Today we’d like to take a moment to applaud the parents who despite many challenges, did they best they could and did right by their kids. We asked folks to share stories of what they feel their parents got right and have shared highlights below.
Annalise Yagya Jyoti
My mom has always been holistically minded and interested in health. This became even more important to her while she battled breast cancer. After beating cancer, she became even more aware of environmental toxins, xenoestrogens, and all of the things that can impact hormone health. I told her that I wanted to go on hormonal birth control when I was 16. I was in my first serious relationship and we were talking about having s*x. Read more>>
Jason Williams
Growing up I was raised by a single mom, my mom worked so hard to keep food on the table and ensured we had a place to stay. She was a hustler and always dreamed about bigger and better things for us. Even after my mom would come home from working hours and hours to make sure we were living comfortably she would always find time to make sure she motivated me and spent time with me. Read more>>
Jen Pawley
I grew up in a family full of support. My parents always encouraged me to try new things, and made time to come to every game, concert or show. When I started college, I started as a computer science major, and quickly realized that wasn’t the right fit for me. My mom sat down with me and we went through the course catalog together, finding all the degrees that appealed to me. I was left with three – theatre, art and music.. I chose technical theatre with a minor in art, and had the full support of my parents the entire time. Read more>>
Jessica Wright
My parents were undoubtedly hardworking people. They met, fell in love and align their ideals and practices to raise a family. They weren’t huge risk takers in life but they get on themselves and what their partnership could accomplish. They were people of their word and everyone around them knew it. They worked well with others. Those examples let me know how I could connect with others. Read more>>
Joy Tuck
First, my parents adopted me from Laos when I was just 5 days old! I am pretty much mixed SE Asian, Lao, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai and Chinese Dai. My parents were older when they adopted me, already about 50, and they are Caucasian, so we are a true multi-racial family! When I was 4 months old the adoption was final, and we left Laos for the Middle East. I was raised in Qatar, Sri Lanka, Montreal, and then finally the USA. I was about 5 when we moved back to the USA. Read more>>
Lindsay Rapp
My parents were all about teaching practical life skills, and were both instrumental in teaching me personal finance. My mom was a bank teller, and my father worked a family business. Mom always emphasized the importance of saving and balancing the checkbook, and she made sure I was contributing to my 401K when I got my first corporate job. Building that base retirement account my first 5 years in the workforce allowed me the flexibility of moving into the entrepreneurial space; Read more>>
Sam Maspero
First and foremost, my parents have always been supportive of me. From applying to culinary school, to quitting culinary school, to working as a dishwasher, they always had my back. I also owe my success to the work ethic my parents instilled in me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without hard work, and due diligence. My Mom is still teaching at the age of 70, and my Dad was in law enforcement my whole life. Read more>>
John Cureton
My parents worked hard to raise someone that understands the value of work and following your dreams. I’ve always had support from both of my parents, regardless of the venture. Their leadership has given me the opportunity to fulfill my wildest dreams. Read more>>
Mike Moroski
I was/am a rebel. Also had/have a chip on my shoulder. As such, I did not “fall in line” with everything I was “supposed” to do or believe. I was raised in a conservative (but not crazy or hateful) home. Also raised Catholic. I am not a very liberal atheist. That is because my parents ALWAYS let me make up my own mind and ALWAYS let me be me. . .as long as I could explain why I believed the things I did. This forced me to learn how to research, how to be smarter than the “opposition,” how to debate, and how to think. I use all of these skills every day in my job(s). Read more>>
Sydney Guerrette
Growing up, my parents were heavily invested in our community. My siblings and I were taught, at a very young age, the importance of giving back and helping others. I keep this in mind when decision-making, both in my life and career. When opportunities arose, my parents stepped away from their careers/dreams to help me pursue my own. Read more>>
Dana Cooley
