So many of us parent the way our parents did – because it’s the only example we’ve had a chance to see up close. We think one of the ways to remedy this is to create a space where people can share stories of the things they feel their parents did right, so we can all learn from those examples.

Dr. Anne Etonga

My mother did so many things right, and her strength, resilience, and unwavering belief in education have profoundly shaped my life and career. One of the most defining aspects of my upbringing was watching my mother overcome unimaginable challenges while ensuring that my brother and I never went without. Read more>>

Muznah Fawad

As someone who was raised by a single mother, I take every opportunity to celebrate her influence on my life, because my story simply can’t be told without the woman who shaped my personality, gave me my name, and, if I might add, my good looks. Growing up in a Pakistani household, I often faced criticism for my creative inclinations, since the norm for many was to aim for traditional, prestigious careers—doctor, lawyer, or another high-profile profession. Yet, even though I excelled academically and matched my classmates’ top grades, I felt a pull toward different paths. Read more>>

Brian Childers

My parents are wonderful. Full Stop. There are not enough accolades I can share that would adequately express what my parents have meant to me both personally and professionally. Both of my parents are retired professional church musicians. They met and married in college where each earned undergrad degrees in music. Read more>>

Christian Pond

My parents worked hard my whole life and they instilled that work ethic into me. They also never pushed me into a career path that I didn’t want to go down. I would play my guitar for hours after school. Learning as much from YouTube as I possibly could. They allowed me to do that all I wanted and go down this musical path that isn’t always encouraged. Specially in a small town. They knew that’s what I wanted to do and they encouraged me and also supplied me with what I needed to do it. Which was basically a guitar, amp, and internet connection. Read more>>

Julia A Royston

I am an entrepreneur because my parents were bi-vocational. My dad was a teacher during the day and an entrepreneur at night. My mom ran the business during the day time while we were all at school. At night, we all worked the business together as a family. My parents taught me and showed me ‘work ethic.’ Work very hard and then play hard too. My dad’s motto was, ‘if human beings are designed to do it, then you can do it too.’ BUT ‘be willing to work for it. No one is giving you anything.’ I am a hard worker and my husband saw that I work too much so I learned the working lesson from my parents honestly and wholeheartedly. Read more>>

Fiona Mcgrath

Throughout my life and the time I have spent building my career, the support, mentorship, and pushback from my parents has served as a guidepost and a resource that has allowed me not only to grow as a young professional but also to thrive creatively in my dream industry.

My parents are both entrepreneurs and while business minded they are also both artists who look to creativity not just as a personal meditation but as an evolving endeavor – always curious to learn something new or collaborate with other artists in different ways. Through watching this I have learned the importance of leading with a beginner’s mindset at the forefront of all endeavors. Read more>>

Bilal Khan

My parents raised me so well that any mistakes I’ve made in life are entirely my own. They taught me right from wrong and instilled in me the values that continue to guide me. I was raised in an environment filled with pure joy and love, and because of that, I have nothing but love and joy to give in return. My parents’ love was—and still is—unconditional. Read more>>

Taylor Manoles

My parents have always been my first and biggest supporters of my art. I have three other siblings, so crayons were always broken, marker tips abused, but my parents always had art supplies around. My mom got me a sewing machine for my birthday when I was about 9 years old, we made pajama pants together, and more pillows than any household needs. She taught me how to crochet, and everyone got handmade scarfs for the next three Christmases. It got to the point where my sister (snarkily) started asking “is this gift handmade or store bought” before opening a present from me. The trips with my mom to Michaels craft store were a haven, and even though we didn’t have a lot of money, my mom always met my incessant need for a craft. Read more>>

Grandeast Wright

My parents both exposed me to all kinds of music, books, art, foods and just many things that really opened eyes. Both of them also spoke to me and gave me advice at an early age. I can remember from the age of 5, that creating was a part of me and something I was meant to do no matter what. I remember my father loved to make his own clothing and had a lot of fashion/tailoring books. That exposed me to different types of designs and different era’s which fueled my passion for art. Seeing him create his own clothing and having a passion for the arts really inspired me to experiment and dive in to my own craft. Read more>>

Ammarah Sadiq

The first thing that comes to mind when I think about this question is the metaphor- “pressure makes diamonds” in the sense that, in order to truly shine and be a diamond it goes through such intensity.

