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.

Neva Campbell

As a child, my parents were creative and talented. My father was a self taught musician, who would sit in the bathroom with us as we did our night routine, singing and playing guitar. He also taught me how to draw using shapes. I still remember his simplistic bunny, monkey, frog drawings. My mother, was a talented seamstress. Read more>>

Dao Vi

For me there is no doubt that my parents has made huge positive impacts in my life, even though it’d taken me many years to come to terms and accept that what they have done and the examples they’d set for me and our family has made me the person I am today. One of the many things my parents did right was raising me and my siblings to be followers of Jesus Christ. Being born into a Christian family, there were many things that I had to wrestle with growing up. I think the biggest thing that had always been at the back of my mind growing up as a Christian was figuring out the purpose behind it all. Going to church, reading the bible, praising God, fellowship with other Christians, etc. Read more>>

Maria Listman

What a great question! My parents have been instrumental in how I conduct myself. That includes my personal, as well as professional life. They have led by example, demonstrating tenacity and kind-heartedness. Read more>>

Joseph Roybal

Growing up the youngest of 4 kids, 2 sisters and a brother there was no dull moments growing up! To pinpoint one singular moment would be easy but the culmination of 100’s of moments throughout my childhood would best define who I am today. We grew up a very modest upbringing with parents that were raised by Miners on both sides of our family. Read more>>

Kristin Derus Dore

My parents were a great example of how to be successful. They were not wealthy or famous, but they were happy and showed my brother and I how to live that way. My dad worked for the State of Minnesota and had a passion for helping people. He was hard working and dedicated both to his job and to his family. My father always had his priorities in order, making sure he was there for both our family and his extended family any time someone needed him. He taught me a lot of lessons about how to treat people and about how to be successful at work. Read more>>

Sara Winters

Growing up, my parents had us involved in chores and yard work from an early age. On Saturdays, I remember that we would all work to clean up the house or do some outside projects before we could play and have fun. Being the 3rd of four kids, if everyone worked together it went faster. I would say that those Saturdays working as a family taught me both work ethic and the importance of team work. Heading into my teenage and high school years, I had to learn more independence quickly as my dad got sick and passed away when I was 16. Read more>>

Sarah Ellis

Absolutely. First, I want to say that I recognize that I was and am very lucky in so many ways. My parents got a lot of stuff right, in part perhaps because they had a lot of practice by the time they got to me. I’m the youngest of 5 and my next closest sibling is 8 years older than me. In a sense I had a lot of people raising me, and they all contributed to making me who I am. We’re so lucky to still have my parents on this earth, they are healthy and active, and above all made and continue to make me feel very loved. Every day with them is a gift. My dad was an industrial arts teacher and brought me to his classroom on many occasions. Read more>>

Beth Derrick

My parents divorced when I was eleven years old, and truth be told, I don’t remember ever seeing or hearing them fight. They are both kind, gentle and quiet types that both worked hard at their small town, not great paying jobs for decades. My dad and bonus dad have always had full-time jobs, as well as what most of us know as side hustles. Flipping, building, repairing and horse-trading are common activities from my childhood. Growing up in the country, the daughter of a banker and a waterman, I learned to channel my inner work ethic into a variety of outlets, as well as organized record keeping and salesmanship. Read more>>

 Janie Terrazas

My parents played a pivotal role in shaping my life and career, primarily through their unwavering support and encouragement. Growing up, I was a child brimming with diverse interests, eager to dip my toes into various activities. Whether it was dance, tennis, or violin, my parents were always there, not just as spectators, but as my most enthusiastic cheerleaders. This support wasn’t just about being present at events; it was about nurturing a mindset within me that fostered self-belief and confidence. This upbringing was instrumental in making me comfortable with taking significant risks in my professional, creative, and financial endeavors later in life. Read more>>

Allie Ochs

It’s impossible for me to narrow down just one way my parents impacted my life. They modeled how to live a fulfilling life for me and my sisters. They loved and respected one another, were strong and consistent in their faith, and encouraged their daughters to be confident and courageous. Read more>>

Ashlee Feinauer

My parents gave me the space to learn from my mistakes. That meant to struggle and sometimes …fail. This gave me the comfort and confidence to try new things and know that it isn’t the end of the world if things didn’t go my way. I can still remember my dad saying, ” I give it 6 months,” as I moved back to Detroit my third time. My third stint in Detroit lasted a whole 9 months. At that time I was attending school and working on my goal of becoming a sign language interpreter. I lived a life in a diverse city filled with culture, poverty, crime, a wide array of opportunities and the possibility of failures. Read more>>

Tia Adams

My parents have always taught me to be strong and work hard! Nothing in this world comes for free. Plus, that very thing you work the hardest for will become the most precious to you and you cherish it more. Read more>>

Maya Arguelles

My mother was a single mother, but she was an independent ambition women and seeing her work hard for what she wanted inspired me to be who and where I am today. She worked at Sony for 20+ years and she would work 12+ hours to provide. She taught me you can achieve any goals if you put your mind into it. When she was 47 she enrolled herself to school to achieve her dream of being a teacher, she was working a full time job and was going to school full time. She ended up accomplishing her goal and was a teacher for 10+ years. Seeing her achieve her goals regardless of her age was such an inspiration me to I ended up pursuing my own goals in 2018. October 2021 I got my very own studio in Escondido Ca. My mom didn’t have the opportunity to see that milestone. She unfortunately passed away September 2021, but she made an incredible impact on my journey and I hope to continue her legacy, and make her proud. Read more>>