Growing up my parents always told me I could be anything I want too. “Make sure you work smarter not harder.” Was one of the phrases that has always stuck with me. My mother has owned her own business for 30 years and my father was in the Military. Watching both my parents work hard to provide for me and my siblings has helped give me the drive I need to be successful in my industry. Read more>>
DANi iVORY
My mother, who is also a musician, really was the one who kicked my butt into gear when I didn’t want to practice piano as a child. She wouldn’t let me miss one choir rehearsal or performance. I was involved in a lot of musical activities in my youth, but you know, being a child you want to go outside and play with your friends after school, not sit inside and practice. The consistency and discipline she instilled in me from a young age eventually turned my defiance into a love and appreciation of the craft. Read more>>
Chris Lewis
My parents installed in me the drive to never give up and to be the best version of myself UNAPOLOGETICALLY! My mom always told me if I’m going to do something , be the best at it and never settle for anything but the best Read more>>
Noelle Emerson
My mom showed me how to be a strong and Independent women. She always showed me growing up how to pave your way and be the most successful. She always instilled integrity and loyalty into our most important values. Her love, kindness, support and partnership has grown my buisness into what it is today. Read more>>
Redd Ali
As a child, I was raised by my Muslim father who went to prison the first few years of my existence. My father showed me what it was like to come from the bottom and make a way out of nothing. Once he was released from prison, he enrolled himself in college at The University of Arkansas Pine Bluff and gained custody of me at the age of 7. Then changing my name from Destiny Cash to Destiny Ali due to his religion. Read more>>
Amique James
My mother…wow, she is a hard worker. She has done many things right to impact my journey. She migrated to the USA from Jamaica and it was a difficult journey for her. She was a single mother and had no other choice than to fight to take care of her small kids. Her resilience, faith in God, and work ethics has truly impacted my life and helped me become the women that I am today. Read more>>
Riveka Wipprecht
My parents, Ivonne and Mynor Escobar, are the owners of Kairos Home Improvement, Inc. They worked tiredlessly on this business from 2014 to now to get where we are today. They did not quit when it became to hard and they faced challenges with a solution oriented mind set. I believe they raised me this way as well. Read more>>
Claudia Matos
There are so many things my parents did right! I have been so lucky to be born to my mom and dad. My parents migrated from their home countries and worked so hard to provide a life for themselves and my siblings. My parents have always instilled being hard workers as part of the life lessons they taught us growing up. Another great trait my parents have is always being supportive as we went through school and began our careers. I know that no matter what I may face, I can call them, and they will be there. Read more>>
Taryn Thibodeaux
There is no such thing as a perfect childhood, but there are moments that build the foundation for the future human you will be. I am grateful for the lessons my parents have taught me. As I look back on my childhood with an “adult” perspective. I see how hard my parents worked to provide for my brother and I. I remember getting picked up after school or summer art camp and having to go with my mom to paint apartments. Read more>>
Coach D Williams
This may sound crazy, but the biggest thing that my parents did right that has impacted my life and career the most was that they died. Through their deaths, I was able to learn about life. I was 22 years old, and both my parents were dead. When my father passed, I was 19 years old, and 22 when my mother died. At that time, I had to survive naturally, but I also had to learn life on my own while applying the lessons they left behind and the lessons that they could not teach. Read more>>
Janelle Jones
I come from the generation of latchkey kids, so to see a child getting themself in the house after school was a regular thing. I remember walking to the corner and Chinese store to get food on my way home from school. Making these purchases caused me to learn how to count money and make transactions. I also had to ride public transportation to get home. Riding the bus made me realize how to be aware of my surroundings. My childhood has allowed me to travel the world and navigate many different deals over the years. Read more>>
Jen Perkins
My parents have definitely been my biggest inspiration my whole life. They have always put God and family first and been such positive role models and mentors. My parents own their own A/C and Heating business and have managed it together for the past 47 years. What did they do right? They taught me to take risks. They showed me to get up when I fall down and not to give up. They modeled advocating for myself when needed. Read more>>
