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.

Liza Rivera

Out of the many things my parents did right, one that has impacted me the most has been that they instilled in me the mindset of believing in myself. Not only did they always believe in me, but they propelled me to always believe in myself despite opposition or contrary beliefs. From all of my first experiences like learning how to ride a bike, or trying something new, I always heard them say “you can do it”! This also applied very much to the moments when I didn’t make such great decisions where I was always taught to believe that I had the power to make things better and to make them right. Read more>>

Stacie Shifflett

Someone asked me a few years ago who the most influential person in my life was. My answer was my mom as she taught me everything to be and not to be. I still uphold this belief presently, however, my perception of it has significantly deepened after engaging in profound personal growth for almost a decade now. You see, I used to view my mom as controlling as she was quite persistent in her guidance which was continual. Stand up straight. Put your shoulders back. Read more>>

Giget Johnson

My parents had high standards and great expectations for me and my siblings. We were expected to do as we were told, to always be respectful to our elders, and to forgive each other quickly. As a result, I tend to not stay mad for long and to move on from a difficult situation, whether by forgiveness and staying or forgiveness and leaving. I have a love for spending time with older aunts as they impart wisdom to me. And I only do what I am told if it is the right thing for me. Read more>>

Shannon Demos

My Mom and I are now estranged, but, when I was young, both my Mom and my Dad made sure I had the best childhood possible. My parents pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to get involved with different extracurricular activities. They supported me taking piano lessons, and eventually flute as well. I also joined a soccer league, and became involved with track among other things. Learning all of these different hobbies and paths really allowed my mind to be open to new experiences and music especially pushed me to learn more about the creative parts of myself. Read more>>

Marvin Bonheur

Very early my parents explained to me how difficult life will be as a black person and that unfortunately I would have to run faster and jump further than other people to sometimes receive the same rewards. So very early on I harbored a rage to win and a desire to do justice. Read more>>

Cherri Ledbetter

One of the many many things my parents did right is exposing myself and my siblings to lots of different things. We were encouraged to be exchanged students and live abroad for a year in high school. We were also encouraged to do a lot of volunteerism. The great thing about volunteering young is that you learn early what your personal limits are and what you do well. Volunteerism also gave me a feeling of pride and ownership as a child. I had a wonderful childhood and I owe it all to my parents. Read more>>

Sarah Puckett

My parents always instilled a sense of adventure in me, particularly a love of being outside. We didn’t take big extravagant vacations, but my family always made sure to spend time at the beach in the Outer Banks or camping in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, where we lived. I think I get my wanderlust from my dad. He was always the one to plan trips or come up with spontaneous activities. He would sometimes decide with a day’s notice that we were going to the beach. I like to be more organized though, which I think I get from my mom. Read more>>

 Scarlett Michel

ReynaMonroe is named after my parents. Not only would there be no me without them but i’m not sure if i’d be who I am without them being who they are. I believe my parents weren’t intentional about me growing up to be who I am and what I am mean by that is they weren’t forcing me to draw or forcing me to create they instilled certain values and morals in me but they allowed me to grow up as who I am today. Read more>>

Maclaine Reeder

My parents are wonderful people, some of the best out there. Both being business owners, they have instilled many different traits in me that I carry every single day, but I think the most important thing they’ve taught me is determination. I grew up competitively dancing, and if you have seen “Dance Moms”, you know that it’s a very cutthroat activity to do as a growing kid. I faced countless auditions and classes where I was rejected over and over again, to the point where I thought that I shouldn’t keep trying at something I can’t win at. Enter Mom and Dad, they kept building me up and pushed me to keep going, Read more>>

Aaron Markland

I have some of the best parents in the world. My dad is a punk rocker under the guise of a blues harmonica player, and my mom is a saint who rocks a mean bass guitar. I got my first music education combing through my father’s record collection and discussing my favorite tracks with him (classics such as Hendrix, Marley, Kinks, Stones, Skynyrd, etc.). Later in High School, my brother (bass guitar) and I started a punk band called Soylent Green and played our first gig at intermission during a school musical. Within the first few distorted power chords, Read more>>

Nolan Lunsford

From a very young age I showed a propensity towards acting and entertainment. The first real example I can think of was singing my ABCs (way out of order) at a talent show, performing along side my parents and grandfather, I think it was at that point, while I was soaking up the attention on stage that they might have known this is what I’d be doing but they never pushed me into anything, rather if I started showing interest in something my mother would do her best to get my signed up. Read more>>

Brenna Tucker

My mom was a single parent but not in the normal single parent sense. When you hear the saying “it takes a village” it really took a village to raise me. I had an amazing support system going up. My family truly encouraged everyone of us to be whoever we wanted to be. My mom worked her way up from a dishwasher in a hospital kitchen to Director of Food and Nutrition for that same hospital. She taught me that I am never alone and to always lean on my family when I need help. Read more>>

