life lessons from parents essay

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60 Life Lessons I Learned From My Parents

Written by joshua becker · 70 Comments

“No matter how far we come, our parents are always in us.”  ― Brad Meltzer

This weekend, my mother celebrates her 60th birthday. In two months, my father will celebrate his 60th as well. Unfortunately, the miles separate us. And I regret not being able to be there to celebrate with them.

My mother and father have always been wonderful parents to me. They have worked hard to provide a stable foundation for my life and future.

They have taught me invaluable life lessons about work, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. And to celebrate their 60th birthday, I thought I would use this public forum to give them the praise they deserve and to share with you some of my lessons learned in life thanks to my parents.

• Admit mistakes. It would be foolish for me to claim my parents have been perfect. They aren’t. But when they make a mistake, they humbly admit it. And work to fix it.
• Appreciate teachers. My mom worked a number of jobs while I was growing up ― including being a teacher. From her , I learned to appreciate the time, energy, commitment, and care that teachers show every day.
• Assist your neighbor whenever possible. Everywhere I’ve lived, my parents knew our neighbors. More importantly, they recognized their needs and assisted when possible.
• Attend church. Worship has always been important to my family. Then and now.
• Be a good friend to find a good friend. Healthy friends cultivate healthy friendships. And my parents taught and modeled what it means to be a good friend to others.
• Be content with little. There were numerous times growing up when money was tight. Nevertheless, my parents were content in it.
• Be content with much. There were also times when the bank accounts were healthy. Even more impressive, my parents were content then as well.
• Be humble. We have nothing to prove. But we have everything to offer.
• Be open to criticism. We never stop learning, growing, and changing. My mother and father were always open to being challenged in new ways.
• Be quick to help.  If a need in the community was articulated, my parents were among the first to be there. They set a healthy example from the very beginning that life is not all about getting… it’s about giving .
• Care about the right things. Our lives and resources are finite . And you just can’t care about everything. Seek to care about the right things.
• Care for the fatherless . My parents provide, protect, and care for the orphan and the fatherless. And if there is a greater compliment to be given, I’m not sure what it is.
• Celebrate holidays with family. Even when we lived far away from extended family, I always remember making it home for the holidays as a kid. And as an adult, I still do.
• Choose the narrow path . Many will choose the broad, well-trodden path. My parents never did. Their values always dictated their decisions even when they were unpopular.
• Come home for lunch.  I distinctly remember my dad coming home from work each day for lunch―usually for a hot dog on bread with chips. Let me repeat that, I always remember my dad coming home from work for lunch.
• Commit to your spouse. My parents have remained faithful to each other in every possible way for 40 years. I can’t thank them enough.
• Compete but remain fair. Competition runs deep in our family. But so does fairness. And I’d hate to have the first without the second.
• Concern your life with more than money. My mother and father always concerned themselves with greater pursuits than money.
• Disagree humbly. Nobody gets it right every time. I’m glad I learned from them the importance of being able to disagree with genuine humility… sometimes I wish I learned this even more.
• Discipline is a virtue. Self-discipline ought not be feared, but nurtured.
• Don’t fear change. My family moved a number of times while I was growing up  (5-6 times before graduating high school). Through the experience and their example, my parents taught me never to fear it.
• Don’t look for wealth in money.  True wealth is never measured on a bank statement. And they never evaluated theirs by the number of zeros printed on it.
• Eat cereal for dinner.  Not sure why we had cereal every Sunday night for dinner… but surely, that’s where I learned it.
• Education is worth pursuing. My mom and dad had twin sons while still in college. They both graduated. Well done.
• Express gratitude. Gratitude is a discipline best experienced in both the good times and the bad. My parents displayed it regardless of external factors.
• Forgive quickly. Wrongs happen and mistakes are made. Sometimes, those decisions hurt. But not granting forgiveness only harms yourself.
• Get on the floor with your kids. My dad worked hard. But when he would come home, he would get on the floor and play with his kids. If I haven’t said it yet, “Thank you.”
• Have an opinion. You can always count on my mom to have an opinion. And thankfully so. She taught me the value of forming one.
• Invite others. My family always sought to include others into our plans and lives. From them, I’ve learned the value of this simple question, “Would you like to come with us?” Our world needs more people like that.
• Laugh often. 
• And then laugh some more. Needless to say, I love the culture of joy my parents established in our home.
