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.

Nonoka

I was lucky to grow up in a home filled with music, especially jazz and blues, thanks to my parents’ love for these genres. Their passion for music shaped my own musical journey. My mom, who played the piano since she was a child, was particularly influential. When I was around 7, I would jam with her, and she always encouraged me to play from the heart, not just focus on technique. She would say, “Play like you’re singing,” teaching me that emotion in music is just as important as precision. Read more>>

Daniel Dennis

I didn’t come from a musical family, so it still amazes me that my parents saw that I had some interest in playing music early on and did everything they could to support and encourage me. Read more>>

Kane Jabbar

When it comes to what my parents did right, it’s hard to narrow it down to one specific moment in my life. As I am an only child of divorced parents, I feel as though I’ve simultaneously buckled under facing a lot of tough challenges, and have had the opportunity to be a calming presence in both parents’ lives, just as they have been for me. The story of how my parents met has fascinated me for most of my life. In 1994, my dad saw my mom at The Lion’s Den in New York City and knew he wanted to be with her. My mother was inspired to give him a chance thanks to a good friend of hers at the time. The love they shared continued to grow over the years, and from that love, I was born. Read more>>

Kendrick Walker

The thing my parents did right was definitely always having a camera in their hands. I can’t name an important moment or family vacation that wasn’t captured whether it was on a disposable camera or on a camcorder! I truly believe that sparked something in me at a young age that’s made my love for camera grow into what it is today! Read more>>

Glory!

“My mother always spoke her mind—whether it was good or bad, she let people know exactly where she stood. If she loved something, she’d tell you why; if she didn’t, you’d hear about that too. Growing up around that kind of honesty taught me to value clear communication. I also remember her being deeply engaged in conversations about politics and the issues she cared about. She showed me how powerful your voice can be when used with purpose and how important it is to stand up for what you believe in. Read more>>

Naomi Okada

I can say with my whole chest that my parents did everything right when it comes to my artistic journey. My parents are not artists by trade, but they are both avid theatergoers and fans, and always encouraged me to pursue the arts since I could make sound. I started ballet at the age of 3, classical harp and gymnastics at age 4, flute at age 12 and singing, I’m sure, since birth. After many years of childhood experimentation, I landed on acting in my freshman year of college, when I took my first acting class. The craziest thing my mom would say to me and my siblings is, “You know, in the movie Titanic when the ship is sinking and the string quartet keeps playing? I want you guys to be them.” Read more>>

Marquis McGilbra

My parents taught me the significance of motivating oneself being able to push yourself if there is no one else around you being able to continuously get up after being knocked down or knocked over multiple times the ability to control my thoughts actions and emotions and focus on the things that are important my parents were tough on me, but that toughness built my otter show, and it coded the inside of the shell leaving a type of presence that is felt by many and loved by all my main goal is to not only prove my parents wrong, but to give them everything that I Achieve or that I accomplished through my journey just to give them things. Read more>>

Aliyah Curry

Growing up, my parents always had my sister and I in the arts – going to see films and plays, the ballet, museums. I used to write stories in my elementary notebooks and my mother always championed me to finish and do more with them. In middle school, I wanted to be a chef, and my family loved when I tested out recipes; my mother even made me a custom apron and recorded my own cooking show. When I applied to arts school for college, I told my parents, “If I don’t get in, I’ll just get a job and work my way up.” And they said, “Okay.” When my industries hit slow periods, they encourage me to stay the course. So I’ve always felt supported in whatever I wanted to pursue, which I’m so grateful for. Read more>>

Dessie Spears

My parents moved from Southern California with 6 children in tow, when I was 4 years old. My father a mechanical engineer wanted desperately to be a farmer, and raise cattle. My mother, who when I was 2 put me on her hip and enrolled in nursing school. This gave her more independence and self esteem. I grew up in Southern Indiana. My father made our 210 acre place an Audubon Nature preserve. Read more>>

Dr. Etel LEit

I was born in Jerusalem. Yep, holy ground. That makes me a holy chick—my words, not scripture. I grew up in a semi-conservative, semi-open household, which basically means my childhood was one long oxymoron. This was also my first deep-dive into the world of relationships: contradiction, complexity, and unconditional Friday night dinners. Read more>>

Veronica Sala

For a long time in my career as an influencer I was seen as a party girl. I was always out at the club and raving every weekend, sometimes on weekdays. Going to music festivals all year long. Promoting brands that aligned with that type of culture is really only sustainable for a little bit, especially when it comes to your health. I actually fell into addiction during this time. I stopped making content as much. It lasted about two years. I was so deep into this mindset that I thought if I stopped doing what I was doing, I would potentially lose my career as an influencer and content creator. Not even realizing that I was barely even making any posts on my TikTok or instagram that were in any way professional or profitable. Read more>>

Tiffany Lawson

As far back as I can remember, the arts were present in my home. Literature, music and art were ways we spent time together. I grew up on the Southside of Columbus, Ohio, across the street from my house was a church where my Mother ran an arts program for the neighborhood. The program would convene on Saturdays in the basement of the church. Local artists were invited to do workshops, there was also an artist in residence who became my mentor as a teenager. I believe my Mother recognized my affinity for creativity after discovering masterpieces drawn behind the couch and inside sidetable drawers, I thought I had hidden. My Father realized my talent after asking me to make a sign for a car he was selling. Read more>>

Flora Grateron

My parents married at a very young age and left Mexico for a life in South Texas. My mother was only nineteen years old. They bought a small lot and built their home together through hard work and determination even using a gas lantern to light as they worked late in the night. We are nine offspring all still alive who followed our parents’ example of hard work and never giving up. My parents also had a strong religious foundation that impacted all of us as they practiced their Catholic faith and passed it along to all of us. Their examples were not lost on us as we grew up alongside them every day, having dinner together every night even as our father came home exhausted from working as a carpenter and our mother was busy caring for nine children. Read more>>