Amanda Russell

My mom and dad really nurtured my creative side as a child. I was a very quiet kid, and I found it difficult to speak to someone new until I was in high school. Because of my shy nature, I had a lot of time by myself and I found that drawing was a source of joy that allowed me to see outside of my own insecurities. I could imagine something that didn’t exist and then bring it to life with a few crayons and a piece of paper. It was freeing and I became focused on a future career in the visual arts while in grade school. Read more>>

Gabriel Patterson

My parents affirmed on me. My dad would always say, “Push the pencil, not the shovel.” He worked construction all his life. He didn’t want me working in the elements. He wanted me to be a scholar and to use words. I don’t think becoming an an emcee and author is what he had in mind but the affirmation was right. The affirmation became what it needed to be. I try to bless affirmations on my kids too. It’s a way of guiding the spirit. Read more>>

Andy Weins

Growing up in Milwaukee, WI, my parents Dan and Eileen raised me to make the most of everything — “waste not, want not.” My father and I would drive through nice neighborhoods on nights before trash day, looking for things of value to reuse, recycle, or repurpose. To this day, I feel the urge to stop to look inside every dumpster I drive by. Read more>>

Drishti Verma

My parents were incredibly supportive of my interests and ambitions. They encouraged me to pursue my passions, both photography and jewelry designing, even if they were unconventional or challenging. They never tried to force me into a particular career or path, but instead, gave me the freedom to explore and make my own choices. Read more>>

Gracie Howard

I talk a lot about how I really appreciate my parents, but to tell you the truth, they’ve always been my biggest fans. Obviously, kids and parents can have their disagreements, but in the end, I know my parents are always going to love, support and encourage me. When you’re young, you don’t think about the little things. When you’re young, you don’t think about how much going out to eat with your family or just playing stuffed animals with your parents really make the best memories when you look back at your childhood. Looking back at all of the things I had and was able to do because of my parents makes me realize just how truly grateful I am to be their daughter. Growing up in Frisco in the 2000’s-2010’s was filled with happy and exciting moments I had in my life! Read more>>

Laurie Crouse

My parents supported me in all my endeavors. They encouraged me to follow my passions and they led me to believe I could be successful at whatever I chose to do, so it never occurred to me that I wouldn’t be. Growing up in Connecticut, I was really into the arts. They supported my desire to go to school at the University of Denver, where majorted in sculpture and cast metal sculptures at the foundry there.. Read more>>

Colleen Christison

I’ve made a career for myself based on words alone. It often feels strange and impossible to make money from writing, something any literate person can do. But I have learned from my mother that if you believe in something and don’t back down, anything is possible. My father was the creative in our household. He would sit on the end of my bed and craft beautiful, elaborate stories, tales that wound themselves through the corners of my bedroom like smoke that disappeared come morning. Read more>>

Sierra Taubman

Ever since my siblings and I were little, my parents instilled in us the importance of having God’s hand in everything we do, doing everything with excellence, and finishing the job all the way to the end. Giving up wasn’t an option, even when we played sports. A little background, we own a farm in Hawaii. There were days during peak season where we would have to wake up really early (before school) to go out and finish the harvest. Read more>>

Sydneigh Blue

I am the youngest in my family, and I have three older brothers who are all creatives and successful in their own right. People often ask my parents how they raised four talented and creative young adults. We all turned out the way we did because our parents always supported our dreams and allowed us to explore our talents outside of sports and school. Throughout my childhood, I often heard stories from my peers about how their parents wouldn’t allow them to join certain activities or programs because they didn’t align with the parent’s vision for the child. Read more>>

Natalia Carnevale

My parents always had a way of nurturing our interests. My interests involved a wide variety of skills and sometimes the topics could be quite polarizing. Whether it was sewing, wrestling or anything in between my parents supported my interests the best they could. Read more>>

Candace Howe

As they say, “I had humble beginnings.” My mother was a single 15 year girl when I was born. My father’s family only later came into my life when I was 20 year’s old. The pregnancy sparked an independent driven young girl to go it on her own. Incredibly, my mother completed college (a first in her family) and ultimately moved us from the MidWest to CA by the time I was 6 years old. In California my mother completed postgraduate school and continued to be an example of love, Read more>>

Kimberly Davis

My parents were both instrumental in my journey to becoming a voice artist. They lead me in a direction None us knew would lead to my career and passion of voice artist. My mother was very firm in her stance on how I was to use the english language, that’s putting it mildy – she was the language police in our home, she was serious about the use of verbs, nouns and proper conjugation. Read more>>

Makaela Isaacs

At the prime age of 5 years old my parents encouraged me to order my own food when eating out at a restaurant. If I had a question about an item on the menu, I was the one asking the waiter. My parents’ encouragement to talk to strangers and stick up for myself ignited an excitement to meet new people and have confidence which largely contributes to my success today. Fast forward about 10 years later…hunger, exhaustion, and a drained social battery couldn’t stop my excitement of tapping the shoulder of the stranger next to me on the plane ride to New York. Read more>>