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.

Cornelius George | Educator & Comedian

As a parent, we all want to give our kids the best of life and the opportunity to have the things we didn’t have. We start dreaming of the lives they will lead and the things they will accomplish from the moment we hear “you’re having a baby”. As parents we try to raise our children to be productive members of society with high morals, a strong work ethic, and a love for all mankind. I am no different. The most important thing I have done as a parent is to teach my children our family motto: Sine Metu’, which is Latin for “Without Fear”. Not only have I taught them the meaning of this phrase, but we have tried to demonstrate this on a daily basis. See most of the time we give our children all the tools for them to succeed in life (tutors, sports coaches, music & acting lessons), but we fail to teach them how to deal with fear. Read more>>

Generra Ingram

I am a parent of a beautiful, creative, humorous, and determined teenage girl. The most important thing I have done as a parent in terms of impact is showing my daughter that diligence and purpose, coupled with faith, will help you be the best version of yourself. I taught her never to give up. As a single mother, she has watched me overcome several obstacles, including but not limited to, placing higher education on hold to focus on my family, underemployment, unemployment, and unsuccessful relationships. She has witnessed the crude reality of being an African American, a woman, and a single parent in today’s society. But I would not have it any other way because she also got to witness my unyielding optimism and fervent faith amid the trials. She was able to see me finally acquire my college degree, achieve gainful employment, spearhead my own business, and get engaged to a remarkable man while standing tall as an African American woman. Read more>>

Jonathan Pascual | Owner

The most important thing I’ve done as a parent is that I’ve been present. I have four kids, currently ages 7 to 12, and I have had the incredible privilege of being there to witness their childhood. My business started just one year after my youngest child was born, and it could have easily consumed most waking hours of my life. Instead, I intentionally planned the organization, staffing, and growth of my coffee shop so that it could thrive without my physical presence during all hours of operation. For years now, I’ve been able to take point in picking my kids up from school, cooking family dinners every weeknight, and tucking my kids into bed. My heart is at rest knowing my kids know my voice, my personality, my quirks, my strengths and weaknesses. By prioritizing presence, our family has stored up a trove of priceless memories and my kids have a rock-solid foundation of family and faith that will support them being built up as the next generation of world-changers. Read more>>

Sonique Brown | Sales Coach & Business Strategist

The biggest sacrifice I’ve made is being determined to become a full-time entrepreneur after being laid off, and this is creating a business from scratch that didn’t even exist when I lost my job. Both of my children need a lot of attention with one child with ADHD and the other one being special needs. In order to provide them both with the care AND support needed, I needed to have a more flexible schedule than a nine to five. Believe me, I tried to negotiate that, even with a role that was supposed to allow me to work from home, but that didn’t work out that way. This means that the job would be around the children rather than the children around the job. God has been good because the first year was mostly winging it and I made it! I’m approaching my second year since being laid off and things keep getting better professionally AND with my family, so I know I made the right decision. Read more>>

DeneQuia Able | Singer-Songwriter & Entrepreneur

I feel as if I’ve shown them that anything is possible. We own a party rentals business we’ve started for them to take over. Our goal is to leave them something they can could have as their own that’s sustainable and financially rewarding. Also, in fulfilling my dreams as singer I pray they work towards their dreams and never give up on themselves as I plan to never give up ok myself or them. Read more>>