Sefika Kutluer

I was able to start studying at the conservatory at a very early age after they discovered my talent in music.
Music and playing the flute became a great passion for me, but they also presented several challenges in my later professional life, which I could handle. My parents had to cope with my busy schedule even during the vacations. Read more>>

Lauren Martinson

When I was 3 years old, my parents were incarcerated and I was separated from them for close to 2 years. From that point, my life would be in an almost constant state of fight or flight. We moved so many times while my mom looked for work that for the entirety of my education, I was rarely in the same school for a full year. What I can say is that when my mother was released from jail, I witnessed perseverance, survival, a good work ethic, adaptability, tremendous courage in the face of uncertainty, and learning to make the most of almost nothing. This is a woman who had a criminal record, no higher education, and no safety net. If my mom had moments of feeling self-doubt or wanting to give up, she never showed it. And I think that’s just one of the many parts that she got right. Read more>>

Adriana Galvan

I come from a humble upbringing, my mom stayed home with us while my father worked to support all of us. I am the eldest child of immigrant parents. My mother was an early childhood educator and was intentional with our upbringing. Read more>>

Shea Raybell

My parents have nurtured my entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. As a kid, I started a baking business, with my mom happily taking on the role of Sous Chef Pâtissier. Every Friday, I’d sell cookies, pies, and bread around town, building a loyal customer base—especially at my dad’s office, where pre-orders became a weekly tradition. Networking is effortless when you’re a charming kid with baked goods in hand! Read more>>

Xinyi(Velma) Ma

My parents never forced me to pursue anything I didn’t enjoy. Instead, they fully supported my ideas—both emotionally and financially while I figured out my path. This is quite different from the traditional expectations in many Chinese or Asian households, especially considering my parents didn’t have the privilege of higher education and built their success through sheer hard work. Read more>>

Chloe McEldowney

My mother noticed early on that I was a creative. I always had projects going on around our home – chaotic collages, sewing projects, sculptures, etc. I would save bits of fabrics or magazine clippings to use for creative schemes. Despite the mess, my mother never complained. She saw that these creations were important to me and how I understood the world. She supplied me with paints and art tools when she could, and helped me to enter many of my projects into local competitions and fairs. Read more>>

Diana Benson

Early on in my childhood, I could always be seen running around with my family’s giant, old-school VHS recorder, filming everything I could—scenery, people, and whatever else caught my eye on our adventures.

My mother played a huge role in nurturing that passion for me. She would take me to local skateparks and seek out skateparks in every city we traveled to. I’d spend hours there, making friends with the young skaters and asking if I could film and photograph them, enthralled by their energy and immersed in capturing the shapes and shadows of their movement. There was nothing like the rush of getting what I saw as the “perfect” shot—it gave me a ‘photographer’s high,’ and is a feeling that still fuels my passion and pursuit of photography to this day. Read more>>

Marianna Iverson

My work is based largely around integrating the wisdom of the soul with nature based practices of healing. My parents gave me a great gift in the way that spirit, depth, and nature connection were held as values in our family system. I learned from a very young age to be comfortable in the woods, to trust my own intuitive senses, and to prioritize spiritual connection. I remember a small ritual that my family did every time we left a camp spot. We children would be asked to scour high and low to remove every piece of evidence that humans had been there. Leaving the land better than we had found it. We would gather, thank the land for holding us and say goodbye as we tumbled into our old station wagon. Read more>>

Michelle Wall

My parents did many things well including cultivating curiosity and an appreciation of beauty in nature. Letting wonder spark a fire for learning was encouraged. Whenever I was eager to learn something my dad would state, “Why don’t you go get a book from the library?” This helped me dive into learning these arts I now so appreciate, even though I did not possess an innate talent for any of them. Artists have special eyes. My dad’s work as a photographer helped foster a unique attention from childhood. Driving the winding highway along Lake Superior, whenever we came upon a particularly lovely vista my parents would declare, “We’re talkin’ beauty folks!” Read more>>

Nicole Mountain

Growing up in an Italian-American family, family wasn’t just important – it was everything. My parents, along with my grandparents, aunts, great-aunts, and uncles, created a world where food, tradition, and togetherness were at the center of our lives. My cousins weren’t just cousins; they were siblings. Holidays weren’t just gatherings; they were sacred. And meals weren’t just meals; they were moments – filled with laughter, storytelling, and love. Read more>>

Karla Bauer

My parents have always been incredibly supportive. From a young age, they encouraged me to be independent, to experiment, to create, and to never be afraid of trying something new. I went to college for architecture, and my father, being a civil engineer, influenced my appreciation for structure and construction. My mom, on the other hand, is incredibly crafty, and her creativity is amazing—she’s the one who truly nurtured my love for design. Read more>>

Janet Sumner Johnson

As a kid, my siblings and I would wait and watch at the window for the moment my dad got home from work. My dad had the best smile, and a twinkle in his eye. He knew how to make us feel important. He could pull a sliver out with his always handy pocketknife. He would relinquish his pocket change when I asked nicely. And best of all, he would play Monster in the Middle with us just before bed. He would lie down in the living room, and we’d race around him trying not to get caught. Or sometimes, we’d play airplane, where he’d lie on his back and raise us up high on his feet. He’d zoom us from side to side as he held our hands out like wings. Read more>>

Marley-Bob Pezant

My mom is my best friend and truly my biggest inspiration. She’s been there for me through everything—every high, every low, and every in-between. As a single mom, she carried so much on her shoulders, but you’d never know it because she always showed up for us with strength and grace. Read more>>