Lately, I’ve been wondering, “Are my husband and I parenting our kids based on the world we grew up in… or the world they’re actually growing into?

It’s an uncomfortable question, because if I’m being honest, so much of what I default to (my instincts, my “rules,” my advice) was shaped by a childhood that looks nothing like the future my kids are heading toward.

For most of us when we grew up, “success” looked like:
Get good grades.
Go to college.
Get a stable job.
Get married. Buy a house. Have kids.
Retire after 40 or so years.

But the rules have changed for our children. Many of the jobs that will exist when our kids graduate haven’t even been invented yet. Technology is evolving faster than we can comprehend.

Emotional intelligence, adaptability, and creativity are the real currencies of their future.

Are we preparing our kids for that? Or are we clinging to the lessons we needed in the past because they’re more comfortable for us now?

Maybe it’s human nature. We parent from experience because it’s what we know.
It feels safe. It feels loving.
It feels responsible.
But what if, without meaning to, we’re accidentally preparing them for a world that doesn’t exist anymore?

I’m not writing this as an expert, by the way. I’m not sitting high on a mountain of “right answers.”
I’m just a mom, standing in my kitchen, wondering if my advice is helping or holding them back.

Should I be pushing my kids to be the best at math… or teaching them how to think critically, creatively, and compassionately when faced with problems nobody’s solved yet?

Should I be rewarding perfect grades… or celebrating resilience, grit, and the courage to keep trying when things don’t come easily?

Should I be talking more about “safe” careers… or encouraging them to dream big, take risks, and define success in a way that feels meaningful to them?

It’s a lot to sit with. And maybe there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
Maybe the real answer is found by staying curious. If we parent with our eyes wide open instead of on autopilot perhaps we can help our kids build a future we can’t even imagine… but they can.

So tonight, as I tuck my kids into bed, I’ll ask myself again…
Am I parenting based on my past?
And am I brave enough to parent for their future?

I’d love to hear from you, have you ever thought about this too?
What do you think our kids will really need from us to prepare for the future of work?

Let’s start the conversation.

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