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.

Carly Costello

My mom was a single mom. When she found out she was pregnant, she was 26 years old and working as.a therapist at a domestic violence shelter for women, making $11,000 a year. She didn’t have health insurance at the time and never had an ultrasound done, they heard the baby’s heartbeat and said everything was looking great. Read more>>

Glen Olson

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles. I would have had an absolutely normal childhood except for one fact: my best friend’s father worked in Cold War aerospace . . . and my friend’s father owned a mimeograph machine. (Okay raise your hands, who knows what a mimeograph machine is? You do? Read more>>

Michelle Jett

My parents created an environment that encouraged creativity, curiosity, and independence. My mom inspired my love of design, teaching me crafts like macramé, sewing, and cake decorating, which helped me develop attention to detail and patience. My dad encouraged a hands-on, “get it done” attitude, teaching me to use power tools and tackle projects confidently. Read more>>

Tony Jeton Selimi

What my parents did right wasn’t just parenting — it was legacy-building. They were restaurateurs and farmers who worked tirelessly, not only to provide for us as children, but for the entire extended family. From a young age — as early as five — they instilled in me a deep respect for work, responsibility, and contribution. Read more>>

Jasmeet Bawa

I am now older than my parents were when they had me. While I always knew that they sacrificed so much for me, thinking about their choices as an adult hits different. Oftentimes, I think we can flatten our immigrant parents into that single narrative of sacrifice. I mean, it is a real narrative. Read more>>

Carlos Trujeque

My Mom always manifested this for me. She raised me to chase my dreams and to remain humble. ‘Your day will come’ Read more>>

Katya Grokhovsky

My parents encouraged my creativity from a very early age. As an only child, I lived inside my own imaginary worlds, drawing on everything, collecting strange objects, inventing stories, staging absurd plays, and directing other children. For a period, I didn’t speak; I was extremely quiet and observant, focused on my inner world while studying the external. Read more>>

Stephanie Orsomarso

The singular, and most important thing that my parents (my dad and mom) did right, was by putting God first in everything they did in their lives and careers. I know my life and career wouldn’t even be close to what it is now, had they not made that decision for themselves and for our family. Read more>>

Catherine Nuñez

My parents have always been supportive of my creative pursuits, encouraging me to follow my interests. I remember that when I was a teenager, my mom would wake up very early in the morning to take me to the bus so I could study out of town, and my dad would pick me up late at night after rehearsals. Read more>>

Zach Young

My parents are American born Chinese. My mom, first generation. My dad, second generation. My mom was fostered at a young age by a catholic woman of Irish-descent in East Oakland. This catholic woman, we called her Grams, had raised my mom on a foundation of love from the ground up. My dad had lived on his own since he was sixteen. Read more>>

Sissy Andrews

I want to take a moment to honor two of the most important people in my life—my parents. They didn’t just raise me; they shaped me. They gave me something priceless: the spirit of an entrepreneur. I am 3rd generation entrepreneur. From an early age, I watched them work tirelessly. Their work ethic was unmatched. No matter the challenge, they never gave up. Read more>>

Samantha Schneider

I was very fortunate to be born into a supportive family. I was never pushed to persue anything or told I had to get good grades, get into college to find a 9 to 5 job. My dad had become an FX artist and travled to California to work on movies while he was still in his teens. Read more>>

Liz Lathan

My dad was an international business man so every summer he took me and my with him on a business trip to another continent. While he worked, we’d explore the city, often with a spouse of his work colleagues as our guide. I learned so much about hospitality and culture and why feeling welcome matters so much. Read more>>

Joseph Kamel

My parents were far from perfect, but one thing they absolutely nailed was agape, a deep and nonjudgmental form of unconditional love. No matter how I acted, even if I dismissed them or treated them poorly, they stayed fully committed to my well-being. I remember a time when I was so focused on my studies, then suddenly I just stopped caring. Life hit me hard. Read more>>

Qualan Faloye

My parents gave me balance. My father, a jack-of-all-trades, always told me, “As long as you apply yourself, you can do anything.” That discipline pushed me to explore my interests and build a versatile career in advertising. It also helped me build my confidence to launch my own brand. Read more>>

Christina Vosbikian

I love this question. I am so incredibly blessed with two parents who have lived by example to show me the importance of working hard and doing good with the opportunities I am afforded. What they ‘did right’ is believe in me loudly – and push me to do good along the way! Read more>>

TARA WEATHERSBY

Growing up, I was blessed to have parents who always encouraged and supported my creativity and the many activities I pursued. One vivid memory was when I was about 10 years old and, for my birthday party, I actually planned a full wedding for Ken and Barbie—complete with decorations, music, and a program. Read more>>

Danny Zertuche

i leave in Las Cruces NM been living here 60 years, as we were growing up my dad had a construction business, name Jose Zertuches Contracting, he always works hard and was very responsible, we always had what we needed thanks for his hard work. Read more>>