Thats how I see my journey.
I am where I am today because of my parents. Obviously I didn’t always have this perspective, for the longest time, just like every teen or young adult I found fault with my parents and their ways. Read more>>

Tamara Wilkerson

On a regular day, ever think to yourself, HOW did this person get to this point alive? WHERE is the common sense? WHO raised this person? I sit back and think thank GOODNESS my mother taught me the things she did, because compassion, logic, and being analytical are NOT necessarily a given. Read more>>

Ria Pavia

A few decades ago, my two brothers, parents and I relocated from New York to South Carolina, and it felt like we moved to another country. No, really. I truly thought one of my teachers spoke another language, but it turned out to be just a thick Southern drawl -“Ria” sounded like “Reahrrrr.” Culture shock aside, I wanted to make the most of the move. I I tried out for the cheerleading squad and got rejected. Just me and one other hopeful did not make the cut. Everyone else was accepted. Tried out again and was IN this time. But the whole “team sport” culture was not resonating with me, so I pivoted my plans and auditioned for a play at the local community theater. Read more>>

Adrianna Audoma

Throughout my life, my mom has alway encouraged and supported me – even when I told her I wanted to be a professional dancer, even when I wanted to drop out of college, even when I moved 1,000 miles away to Portland, Oregon, even when… While she may not understand why I do the things I do, she listens, she shares her concerns, and asks how she can help. She knows she has raised a stubborn, strong willed person who learns by experiencing life for herself and so rather than trying to stand in my way, she takes my hand and we go along together.  Read more>>

Makayla Douglas

I believe my parents have helped guide me to being the person I am today. They have always influenced me to not be afraid of pursuing any thought I’ve had in my mind, especially when it comes to my career. My parents always tells me to take my time when making decisions with any category in my life but to jump after it if your passionate about it, because you never want to look back and wonder what could have been. And for that I’m deeply grateful for because it has lead me to go after a lot of my goals I have within my career. Read more>>

Desiree Estrada

I believe one of the most significant things I was taught by my parents was to constantly find balance and joy in the little things that make each day special. Nowadays, I can say this helps me stay grounded and connected to my emotions. Read more>>

Todd Marston

My parents were very intentional about supporting their kids in pursuing our dreams. They pitched in what they could to help me with college tuition, and gave me full control over where I applied to school. I knew that I wanted to go to Berklee College of Music, so it was the only school that I applied to. With a little help from my parents, a small student loan and a decent scholarship, I was able to attend the music school best-suited to my particular goals. The friendships, skills and connections that I built at Berklee are the foundation of my career as a musician. Read more>>

Yu He

I’m really grateful that my parents have always supported me. They don’t have any background in the film industry and don’t fully understand how it works, but they know how much I love it, so they’ve always encouraged me and respected my choices. Read more>>

Darrell Randolph

My parents are definitely hilarious in their own way. They divorced when I was younger but that never stopped my access to either. That given how parenting is viewed now, I’d say they did right.

One thing that definitely stood out to me as I think about it is that my parents openly admitted and apologized when they were wrong in a situation. Through those situations it helped me realize that everyone makes mistakes and your parents aren’t always right. These things lead me to question everything but not in a disrespectful way. I wanted to understand not rebel (most of the time). Read more>>

Bianca Teabout

My parents have always been my greatest supporters. From the moment I could hold a pencil, they encouraged my creativity in ways that most parents might not. While others might have seen a child scribbling on walls or bedframes as destruction, my parents saw it as self-expression. Whatever creative hobby sparked my interest, they made it a priority to place me in environments where I could grow. Art summer camps, after-school programs, music lessons, sports teams, drama clubs, filmmaking workshops—you name it, they found a way to make it happen. Read more>>

Carly Castillo

I like to think of my parents as my lighthouse—encouraging me to embark on the unknown and the challenging while always being there to guide me safely from afar. For my entire life, they have gently set an example for me and my five siblings of what it means to be successful business owners while also prioritizing family, friendships, and personal growth outside of work. Read more>>

Sid Patten

Ever since I was little my parents told me I could do whatever I wanted when I grew up. They were so supportive when in 5th grade I announced I was going to be president of the United States. As I got older they watched me find my peace while holding a camera. My dad would drive me to take pictures for my friends and let me use his car to lazily store my equipment when I didn’t feel like carrying it inside. When I announced my acceptance into art school they were just as happy as I was. Read more>>