• Learn from others. My parents never considered themselves so above someone else that they couldn’t learn something new from them. And I’ve always appreciated that trait.
• Live in Aberdeen, SD. We moved a number of times growing up. But somehow, my parents always returned to Aberdeen, SD… and that’s where they continue to live today. Know that I look forward to visiting home again soon.
• Live within your income. My parents always made adjustments in their spending based on their income. They taught me the value of frugality when necessary. But more importantly, they taught me the joy of living within my means.
• Love conversation.  Both my mom and dad excel in the gift of conversation. They use both their ears and their mouth during communication. And evenings spent in the living room talking about life pass too quickly.
• Love is best spoken and shown . Words are important. But so are actions. My parents express love using both.
• Love your work. Both my mom and my dad love their work. It’s no coincidence that I do too.
• Overcome difficulties.  This world isn’t easy. And our lives are defined by how we respond in adversity. The greatest among us overcome trials and seek to learn from them.
• Pack an afternoon snack.  My dad also taught me the value of a fun-size Snickers bar in the afternoon.
• Parenting matters. Stephanie Martson once said, “Everything our children hear, see, and feel is recorded onto a cassette. Guess who is the big star in their movie? You are.” The lives we live and the decisions we make absolutely matter in the worldview of our children.
• Play athletics. I learned to love sports from my dad.
• Play board games. But I learned to love board games from my mom.
• Practice generosity . Give your life and resources to others as much and as often as you can. They need your help. Your kids need the example . And you need the practice even more than them.
• Remain honest. It’s no great accomplishment to be honest when it is easy. But our true appreciation of honesty is displayed when it is difficult. And a truly honest man or woman is hard to find these days. I’m so glad to have two in my life.
• Respect character. Your character is of far more value than anything you can sell it for. Don’t trade it for something foolish like money, fame, power, sex, or the entire world.
• Rise early. I have vivid memories of playing basketball with my father at 6am before school would start. Great memories. But an even greater example.
• Schedule rest. As long as I can remember, my mother and father have taken naps on Sunday afternoons. They were probably just tired. But for me, it became a healthy model of appreciating both hard work and scheduled rest .
• Seek God. Some people choose to reject God. Others choose to ignore Him. My parents taught me to seek Him. And as the old saying goes, “If you seek, you will find.”
• Serve others.  As I learned from them in both word and deed, life is bigger than yourself. And truest life, fulfillment, meaning, and joy is found in the service of others.
• Study words. My mother loves games that value words: Scrabble, Boggle, even Words with Friends. And even to this day, unless I cheat, I am unable to beat her.
• Take care of the elderly. The sunset is no less beautiful than the sunrise. I’m grateful for parents who see the beauty in young children, but I am also grateful for parents who have stood by those at the end of their life as well.
• Track spending. My dad is a banker with a mind for numbers. As a result, I can’t possibly remember the complicated system that he used to track our family’s budget… nobody else could either. But what I did learn is the importance of tracking dollars and developing budgets. And I’ll take that any day.
• Trust others. I learned optimism from my parents. They live their lives seeing the good in others and trusting them because of it. They taught me it is better to trust and get burnt once in awhile than to live your entire life suspicious of everyone around you.
• Use your talents. As I mentioned, my dad is a financial guy and my mom is a gifted teacher and trainer. Apart from their careers, they often use their talents in various community-based organizations to better the lives of others. They recognize their gifts and utilize them whenever possible.
• Vacations don’t have to be expensive. We went on summer vacations almost every summer growing up. And while a few of them required a significant financial investment, most of them didn’t. But we enjoyed all of them regardless of the destination (except for maybe the drive through the Colorado mountains without an air conditioner…).
• Value children. Both my mother and father love children and continue to invest their lives into kids. As a matter of act, even at age 60, you can still find my dad on the floor playing with his grand-kids.
• Value education. The ability to learn is a gift and a responsibility. My parents taught us early not to take it for granted.
• Value family. I’m so thankful to have grown up in a family that was filled with love, care, and joy. If you did not, seek to develop those attributes in your own life/family today. I can attest that your kids will forever thank you for it.
• Volunteer. Give freely to your community. Your gift is needed. And it makes the world a better place for everyone.
• Work hard. My parents have not wasted their lives. Their example has taught me the value of working hard and pursuing lasting significance over worldly success.