Emma Vollrath
From a young age my parents always held me to a certain standard in both school and sports. They always wanted me to do my best with everything I do, even if it was just a homework assignment. My parents also let me try different things and explore new hobbies (some lasting a day and others for months). This helped me experiment with what made me happy and what I could see myself doing when I got older. They always encouraged me to try new things and be kind to everyone I meet doing so which helped me find what I am passionate about as I grew up. Read more>>
Raina van Setter
My father was a high school teacher and my mother was an elementary school teacher. My mother eventually left teaching to become a stay at home mom. Both my parents are incredibly creative artists. My Dad’s medium mostly being wood and metals where as my mom’s you could say use to be paint and canvas but eventually became glitter, balloons and florals. When I was quite young my mother started her event decor company, Showstoppers!. Read more>>
Deuna Johnson
My parents have always supported anything that I wanted to pursue, rather its going too school, growing in a company, or running my own business. My parents are total opposites but I learn individual lessons from them both. My mom is what you would consider a natural born hustler. I have seen her make sugar out of dirt and never give up. I can not recall the last time she worked for a company or your typical 9-5. Read more>>
Anna Oginsky
My parents were always engaged in some kind of creative project and encouraged me to express myself through creativity too. We had shelves of books, art supplies, musical instruments, and a wide variety of works of art all around the house. They read bedtime stories and sang lullabies, took me on nature hikes, and encouraged me to read, write, and make art on my own. Read more>>
Brandon Jones
Growing up, my parents always told me how important it was to work hard. As a child, I didn’t understand and at times, I thought they were just being hard on me. From picking up pinecones and sticks in the yard everyday, taking the trash out, cutting the grass, and making sure I had the trash cans out to be picked up on Monday mornings. When I got to high school, I spent most my summers cutting grass to make money. Read more>>
Joel Hedstrom
My parents were always super supportive of me always following my dreams. It’s definitely hard pursuing being an artist, and it isn’t always looked at as legitimate career by a lot of people until you can actually “Make it” so to speak. I’m glad my parents always had my back and encouraged me even though until recently I’ve been relatively unknown and unsuccessful as an artist. Read more>>
Big Body Kweeng
I am so grateful to have such supportive parents ! My parents always taught me from a young age so many valuable life lessons to becoming an adult. One of my favorite things was that they always allowed me to be myself one hundred percent. Especially my mother and step father. Those two have been my back bone forever! I remember at a very young age my parents kept me in almost every performing arts program that they could because I’d shown interest so early. Read more>>
Sarah Mandell
I recently became an orphan, at the age of 39. This new season of life has given me even more opportunities in recent months to look back and appreciate everything my parents did for me to encourage my creativity growing up and into adulthood. My dad passed away in July of this year, exactly 17 years to the day after my mom (both from cancer). Read more>>
Janine Wiggins, CFCC, CFJST
My parents migrated from Panama, the Republic of Panama, to the United States in 1987. I was the only child at the time, and Panama was starting to experience political unrest. While my parents had stability in the country, they decided to leave because they did not want to experience the harmful effects of political unrest; like increased violence, corruption, inequality, and socioeconomic hardship. Read more>>
Adaeze Orji
This question really made me think. So often we easily remember what our parents did wrong as spend less time on what went right (at least in my case). A little background my dad is an extremely traditional Igbo man and my mom at the time was the worldly definition of submissive. However my dad use to make me perform for his house guest all the time, and I would get in trouble or even sent to my room if I did not take it seriously. I use to sing songs that I learned in choir from my moms church. I was not aware that was my dads way of training me to become an unapologetic performer this many years later. Read more>>
Krista Frohling
