Parenting is an incredibly important responsibility and so we wanted to get a conversation going with input from parents in the community. We asked them: what is the most important thing you’ve done as a parent? We’ve highlighted some of the responses below.

Lorran Garrison

I think the most important thing I’ve done as a parent is help my son understand who he is and where he comes from while giving him the confidence to become his own person. As the parent of an Asian American teenager, that has felt especially important in recent years. Read more>>

MORRIS BROWN

There’s one rule that I’ve had ever since I was a kid. There are two things in life that are very important. Chasing your dream and starting a family. Life is an act of spinning plates. You have to give each plate a certain amount of time or it will crash. Some people let their families crash while they pursue their dreams especially in Hollywood. Read more>>

Bahman Mehabadi

We are born with certain characteristics affecting the core of our personalities. Some people are characterized as firm and some as irresolute and uncertain. Those who have firm personalities, inject firmness and self-confidence when training their children and other people. They have a strong influence and consistently encourage their community towards good will, improvement, and deep thinking. Read more>>

Hannah Carmichael

The most important thing I’ve done as a parent to impact my children is to show them by example what true repentance looks like. When I feel convicted for having a bad attitude, complaining, throwing a fit, playing the victim, or losing my temper, I go back to my kids and confess why my behavior was wrong and then ask for their forgiveness. Read more>>

Sam Gallagher

I read a lot of parenting books and articles. I have two boys (11 and 13). There’s so much great advice out there for parents. A few big things I try to keep in mind is that your kids are watching you a lot and paying attention to how you go about your day and how you interact with them and others. Read more>>

SJ Hodges

If I had to boil it down to one word: modeling. My daughter is observant, empathic, aware. Like most kids, she watches (and mimics) a lot of what I do. Read more>>

Rhonda Franklin

One of the most important things I have done as a parent is raise my three children as an African American single mother while teaching them resilience, independence, faith, and perseverance. Raising my children alone came with challenges, but I made sure they always had love, support, guidance, and an example of hard work, determination and unconditional love. Read more>>

Dr. Elizabeth Perry

I’m the ultimate boy mom. Our house is loud, wild, fun, and cuddly, believe it or not. The most important thing I’ve done as a parent is recognize that my children are my greatest teachers. Kids live so fully in the present moment. They remind us again and again how to do the same. As adults, we can get stuck in our heads. Read more>>