Mom and Dad, I can’t possibly express how thankful I am for each of you. Thank you for so many valuable life lessons.

Happy 60th birthday. Here’s to 60 more.

January 6, 2024 at 5:06 PM

Wooh what a wonderful lesson, im reading this at 5:35 am so glad to find it, ❤️

November 25, 2023 at 8:26 AM

That’s a good lesson

December 20, 2023 at 11:28 AM

GRACEFUL FAMILY.

July 12, 2023 at 12:31 PM

This is excellent ✔️

August 23, 2021 at 10:01 AM

Joshua Becker,All that you have painted above is the true gift any person could ever wish in life.I am happy to share that many of these points resemble with my family values here in India.If this be the agenda of entire world imagine what a better place it would be to live in.True values are sowed and nurtured to bloom in to big tree that also serves in different ways to many. Thanks for sharing such a heart warming article and keep up the work @JoshuaBecker,

April 24, 2021 at 7:04 AM

Not all the money in the world could ever buy those beautiful memories you carry inside your heart !

July 31, 2022 at 1:26 PM

I agree with you Tammy

April 7, 2021 at 10:43 PM

Im so happy to read this words, to your parents, is really beautiful. Many times people complain about parents, but Im sure they are many positive things that we learnt from our parents.I see your parents educate with values and virtues, congratulations to your parents. I hope many others will follow this example….thank you for posting

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10 Good Life Lessons That My Parents Taught Me

Here are ten lessons that my parents have taught me over the years, and that continue to make an impact on my life and worldview.

I trailed a few steps behind my parents through the bookstore. Lingering in row after row of books, I did my best to keep up with them. My fingers traced the bookshelves as we wandered from fiction to the children’s books and then to the summer reading section. Little did I know these moments, along with the things parents teach you , would create countless good life lessons for my siblings and me.

Trips to the bookstore were memorable outings for my family and me. While the day might have ended with one or two new additions to the family library, the journeys and discoveries within the bookstores overflowed with valuable lessons. No matter what new book I might have ended up with, I was constantly reminded that the most important things to learn aren’t always found between pages.

My parents helped me see that these priceless lessons are in the moments, words, and experiences shared with others. Today, I still scour bookstores searching for my next read. Yet, while I search, I never forget the things my parents have taught me or what they still have to offer today.

Ten Good Life Lessons That My Parents Taught Me

There are hundreds of lessons my parents have taught my siblings and me over the years. Here are ten of those lessons that have continued to make an impact upon my life and worldview.

1. God Designed Our Family With a Purpose.

From a young age, I can remember moments when my parents reinforced the bond I shared with my siblings and cousins. Despite arguments, hurt feelings, and difficulties, my parents reminded us that God designed our family for a reason. His plan is perfect. His design is perfect. And while it might not always look or feel perfect to us, it is to Him. There can be joy and comfort in trusting Him with our families.

2. The Longest Conversation You Will Ever Have Is the One You Will Have Between You and the Lord.

I wonder how often you hear that little voice in your head or heart. For the follower of Christ, the Holy Spirit guides our lives and decisions. Once I became a follower of Christ , my parents helped me understand how to communicate with the Lord in a unique way. They let me know that this was an eternal relationship. Entering into this relationship with Jesus means that now I have created an infinite conversation with the Lord. Some days, there can be fear and doubt within that conversation. However, my parents taught me that there is eternal hope and joy in talking with God.

