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.

Jasmin Sky Pena | Mother, Artist & Fair-Trade Shop Owner

As a mother of four kids (ages 7yrs – 10months), I think the most important thing I’ve done as a parent is homeschool. I am entering my 4th year of home educating and it has been such a beautiful experience being able to teach my children at home. I find myself enjoying every bit of our daily rhythm and learning right along with them. As a homemaker, I love creating an ambiance of love and peace, where it allows my children their complete selves. Read more>>

Brittany Wise | CEO & Creative

As a working mom, we hear a lot about finding balance. I feel like the most important thing that I’ve shown my kids (ages 8 & 6), is that when you are passionate, it’s okay to be all-in. Some days I’m not able to spend as much with them as I think I should. The early days of building a business took all my time and focus which inevitably led to lots of mom-guilt. When I could, I included the kids in helping build our brick & mortar business. When I could, I explained to them on a level that they could understand, what my goals were for that day and why it was important for me to finish those tasks so that I could spend more time with them later. While the days were long, however, other days I had more flexibility so that I could be spontaneous and do fun things that I wouldn’t normally get to do if I working my former engineering position. Read more>>

Cheryl James | Chief Customer Officer

My husband and I have two adult children ages 33 and 22. One of the most important things that we have done for them is to expose them to the world via travel. I think allowing them to experience other cultures and see how others live and work has allowed them to understand the world and themselves. Travel changes your mindset and helps you understand how you fit in the world. It highlights that while the world is very diverse, we all have very similar needs. As a result, both of my children have chosen career paths that help others with their quality of life. Read more>>

Austin Ackert | Cartoonist & Freelance Artist

My family always supported my artistic interests and encouraged me to chase after my dreams. I try to do the same for my kids. They see me at my desk drawing all the time and I hope it shows them that if you really want something you have to put in the time and work to get it. Manifest your dreams. Read more>>