Our community is comprised of entrepreneurs and artists and creatives – folks who have chosen incredibly difficult professional paths that often don’t offer any safety nets or guarantees. Nonetheless, we regularly hear that being a parent is a far greater challenge and so we asked some of these folks to open up to us about the things they’ve done as parents that they feel will have a meaningful and positive impact on their child.

Sara Spector | Owner/Instructor FIT4MOM Central East Valley

Our children are always watching. Always. They may not do what we say but they certainly copy what we do. Having my two boys watch me put my health first…having them see that fitness and exercise is healthy, fun and a priority is one of the most important thing I have done for them. In watching me they have a healthy relationship with exercise and fitness and have made it part of their everyday lives. Read more>>

Patsy Elmer | Big Time Jerseys Owner

I asked both of my grown children, Tony and Christine, what they learn from me that has impacted their lives today. They said they learned unconditional love and to treat others the same as you would want to be treated, no matter what color their skin is. Read more>>

Marely McDonald | Certified MUA

I am a mom of two boy’s. A 10 year old an a 1 year old. As parents we always want the best for our children and hope everything we teach them sticks with them and they do good. I have done and showed my oldest many things from small to big that I hope one day it will help him. Respect Is one thing that we feel is important as parents to teach our children. We want them to respect us, others and themselves. But we also need to show them respect. It is easy for us to ignore what they feel and not respect/pay attention to there opinion simply because they are kids. We need to lead by example! Another thing we have done and know it will help him is not keeping him in a bubble. I grew up in a sheltered environment not knowing much about the world or any other culture besides my parents. Read more>>

David Haddad | Cigar Historian, Bard and Purveyor, service provider to the resort industry

By owning and developing a new business/industry, demonstrating to my children the value of self reliance, self determination and charting your own course will have many ups and downs, creative requirements and delayed gratification. These are the qualities that build humility, grace and determination and ultimately, Pride in your work/self. Learning early by witnessing our work ethic, the children will see the importance of keeping your head down, working hard and wise. The children will learn that desperation, above all else, is the most valuable of motivators. In building a company from scratch, finding a niche in an industry that has hundreds of years of history, making an impact on your clients that is original and completes what they are doing better than they can accomplish on their own, is true job/life security and very hard for others to duplicate. Read more>>