  3. Have One Book That You Re-Read Each Year.

Self-reflection can be a fulfilling discipline . I fell in love with reading at a young age. For me, reading became a haven for self-reflection. My parents helped me see the value in re-reading certain books each year. Without fail, each time I returned to the worlds and ideas within those books, I discovered I had grown and changed in ways previously unseen. Re-reading a book each year is a lesson I continue to cultivate in my own life today.

4. Learn About Your Family History.

There are hidden wonders and powerful stories within every family. Growing up, I was fortunate to live near both sets of grandparents. My grandfathers shared stories about our family during nearly every lunch and dinner we had together. My parents taught us the value of listening, asking questions, and respecting the lessons from our grandparents. Even now, I find that I often feel the closest to my family when we share stories from our past and learn about our family’s history.

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5. always write a thank you note..

Since I was able to pick up a pen, my parents taught my siblings and me the value of a handwritten note. Not a single Christmas or birthday celebration went by without writing thank you notes. By cultivating the habit of writing thank you notes, we learned patience, trust, and how to show love to someone with words. Sometimes, I found this habit tedious and difficult. (Besides, my handwriting isn’t the best in the world). But, I am thankful for this rhythm in my life and the relationships I have developed through notes and encouragement.

6. Support the Post Office.

Some days I think my family single-handedly keeps the Post Office in business. I already mentioned the lesson my parents taught us about writing thank you notes. Little did I know that the habit of writing thank you notes would eventually help me find my wife! While she and I dated long-distance throughout most of college, we sent at least one letter or note every day. Sending and receiving mail brought joy to us each day. Over time, this lesson reinforced the value of encouragement through written words.

7. Learn to Value Interruptions.

Whether it is the buzz of a new notification or the sudden appearance of a sibling in your room, interruptions happen every day. I found interruptions to be irritating and unproductive until my parents helped me reframe my perspective. They showed me that Jesus lived an unhurried life. His most incredible moments of teaching and miracles often came after interruptions. Eventually, I learned to find joy in and value interruptions!

8. Sometimes, the Greatest Gift Is Eye Contact.

Body language can often positively or negatively affect a conversation. My parents taught me the value of eye contact within interactions. Establishing eye contact with someone in a conversation can let them know that you hear them, you are listening, and that you respect them.

9. Always Have a Question.

No matter where we went, my dad always seemed to have a question ready. It is one of the traits I admire most about him. I learned to have a rotating list of unique questions to ask strangers, teachers, friends, and co-workers. Not only does having a question help cultivate relationships, but questions help to let others know you care about them.

10. Learn the Value of Mentorship.

My parents surrounded me with a variety of mentors . Some of the most challenging decisions in my life were navigated through wisdom from those older than me. Similarly, my parents helped me learn to spend time with people younger than me. Interacting with the perspectives of those younger than me has continued to reinforce my own worldview. I have never learned more than I have when spending time with people older and younger than me!

These are only a handful of the life lessons my parents have instilled throughout my life. The joy of learning from parents is this: that it never has to stop. Even after I have left their house, I continue to learn from them in unmeasurable ways. Their love and care have had a tremendous impact on my life, and for this, I am incredibly grateful.

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About the Author

Jackson Greer

Jackson Greer is a Special Projects Manager for Focus on the Family. He lives in Colorado Springs with his wife, Clara. They love feeding birds, debating whether or not to get a cat, and reading William Carlos Williams’ poetry together. Also, he is a former high school English teacher and a defender of the Post Office.

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6 Lessons From My Parents That Have Shaped Who I Am Today

I never realized the way I viewed the world, even as an adult, would be significantly impacted by the values my parents instilled in me.

We go to college, form our own identities and become mature adults.

Maybe we lose sight of who we truly are, only to realize the person we are is the person we’ve always been.

Although we can't pick and choose what lessons our parents teach us, we can choose to see them in a good light.

1. Don’t devalue your true character.

The best thing my dad told me was, when it comes down to it, you could be the most successful person in the world, but it will never satisfy you the way genuine relationships will.