Rachel Major

I come from a family deeply rooted in the arts. My father was a theatre/opera director and my mother was in arts education/policy and my uncle was a poet. Music, art, theatre, literature were all around me growing up. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I understood how unusual this was and how fortunate I was. As an extremely shy and introverted child my parents thought that I would become an actor or an artist. Read more>>

Audrey Bennett

I am a naturalized African-American of Afro-Caribbean descent. I hail from Nassau, Bahamas, where I lived for the first three years of my life before moving to my parents’ birthplace of Jamaica. After three years there, my family migrated to the United States. I grew up in East Orange, New Jersey, with a mother who cooked Caribbean food daily, played reggae music every Saturday morning, and alternated between speaking Jamaican patois and standard English. Read more>>

Billy Milton

In the tapestry of my upbringing, my parents were the threads of hard work and dedication. Their synchronized dance between opposite work shifts created a home that encouraged independence and collaboration to sustain the family dynamic, with one always there for us. Weekends were a symphony of chores and projects with my father, who wove invaluable life lessons into each endeavor. His lectures weren’t just words; they were the blueprint for a solid work ethic, urging me to relentlessly pursue my goals. Read more>>

Julia Langer

My parents, from a very young age always told me that I was good, strong, and smart. They instilled in me a understanding that I am capable of doing the thing, and if I’m not capable right now, its important to ask for help to learn it. Further just as they instilled me a concept that its ‘ok’ to need help, its also important to be helpful in whatever capacity you have. This combination of feeling that I can figure anything out and openness to connect to others and ask for help, or guidance is really key to my current life as an artist. Knowing that you need to do everything that you can, take responsibility and above all try, while remembering that you are not an island imperative to the successful creation of a life as an artist (or in any profession really). Read more>>

Nichole McDaniel

I feel so grateful to my parents. They have always done their best to support me in what I have been passionate about. This really is a blessing. When I was growing up I never really said I want to be artist per se, but always enjoyed learning and viewing art. It connects you with different cultures, periods in time and an individual artist creating the work. I found all of that fascinating. When I grew up in Indiana we were about an hour from Chicago and my mom would take me to the Chicago Art Institute. We would make it a girls day and usually have lunch too. Read more>>

St. Wallace

My parents showed me the price of getting what you want, and that what you desire takes sacrifice. I grew up with two immigrant parents, they left their Home country , Dominica, and came to the US. To move us to Florida, my sister, and I lived in Dominica for 3 years just so they could save money. Read more>>

Mariesa Moore-Gentry

My parents introduced me to Jesus. I believe this was the very best thing they could’ve done for me. However, they didn’t just introduce me to Him, both of their lives were examples of Jesus’ love for me. Read more>>

Nikki France

I MUST give the highest praises and acknowledge my parents, Shawn Janey (RIP) and Maria Shaner, for instilling superior work ethics and values in me at an early age. My father lost both of his parents before the age of 19. He was forced to care for and support himself at an early age. His career path started as a teenager, as his older brothers had started their own families at this time. Read more>>

Evaluz Negron

My mother is my hero. She did many things right. One of the most important things was allow my brothers and I to see her for who she was – through the good, the bad , the ugly and everything in between. She was a great example of someone who aspired to improve overall emotional intelligence and modeled to me overall confidence and empowerment. More importantly, she was open and honest during struggle and confusion. She endured lots of abuse and neglect, some of which I witnessed but seeing her step into When I applied for college, I realized how little money was earned on a yearly basis which I am still in awe of how she made do with 3 children. Read more>>

Janine Booth

My parents were amazing role models for me growing up. My Mum Irene, was a dedicated Wife and Mother to me and my two sisters and showed us how to love and care for family to the fullest capacity. She was always there for me and continues to support my hopes, dreams and guides me through my own journey as a Mother. On the other side was my amazing entrepreneurially Dad, John. He started out in HR at in a car manufacturer in Northern Ireland before starting his first News agency business with my Mum, followed my other various businesses such as a hair salon and burger restaurant before moving to Australia where I was born. Read more>>

Michael Young

I was the oldest of eight children, and so my parents were pretty busy. Despite all they had on their plates, however, they always took time to encourage my creativity and talents. They took time to listen to my songs, to read my stories, and to encourage me to find ways to share them with others. I entered contests, sang in church, and shared my talents with my brothers and sisters. It would have been really easy for them to lose track of my interests among so many children, but they took the time to help me grow and flourish. Read more>>

Shirley Su

My family always valued kindness, patience, and persistence. This made me feel nostalgic and remember what my family taught me when I was small. They always believe the best way to navigate through life is to become water. This way, you will be able to face issues in your life with a cool head instead of with heated emotions. With that philosophy, you can also discover solutions others cannot see, instead of becoming a part of the problem. Read more>>

NeMeia Washington

Both of my parents were in the Army, but when my mother had me, she left to pursue a career in healthcare. She went to school & worked at times, while also raising 4 girls. My father continued his career in the military until he retired at the age of 38. After retiring, he went to college; obtained his undergraduate, graduate, & doctoral degrees; & has started several businesses. No matter what, my parents have always kept going & instilled a positive work ethic in their kids. Read more>>

Rhonda Freeman

I was raised by a single mother and I am an only child. I am not sure if it was a conscious decision she made or a result of the circumstances we were in, but I was raised to be very independent. There were no handouts, there were no birthday parties, no home cooked meals, just a lot of figure it out on your own. I may not have appreciated it in the moment, but as an adult I realize I would not be the person I am and would not have been able to accomplish what I have without that upbringing. I believe when you have to work for something, you appreciate it more. I appreciate the knowledge you have to acquire and the grit you have to put in to achieve long term goals as a result of my upbringing. Read more>>