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.

Kayla Ridgway

I’ve always had an artistic thread woven through me, and I leaned into it hard as a child. I pictured vivid landscapes and mythical creatures, adventures of heroes and friends. I took every art class I could through grade school, absorbing the knowledge like a sponge. And it was translating in my art as well; my skills grew significantly over the years. I even had plans to study art well through college, as well as pursue a career afterwards. My parents have always supported these passions, and they wanted to help me achieve those goals in any way they could. Read more>>

Marlyn Fisher Scott

I have always known I was different, and most of that stems from my parents and my upbringing. I am proud to say that I was raised by two creatives. My mother is a writer, and my father is an actor. One of the best compliments I’ve ever received was after my Acting III final in college, my professor pulled me aside and told me that the reason I will be successful in this world is because of my parents. She was not alluding to narcissism or my parents pulling strings (especially considering they don’t know anyone in LA), but instead because I have the rare gift of my parents unwavering support and overall inspiration. Growing up in a house full of creatives and without cable meant that I was raised on Rogers & Hammerstein, The Marx Brothers, and Peter Sellers’ “Pink Panther”. I dealt with rejection at an early age because every night after dinner I would want to perform, normally an original song or a hit Broadway number, to the point that my mom had to occasionally tell me to go to my room. Ultimately, my love for performing is embedded into the deepest parts of my core, and I would not have this gift if it weren’t for my genetic proclivity for artistic creation, and for that, I am eternally grateful. Read more>>

Elizabeth Wisniewski

As a person with visual impairment, I have experienced over thirty eye surgeries. Being raised by parents who were both in the special education field was vitally important to my current day success. Although I grew up being able to see, I slowly lost vision over time. My freshmen year of high school my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer for the third time, at the same time both of my retinas detached within a five week period and I underwent several emergency surgeries. Because of the trauma from the surgeries I could not physically open my eyes for over a month but I still had to find a way to attend and participate in school. In particular, geometry was challenging due to my vision loss. My mother created peg boards with nails and I used rubber bands to feel the shapes and performed the math equations verbally while doing mental math. We created graphs with thin wood with the lines craved into it and dried pasta was as the x and y axis of the graph. This was a trying time in my young life, however it showed me how to meet course objectives in different ways. My mom passed away that same year and she left a lasting legacy of how to be in a relationship with your challenges instead of being a victim to them. My dad was supporting both of us during this extremely difficult time along with my two younger sisters. My fondest memory during all of this was our weekly drives to my eye doctor appointments. We’d spend those two hours just us listening to classic rock and immersing ourselves fully into the music; he is who I credit for my musical education. Both my parents taught me how to level the playing field, which greatly served me later on when getting both of my doctorate degrees. Read more>>

Qiao Hu

One of the decisions my parents made that had the biggest impact on me was to support my education in the United States. I completed my undergraduate studies in China and began thinking about what I wanted to do after graduation during my junior year. With a passion for the film industry, I set my sights on California, the center of global film development. During a long overdue family conversation, I was honest about my aspirations. Contrary to the resistance I was expecting, my parents not only embraced my dream, but encouraged me to immerse myself in a new culture abroad. Their support was conditional on working hard to complete the application process, which included rigorous preparation such as language study and portfolio creation. In the end, I was successful in applying to my dream school (Chapman University), and my parents were thrilled with the outcome.Read more>> 

Summer Rose

I love this question. There is nothing I would change about the way I was brought up. That doesn’t mean I had a perfect childhood, far from it. My upbringing was non traditional. I was raised by a single mother who lived off the grid and basically rebelled against everything society said it was to be a woman. She started her own business when I was 6 years old, because she couldn’t afford help at that time, I learned to be very self-sufficient. Cooking for myself, doing my laundry, choosing my clothes etc. I’m so grateful for that time because there was so much freedom for me there, I was able to learn to trust myself at a young age. Read more>>

Erika Arora

I was raised in a household where creativity was made a priority.

My parents always allowed me to doodle from the age I could hold a pen. It comes at no surprise that my first form of artistic expression was drawing. When I was only four years old, I drew a person in my mother’s journal and wrote beside them, “I love to draw because you can draw beautiful things.” That still resonates with me today. I love art because creation is endless. Read more>>

Kristin Harvey

My parents were supportive and encouraging of my artistic abilities from the start. When I was 5, my father built my sister and I each a wall sized chalkboard and gave us every color of chalk there was. I spent hours upon hours at that board, drawing from my imagination and experiences. That chalkboard stayed full of color and expression until I graduated to a drawing table. My parents also made sure to expose me to many different arts education opportunities through the local Arts Center and through private lessons. When it came time for college, it was my sister who brought me a catalog from the Academy of Art in San Francisco after she had visited on a school trip. I applied and was accepted through a work/study program that allowed me to work at the college in exchange for tuition. Read more>>