At the end of the day, your character is what matters the most.

2. Giving up on your dreams is not an option.

My parents are all about goals.

Every year, like clockwork, they bring up the power of goal-setting.

Although I know it's great to do, I just never felt the need to sit down and write out my goals. But this year was different.

I took time with my parents and explained to them what my plan was. My mom told me no matter what my dreams and aspirations were, they would support me every step of the way.

When people support our dreams no matter what, it provides a sense of relief.

I truly believe loving someone means you support all his or her hopes and dreams because it's hard to find one's passion in life.

3. We do not change who we are.

I think the craziest thing about life is, no matter how many ups and downs we go through, we are still the same kids at heart.

We really don't change who we are.

We can make positive changes and better ourselves, but our childhood will always be a part of our identity.

My parents have always said family is forever. Throughout life, no matter how rough things are, my family has always been there.

This has shaped my meaning of family, and it happens to be the reason I hope to start my own family someday.

4. Nobody is ever better than anyone else.

I have been raised to see everyone as equals.

Our generation is brutal to each other. With constant criticism from societal forces, it's no wonder some of us devalue our upbringings and accomplishments.

But we must see the opportunities we are given to make changes, serve others and listen to people.

My family and I were walking in downtown Chicago last December.

We walked past a gentleman curled up in a ball, with his bare hand holding a Styrofoam cup. He was mumbling something, but no one listened.

My parents stopped. They listened.

The man looked at my dad and told him he just wanted a coat. We provided him with a coat, gloves and blankets. I don't know his story and I don't know why he was homeless. But that isn't something I need to know.

I have learned through my parents' example that people are people. We must help each other.

We all need love, and we should all spread it.

5. Vulnerability is necessary.

My dad is not ashamed to let his guard down. This is something many women find to be the strongest quality in a man.

A man who can be emotional about things displays strength, not weakness. However, being emotional does not always involve waterworks. Being emotional is letting yourself feel emotions healthily, and being vulnerable is expressing your feelings rather than holding them all inside.

Vulnerability is strength. Conflict resolution is impossible without vulnerability. So, when it comes to love, you want to make sure you work through conflicts.

Even if it means admitting you were wrong.

6. Never go to bed angry.

I don’t think I have ever gone to bed angry, and I have my parents to thank for that.

No matter how heated of an argument I had with my parents, we always hugged it out.

Even as a 22-year-old, I find myself refusing to go to bed angry at someone.

I make sure to genuinely apologize or make sure things are settled before my head hits the pillow. I want to wake up happy, and every day is a new day.

So why go to bed mad?

An Important Lesson I Learned From My Mother Essay

My mom is one of the most important people in my life who has taught me many things which help me throughout my life. Her life experience helps me these days to cope with problems and stay forwards looking. One key lesson she has given me is to love yourself before allowing someone to love me. People are different, and it is important to admit this fact to concentrate on personal achievements without paying attention to the thought of the surrounding. My mom’s favorite book is called ‘The Body Is Not an Apology,’ which shows how people of different races and backgrounds accept their individuality and start loving themselves (Taylor, 2021). She constantly provides common examples of people finding their true love when they build healthy relationships with their bodies and minds. Motivational quotes from the book help me build self-confidence and stay more positive toward others.

My mother shows by example what it means to love yourself by being respectful to my father and grateful to her parents. An additional lesson from self-love that I have learned is the ability to say “no” when it is needed. I became able to prioritize my plans and ensure that I do not harm my friends or relatives by being rude. Self-confidence, in this case, allows one to find the right words during communication and build a warmer connection with other people. I have learned from my mom that people who love their personalities are more open to new connections, and surrounding people do not have to spend much time understanding my character’s hidden aspects. By loving yourself, many areas of life can become stable and beneficial for the general body condition.

Taylor, Sonya Renee. The Body Is Not an Apology . Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2021,

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IvyPanda. (2023, August 26). An Important Lesson I Learned From My Mother. https://ivypanda.com/essays/an-important-lesson-i-learned-from-my-mother/

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10 Lessons My Parents Taught Me

My parents are rockstar human beings. They are encouraging, adventurous and brilliant.

