One of the greatest days of my life was when my step-daughter, at 18, called and thanked me for being the "mean mom" on the block that made them help with grocery shopping, sorting laundry, and obey a curfew and a bedtime when they were young. She said that she still remembered me telling them, "All canned goods are on sale once a month. When something you like is on sale buy a months worth and it will last you until it's on sale again." and "If you separate the whites from the darks so that you can use bleach your whites will always look white." I cried and told her that I didn't think I'd hear that for at least another 10 or 15 years. I only had them 2 1/2 years while their mother dealt with some personal issues. Sometimes you don't have to do anything other than say "Thank you."