Quincee Williams

My parents are so amazing. The biggest thing I feel my parents did right, was sacrificed their own needs mentally and emotionally. As well as making sure the family had open communication. My mom and dad taught us to speak up for ourselves, come to them whenever my siblings and I felt it was needed and no matter what we ever did, they would support and Love us unconditionally. This has impacted my life positively by allowing my family to be close and strong bonded. I have so many questions and lessons to learn about life and my parents are my “survival guide”. I’m very blessed to have 2 supportive and caring parents. I do take them for granted sometimes but I am beyond grateful for them. So for that to be said, My Mom and Dad are strong in every way and they encourage me to do better, be smarter, work harder, and learn from their mistakes. I was always told, “Be a good person and always humble because so many people are not as fortunate in life.” Read more>>

 Jana Miller

I lost my Dad ten years ago to a heart attack and just recently lost my Mom 6 months ago to her battle with cancer. I was my mom’s full-time caretaker in my home during her battle. She depended on me for physical needs, emotional support, and everything in between. This journey is what has inspired me to start my creative journey and I am in the beginning stages of it. Read more>>

Mahdi Atif

I’m grateful my parents give me the space to figure this path out. They’re very supportive of whatever passion I choose to pursue and never attempt to guide or force my down a path they perceive as “right” or “correct.” They told me early on that if I’m happy and fulfilled, that’s what’s most important to them. That’s top tier parenting. Read more>>

Summer Butindaro

Growing up, I was surrounded by an environment where the impossible seemed just a step away. Growing up my parents taught me a powerful lesson: with belief and effort, anything is possible. This wasn’t just a saying in our house; it was a way of life, rooted in a deep Faith that they generously passed on to me. Read more>>

Analeia Bella Madden

My father is a musician, my mother was an oil painter – both very whimsical and unique in their styles. They are both beautiful, creative, talented, inspiring people who have always encouraged me to follow what makes me happy. My childhood was magical. It was filled with art projects, peacocks, butterflies, and pure artistic passion and intention. Read more>>

Tiffany Tedy

Recently, I had a heart-to-heart with my mom that struck a chord. She shared something profound, “I just realized that all this time, what mattered most for you and your sister was prioritizing education.” For us, education wasn’t just about burying ourselves in books, it was about learning life’s values- how to be compassionate, considerate, appreciative, and how to navigate the realities of the world. Read more>>

Jenna Courtot

My parents are two of the most inspirational people in my life and have shaped me into the person I am today. They’ve demonstrated the value of family, hard work, and knowing how to set it all aside and have a good time. Read more>>

Jackey Boelkow

My parents have always been my biggest supporters and I am so grateful that I had that support system both growing up and now as an adult. As a kid, I was always encouraged to explore new interests and pick and choose which activities I wanted to pursue but was never punished for letting something go that no longer benefited or interested me. From elementary school to high school I tried everything from soccer to dance to bagpipes and everything in between. Although, now my parents are stuck with a set of bagpipes, an accordion, and three didgeridoos that I can’t quite fit into my apartment. Sorry mom and dad! Read more>>

 R.L. Walker

What did my parents do rights: My parents always stressed to me and my siblings to never settle or give up on any goal/task if we are not satisfied with the outcome. We were also not allowed to quit any activity that we started, I credit my drive and willingness to continue from that guidance. Read more>>

Ashley Pyle

I grew up playing the piano and taking private lessons, it was my first instrument. There were two times (that I can remember) that I desperately wanted nothing to do with the piano anymore. Knowing grown-up me, I can only assume that little me was fed up with hitting a plateau of knowledge, skills, or abilities- I still get frustrated when a challenge surpasses my natural abilities and I have to exert more energy than I assumed would be necessary. Read more>>

Max Lin

I feel extremely grateful for my parents and the way they raised me since I was young. I come from two immigrant Chinese (Shanghainese) parents, but contrary to the traditional “stereotypical” parenting, they never forced me into a career I never showed any interest in. I’d consider myself lucky to have found creative work as my passion from early on in my high school career – but even luckier to have parents who didn’t reject the notion for me to pursue something non-traditional. Read more>>

Tish Fletcher

My parent’s story is a story of resilience. Although they aren’t together, they both played a part in my journey. This story has not only shaped me but also serves as a reminder that we can all overcome any hurdles life throws our way. Despite the heartbreak of my parents’ divorce, my mother refused to let life’s adversities break me. Her resilience is something I carry with me every day. No matter what, no matter how tired she was, she and my grandparents ensured that my siblings and I got to church. Amidst the turmoil of my childhood, it was my personal relationship with Jesus that kept me grounded. This unyielding faith has been the anchor amidst life’s high tides. My faith has been my torch, lighting my path on the darkest days. Read more>>

Nicolaas Ten Grotenhuis

I feel like my parents gave me the perfect amount of freedom and support. They allowed me to make my own mistakes and learn from them, but not feel like I was on my own. In high school they were present, but they didn’t monitor every little thing I did and I didn’t feel like they were hovering over me. They allowed me to pursue different activities, like being in a band, playing sports, and socializing with friends. Even if the activities or pursuits were not necessarily the most productive things, they allowed and encouraged me to find my own passions and drive towards them in my own way. Read more>>