Lance Orso

They let me fail on my own and didn’t save me up every time things got hard. My mom works in the corporate world and my father was self employed doing metal work, Fabrication, and Masonry work. As a kid with parents who both worked my summers were spent in my fathers shop or out helping him and my uncle on brick jobs. It was hot and made me realize real quick I needed to bust my ass to put myself in a position to not have a job where I was outside all day everyday in the Texas heat or in a shop with no AC during the summer and no heater during the winter. But as an adult I appreciate it now, it made me not scared of hard work in any conditions. Read more>>

Naomi Richards

What my parents did right and how it impacted my life is growing me up in a Christian household. I learned how to love everyone in their own way and how to treat others whether they are mean or nice. I learned how to impact others in a positive way. My parents did their best to show me God Grace and how he loves us. Even tho sometimes I would think that God may not feel as if he is there, my parents tell me and also the Bible says God will never leave me nor forsake me. I have learned to love those who may not think or see things the way I do. God gives grace and I choose to keep that grace that God gives. Read more>>

Ceci Sanchez

My mom is the oldest of 9 children, she practically raised them too! She learned from a young age that nothing would be handed to you if you don’t put the work in. Like many others she left her parents, her siblings, her childhood home, her life back in Mexico and came to the United States for a better life for her and her children. She also to this day, still sends money back home. I Know there’s people out there that can relate and if you know, you know. Thanks to her I now get to help so many others with their dreams. My mom is my hero and one of my biggest inspirations! She is a strong woman that worked to keep a roof over our heads when we were younger, food on our table and clothes on our backs all while trying her best. Seeing her hustle has given me that hustle mentality and being proud of it too. Read more>>

Ambre Aka “bre” Luellen

My parents taught me to treat everyone with love and respect, to see the value in every person, and to always approach life with a good heart. They also emphasized the importance of being responsible and independent. These values have shaped both my personal life and my career. Read more>>

Kae’chauna Houston

I believe my parents did it all right considering being a parent is hard. No parent has a manual on how to navigate or parent. My childhood was normal and my experiences with my parents aren’t all perfect, however they did it right. I was taught the freedom to explore any interest I had. This is the biggest lesson my parents taught me because it drives my ability to explore new career possibilities and new paths in my life. They both in their individual way have taught me to keep going. Both my parents are fighters in their own ways and perseverance was what they showed me. The ability to persevere through anything that comes my way. Read more>>

Iga Xiaoyi Zhou

I’ve heard my mom share countless times about her dream of becoming an artist when she was growing up. She would go into vivid detail about how my grandmother was firmly against the idea of her pursuing ballet and performing arts, which my mom had been passionately practicing as a teenager. She would hide her ballet shoes in her schoolbag and secretly practice before and after school. Even when her toes bled from hours of dancing, she would push through and hide the pain when walking in front of my grandmother. Read more>>

Gabby Camacho

My mom is not only the inspiration for our business, but she’s also our number one fan, mentor, and investor. She’s basically everything all wrapped in one, which I guess is a parent anyway! My mom has always been a realistic person, making sure I knew that I could do anything I want, but I need to know exactly how I’m going to get there, it won’t just come true. I grew up in the kitchen cooking and baking with her since the age of 5. At first she wanted me to learn how to cook so I could become self-sufficient. To me, cooking was easy, baking was hard. So anytime we baked, I paid extra close attention because I had trouble with numbers and measuring, and baking is something of a science. Read more>>

Steven Griffin

Like many families, mine was far from picture-perfect (pun intended). However, I was incredibly fortunate that my parents also doubled as my biggest fans. During my rebellious youth, I fell into the wrong crowd and ended up going through a lot of growing pains. I was getting speeding tickets, possession charges, and even found myself expelled at one point. While I’m sure my parents had their doubts, they still stood by me and celebrated the things I was passionate about. Even when I had my own doubts about my future, their belief in my abilities helped give me the confidence to follow my heart and carve out my own path. Read more>>

Caleb Rouse

My parents set the foundation for everything I do today by instilling in me three core values: a strong work ethic, a heart for caring about others, and faith-based principles. Growing up, I watched them pour their time and energy into every task—from the small, everyday chores like cleaning up the yard or making dinner, to the larger commitments like volunteering in our church community. They never complained about the effort it took; instead, they showed me that hard work was its own reward and that there is dignity in doing every job—big or small—to the best of my ability. Read more>>