My parents did a lot right. The most important thing that they did was offer their unquestioning support. It’s hard to have your child tell you, “I want to go to art school.” without flinching and asking in return, “OK, but then how will you pay rent?” Both of my parents worked more traditional career paths. My mom was a special education teacher and my dad worked at a factory. However, every step of the way they provided unwavering support for my artistic endeavors. Read more>>
Mariya Krusheva
My mom is a teacher and my father was in military. Both of them are loving and supporting parents. They did sign me up to everything I wanted to try. However, they encourage me to learn and study hard. Math was one of the subject they push on while I was little. I was fourth grade when my art teacher requested meeting with my parent. That was the point in time I starting working and focusing on art. They sign me up to art lessons and same year I won a kids art competition in the town we were living at at that time. so along whit the math lessons I had a art lessons too. Read more>>
Rashida Smith
My mom had me young! My brothers and I are each a year apart. I remember my mom, grandma, and great grandma having to raise us. My mom worked so hard to provide for us, and in the mist of that she always raise me to go after what I want. She stood by my side with everything I did. I have three kids, I’ve moved out of town, quite jobs, and started 3 buisness and not once did my mother judge me in these endeavors I had. She always reminded me that I was enough and to keep being strong. I can do what ever I put my mind to. Read more>>
Ambi Smith
As I take a look back over my life, I realize that I am my mother’s child. There are so many lessons that she taught me simply by living it out that have resonated with me to this day, even at the age of 39. My mother endured a lot as a young mom at the age of 19. She battled sickness for many years, so much that many of my childhood memories are with other relatives. Yet, I never saw her let the diagnosis from doctors or the pain she constantly endured keep her down. Read more>>
Melissa Wohlberg
The beginning of the story is going to sound like what my parents did wrong, but it sets the stage for what they did right. My parents got divorced when I was five years old and my mother and I moved from Baltimore to Florida when I was seven (in the middle of 2nd grade). I would go months without seeing my father, but then have the opportunity to spend the entire summer with him as well as Winter and Spring breaks from school. At first, I would dream and wish every day that they would get back together. Read more>>
Fiona Maura
I am very blessed to have been born into a musical family. My parents homeschooled my brother and I and gave us a creative and holistic upbringing. My mom was born in Ireland and my family performed Irish/folk music as “The Chalmers Family Band” at various festivals around Florida. My parents involved me in dance and theater which were passions of mine through out adolescence and built my foundation for performance. Read more>>
Jeff Rogoff
There is no question in my mind, that my parent’s ability to raise me with concrete ethics and morals, is the key to my happiness and ability to successfully navigate a small business. I am eternally grateful for my parents Read more>>
Julia Dunbar
My parents always say “you can never give too much love”. In the end we all truly just want to love and be loved. My mom grew up in Germany and through her childhood she was raised in a more strict and harsh way, of course weaved with love as well. It was her goal to soften. It impacted me tremendously to stay in my heart and let myself feel. I was a sensitive child, and I was able to express my emotions, Read more>>
Edie King
My parents did many things right; but teaching me love and survival are 2 things they did best. I grew up in the inner-city of Philadelphia (aka the hood). Below poverty and a recipient of public assistance; we didn’t have much (material things) but we had love. Our home was the place where everyone came; even in its dilapidated state, it was a safe haven for neighbors, friends, relatives, and even some stray animals. Read more>>
Wendy Nielsen
I grew up in a home with my mom and dad and my twin sister. My sister and I were very creative from an early age; we were drawing, painting, sculpting, etc at a very early age. My dad was an avid photographer and often took photos of my sister and me at the zoo, in the backyard playing in the leaves, and at holidays. My mom signed my sister and me up for every activity in the city that involved art, such as day camps in the summer. Read more>>
Rose Bass
Truly, I thank God for the womb that birthed me into the world. DLH, I love you. One thing my mother did right in my life was introduce me to God as a child. Being raised in church rooted me in God and anchored me in faith. Thanks to my upbringing, I have managed to overcome trials and tribulations gracefully. Nothing in this world compares to the sovereign impact or blessings God has manifested in my life. I am beyond grateful to be loved and made by eternal love. I thank my mother with everything in me for introducing me to God as a child. Read more>>