So when I started researching and writing about the love between parents and children – and how that love motivates Opportunity International clients to work tirelessly to create bright futures for their children – I couldn’t help but think about the many things my parents have taught me. I could probably fill a book with wise lessons from my parents, but in the interest of time and space, in no particular order, here are 10 things my parents taught me that I will never, ever forget:

1. Read. A lot. All the time.

Books are a life-source. Reading is not a chore, it is an opportunity to explore and dream and learn about the worlds inside of our heads and outside of our walls. My parents taught me to love reading. They let me choose books that I found interesting. They fostered in me a deep love of the library. They asked me what I was learning.  

It didn’t take much to convince us that books were cool – my parents’ bookshelves were all the proof we needed.  

2. New things are not weird, they are just different.

Eating spiders? Not weird, just different. Speaking Chinese? Not weird, just different. That village in Rwanda? Not weird, just different.

Just because I don’t understand something does not mean that it is wrong. In fact, you just might discover that the different actually looks a whole lot like us.

3. Being smart is cool.  

As a student, I was taught that smart and cool were the same thing. It was never about the grades or the college admissions – it was about owning your intelligence and making full use of the brain inside of your head.

4. Get your bearings.

As a kid, I didn’t understand why we would wander aimlessly around a new city without a destination. Now I do. It’s because the destinations can get in the way of the experiences. Understanding a new place requires experiencing a new place – off the beaten path of tour guides and guidebooks. It requires exploration.

5. Kitchens are only sort of for cooking. They are also for dance parties.

My mom never loved cooking. Instead of spending hours preparing a meal, we would laugh and eat and spend time together. And we would dance. Because really, there is no better place to have a dance party than in the middle of the kitchen.

I learned that sometimes fun beats formal. My mom taught me that spending long amounts of time doing something you don’t enjoy is usually not worth it. It’s far better to invest in relationships than worry about doing things the “right” way.

6. Sail around the world.

First, figuratively. Set big, crazy, how-will-I-do-this? goals. Don’t settle for dreams that are easy to accomplish. Tell yourself you are going to sail around the world.

Second, literally. Travel – often and much. To places far away and around the corner. Never, ever stop exploring.

7. Someday, you are going to need to buy a couch.

My parents taught me to save my money by telling me that someday, I would need to have enough money to buy a couch. While they couldn’t have predicted that I would inherit a couch for free, they were right about saving. Forgoing silly purchases in favor of a savings account allowed me to afford a cross country road trip and a backpacking adventure in Asia – it was totally worth it.

8. Other people matter.  

Like most kids, we were taught to be kind – but we were also taught to care. My parents showed us that other people, regardless of their circumstance or personality, were valuable. People have stories that are worth sharing – and it is our privilege to bear witness to these narratives. 

9. Hiking the AT could get you into business school.

If there is one thing my parents always encouraged my sister and me to do, it was this: do what you love. My parents fanned the flames of my interests, allowing me to explore and discover what I truly loved. And when I found those things that made me come alive, they cheered me on to do more of those things – as much as possible.

And as if they could see the future, they knew that someday, that passion would convert beautifully into a career.

10. I am loved.

I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I am loved.

Independent of any of my successes or failure, I will always be encouraged, supported, cheered on and loved. It is the greatest gift my parents ever gave me.

As I think about families around the globe, I am confident that my experience is not unique. Our parents or guardians or siblings or friends teach us to be the people we become. In a careful combination of biology and circumstance, we develop personalities and craft our future identities.

My hope is that every child has the opportunity to learn positive lessons from their family. It’s why I believe in sharing not just my family’s story, but other families’ stories as well.

Check out more incredible parents believing in their kids on the Opportunity blog!

