitments and promises
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Trust is often built through small, daily rituals and commitments. If someone keeps a secret, shows up on time, or supports you when they say they will, that builds trust, but if they let you down time and time again, it does the opposite. Many kids with great parents who teach about responsibility and integrity teach their kids to keep promises and commitments, which allows them to cultivate better relationships in adulthood.
As a study from the University of Minnesota explains, our childhood experiences drastically impact the well-being of our relationships and our attachment styles as adults. So, if parents are open about modeling this kind of trusting behavior and commitment, it follows their kids into their own adult lives.
10. They respect shared spaces
Whether they're in a public park or out to eat at a restaurant, if your kid cleans up after themselves and respects shared spaces, you raised a genuinely good person.
Many entitled people have a misguided sense of "deservingness" — they believe that just because something is uncomfortable or inconvenient for them, it's entirely "unfair." So, if it's not easy for them to clean up after themselves in a public space, they may deem it "unfair," even if it means pushing off more effort and responsibility onto someone else down the road.
11. They reflect on their mistakes
Self-awareness isn't just about noticing and recognizing personal patterns, behaviors, and mistakes — it's also about accepting them, according to a study from Europe's Journal of Psychology, and acting on them in the future. Whether it's behaviors in relationships or mistakes in the workplace, they were taught to not only take accountability, but to reflect and grow.
Of course, building this kind of self-awareness usually means having a supportive environment with parents at home who encourage kids to appreciate solitude and reflection. It's not always easy or comfortable, but when parents celebrate their kids in feeling emotions without demonizing them, it's much easier to do as an adult.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