Gene Kim
My grandfather from my mother’s side was a talented artist, and my grandmother quite the singer, a master of ceremony; when they were raising me during my earliest years, they gave me the opportunities to learn art and music through drawing and piano. Although I may express in different mediums now, it provided me with spaces to find my passion earlier on and develop it. I did both into end of high school, but even before then, Read more>>
Lauren St George
There are 4 things that immediately come to mind when I think about that my mother did for me as a child that had significant impact on my career. 1. She taught me how to become a creative problem solver by sharing lateral thinking puzzles with me. These puzzles taught me to ask the right questions that she would answer with a simple yes or no. Read more>>
Beth Harbinson
My parents encouraged me to pursue what interested me. There was no directing me in terms of educational pursuits or career interests. This allowed my mind to be open to trying new things without the constraint of messages like “climb the ladder” or “Can you make a living doing that?” My entrepreneurial dreams were encouraged. This was, in part, the luxury of being raised in a home where we had what we needed . Read more>>
Danielle Mills Walden
My Parents did an incredible job instilling discapline and work ethic into me. They also were very instrumental in why I have such a positive mindset & a operator mentality. I was not allowed to complain or make excuses as a kid. My parents would shut down this behavior immedietly so I learned that it was not an exceptable way to handle issues. Read more>>
Obafemii Obie” Hawk”
What did my parents do right? As a 30th birthday present for my dad birthing me on his birthday would be a start. I feel that my parents raised me right, in the sense that I was not a troubled kid. I grew up when to college, became a working man, a father, and all while pursuing my goals. Any endeavor that I started, created, or promoted they were right there to be my top promoters. I am grateful to have my folks. Read more>>
Dana Nuesca
I am who I am today: adventurer, go getter and entrepreneur because of my parents. They divorced when I was two years old and my sister was in utero. This was back in the 60s, so it wasn’t common to have a single mom or dad. Because the divorce was due to infidelity, my mom had to change her life, go back to work to put food on the table for two small girls. My dad provided, but now there were two households and they were both young. Dueling households was very confusing for a young child. Read more>>
Serena Loren
Two things my parents did right when raising me were instilling a strong work ethic in my sisters and I as well as encouraging spirituality and a connection with God. If there was something that I wanted, they taught me I had to work hard in order to provide it for myself. They taught me the general understanding that cosmic and supernatural forces are at play on this Earth and that for me to live a purposeful, meaningful life I had to connect to that. In my understanding and my teaching, it has been of God the Holy Spirit. Read more>>
Morgan Kelly
That is a great question because a lot of times our brains like to always see/find the negative aspects of a situation first, and dwell on it, but I would say the one thing that my parents did right was to allow me to figure everything out on my own. If I did not master that skill I probably would have given up a long time ago. To allow someone to make mistakes, and find the answers out on their own really makes life better as an adult because I am not afraid to make a mess up and learn from it, or to start over. Read more>>
Dwayne Green
My parents did an amazing job raising me from a boy to a man. My father really wasn’t in my life for the most part but I always had my mother and also my grandmother. My mom was always there for me. These two women showed me so much support that I was designed for greatness. I always wanted as a kid to be by my Dad however he had deceased in 2007 from lung cancer. After his death my grandmother(his mom) took his spot and gave me the love I wish my father did. Read more>>
Artormiss Bonner
My pare let me do whatever I wanted to. They trusted that I was a good person. In turn, I learned a lot of thing the hard way. But I learned.also I learned how to do it MY WAY! Read more>>
Dria Jackson
My mother always told me that I can do whatever I put my mind to, and do the best at whatever that is. It took me years to figure out what that something was, but once I did I put my all into it. Dria Love Co was born through hard work, consistency and determination. Over the years, what my mother told me really started to make sense. Through simply believing in myself and putting one foot after the other, I created a beauty, health and wellness brand. Read more>>