My parents' financial status fluctuated as I was growing up because I was the eldest and it took them time to move up in their careers (my youngest sibling will not remember my parents being below a certain income level, whereas I can still remember when they were).

Their finances have affected me various ways:

I was better positioned than some when I finished university because my tuition and living expenses were paid for and my parents were able to model and teach various skills like networking, review my resumes and know whether they were right for the jobs I was applying for, help with interview prep, etc.

They had very high expectations for me with respect to education and career and for a long time I internalized those expectations. I did what I felt I "should" be doing despite being miserable. That did not work out well and changed my mentality about money, work, etc. One of my favourite quotes is Henry David Thoreau's "the price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it."

The first point - about being better positioned when I graduated - helped when I later needed to take time off work for medical reasons. I didn't have student loans and whatnot to worry about.

I am completely financially independent of my parents but there is somewhat of a "safety net" feeling. I know that in an emergency situation I would have somewhere to go. I know that if I got sick and needed treatment that required paying out of pocket, they would help me with it. I may think about day to day finances and of course my own retirement, but I rarely worry about a crisis situation.