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.

Nina Harada

As a mom to two young girls, I’m steeped in parenting advice, news, social media accounts and online forums that, although I’m grateful for, have the overall effect of needing to get this parenting thing right. The pressure to not mess up our kids, while also being present with them, is impossible. I know that no matter my intentions, effort and unconditional love, there will be something (if I’m being honest, more than one thing) that my kids, once grown, will question me about. Read more>>

Esha Tewari

I owe everything I am today to my parents – they’ve woven the very fabric of my character with their wisdom and love. When I reflect on what they did right in raising me, it all comes down to one vital thing: they gave me the freedom to discover myself, to stumble, and to find my way. They instilled in me the belief that it’s not just okay to explore and learn, but it’s essential. They made sure I understood that in the journey of life, failure is not a roadblock but a stepping stone. They taught me that failing fast is as vital as learning fast, and it’s all part of the adventure. Read more>>

Phyllis Schwartz

I think there are three wonderful things my parents did that have had a profound influence on my life and career: 1) They raised me to value fairness. 2) They read to me early and often. Having a sense of fairness and a love of reading that turned into a love of writing led to my desire to have a career in news. While I was writing and producing local news as a lifelong career, I was also writing non news material (poetry, short stories, keeping a diary) for my own creative outlet. Read more>>

Sonam Chouksey

My parents are my first mentors. .They personally lead a tough life but somehow knew how to learn from the situations and make it right for me and my brother. They never imposed their beliefs or wishes upon us. They always asked us first what we want from life be it deciding a career or experimenting with options we had ahead of us. They envisioned us to make informed decisions. Read more>>

Malaika Shongwe

This is an easy one for me but something I’ve pondered a lot in the recent years. Meeting other families and meeting people with different upbringings have made me ask myself, what is a good parent and what is the role of a parent in a Childs life. I think the most important thing is support. Supporting your child if not financially (if that’s not possible), ensuring that your child feels safe to ask for your guidance and support. Being an artist has only been made possible with my parents support, from them taking my dreams seriously and encouraging me to be myself and follow my own path, they also ensure that I got the education, connections and guidance I needed. Read more>>

Joe Astle

My parents both have always been very supportive of my music. They let me and my bro destroy any instruments they had. My Dad showed me how to use a digital 8-track and he gave me some laptops he “borrowed” from the trash pile of macbooks from LA unified School district. He showed me garageband and then said “now you and your brother should go make some crap. Read more>>

Kaamilah Mixon

What a great question! I’d like to start by saying that I’m so grateful to my parents for without them I would not have been born to exist. Both of my parents have done beneficial things that have impacted my life and career. My mother has provided for my basic needs and beyond throughout my life. As a child my mother invested in opportunities for me to be a cheerleader, attend summer camps, be a part of my school’s choir, take part in school plays, take dance classes, model with Elite Model Management at 13 and pursue my education up to the completion of my masters degree. Read more>>

Lana Montalban

My parents were highly educated and cultured people. They always believed that education was the most important thing in my upbringing. They would encourage me to study any extra curricular subject I showed the slightest interest in. But at the same time, they were not pushy. If I started taking music lessons or anything else and at some point I didn’t like it anymore, they would not force me to continue. That gave me the incentive to express my interests freely and pursue those that I really had a passion for. Read more>>

Rob Houk

My parents and I are really close and they have been a major part of my life. My mom has always helped me with school and figuring out life and my dad was right there with me throughout my soccer and Boy Scout careers. My mom helped me with finding my first job and understanding what I want and don’t want to do and what I want out of life. Both of my parents have careers where they are moving around all the time and it took me graduating college that I am just like them and don’t want a desk job. They have never pushed me in a certain direction in life other then to try new things and find what I love to do. They have taught so much but most importantly that everything happens for a reason weather we realize it or not, to respect people and help them out, and to stay positive even when things look bleak. Read more>>

Kennedy Renea

My parents taught me different tips on how to run a business. My mom has a company called Lawanda’s Creations. My dad is an author who wrote his first book called Ene-City. They both are experienced when it comes to running a business. They taught me Networking and Marketing skills. I’m grateful that my parents raised me to become a successful, independent, and kind-hearted person. My parents told me to never depend on anyone for anything. Read more>>

Layl McDill

Even though I grew up fairly isolated in Gillette, Wyoming my parents made sure our family had many experiences including travel, sports and community involvement. They also let me create as much as I wanted to and basically gave me the tools to explore all the arts and crafts I was interested in. We traveled all over the country as a kid and when I was in high school they took us to the Smithsonian Museum. This is where I saw pop art and other contemporary art for the first time- my mind was blown! After that trip I realized art could be anything and my creativity soared. Then when I wanted to go to art school my parents totally supported me. I know when I decided to be a full time artist right after graduation they were a little worried but they continued to be my biggest cheerleaders. Read more>>