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Wednesday 21st Nov 2018

27 Powerful Life Lessons Our Parents Taught Us

I recently asked the following question ‘what’s the one thing your parents taught you which has really shaped who you are today?’. The response I received was overwhelming; full of inspiration, honesty, sincerity and many home truths. You see, its these truths, these powerful life lessons, that lie at the core of our very being. Here are 27 powerful life lessons our parents taught us…

I recently asked the following question ‘ what’s the one thing your parents taught you which has really shaped who you are today?’ . The response I received was overwhelming; full of inspiration, honesty, sincerity and many home truths. You see, its these truths, these powerful life lessons, that lie at the core of our very being.

Our upbringing is an important part of the people we become and the way we view the world. We learn many things from our parents; some of these things we grasp at the time of the teachable moment and others don’t reveal themselves until we’re further down the road of life.

27 powerful life lessons our parents taught us…

#1      Nothing in life is free. You have to work hard to get what you want in life, you can’t skip the ‘work hard’ part.

#2      Always have ‘two hands on the broom’. If you are going to do a job, do it properly and with effort.

#3      Hustle for what you love.

#4      Have a skill. Be the best you can be at it and you will always be able to earn money.

#5      Buy land. It’s the one thing they are not making more of.

#6      Always leave people feeling happy.

#7      You make your own face in life. If you’re good it will show.

#8     The best things in life relate to invisible, non-tangible feelings. Not material things. It’s how you feel inside; happiness, peace, excitement, pride, which we can create ourselves and have complete control over.

#9     A first impression lasts forever so show up being the best version of yourself in everything you do.

#10   If a jobs worth doing, it’s worth doing well.

#11    The strength is in the team not the individual.

#12    Deeds are more powerful than words.

#13    Dress for the job you want, not the job you’ve got.

#14    Everything is achievable if you want it hard enough and are willing to work for it.

#15    What you think about all day long, is who you become.

#16    Don’t make somebody else’s ‘crazy’ about you, you’ve got your own ‘crazy’ to deal with.

#17     Never expect anything you haven’t worked for or earned. Everything else is a bonus.

#18     There’s no such word as can’t. Anything is possible.

#19     If you don’t understand why you’ve been asked to do something, ask.

#20     Do the right thing, not the easy thing.

#21     Don’t cause suffering to anyone knowingly.

#22    You don’t have to be rich, to be ‘rich’.

#23     Wealth is a state of mind first, not a state of wallet. Some of the wealthiest people are also the poorest from an emotional and life perspective.

#24     It’s okay if you can’t provide support, it’s okay if you fail or succeed. They are all temporary, but your character remains and should always be your best.

#25     Learn to be humble and kind, as you never know what others are going through. One small act of kindness can mean the world to someone.

#26    Don’t get your measuring stick out. It will either make you vain or bitter.

#27     Always be truthful. You’ll never forget what you’ve said if it’s said in truth.

Any of these powerful life lessons…

…familiar words of wisdom?

…or resonate because they made you think about who you are today and what’s important to you?

What lesson is missing?

All 27 powerful life lessons were all shared (mine was #1), and I would love you to share yours to. Simply add them in the comments box below.

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21 life lessons we learned from our mothers

There are big things (don't wallow in self pity) and small ones (don't buy Christmas presents too early), but when it comes to the advice our moms give us, it all makes a difference, no matter how complicated or simple. In a tribute to some of the life lessons they've learned, the TODAY Parenting Team shows us why it's always important to listen to your mother.

Have your own ideas to share ? Join the conversation and become a member of the TODAY Parenting Team and tell us the best life lessons YOU learned from your mom.

1. Be empathetic. ( Willie Geist )

"A career social worker by trade and a wonderful, caring person by birth, Jody Geist taught us to live outward—to think about others and to consider where they might be coming from before we speak, act, or make an assumption."

2. Children don't need to be perfect. ( Angie Goff )

"In her house rules were simple, expectations were high but there was still love. She didn't want perfect children. She wanted daughters who knew what potential was and just how great they could be."

3. Never lose your sense of humor. ( Doyin Richards )

"The undeniable truth of parenting she shared with me is that it can be the absolute worst gig of your life if you don't have a sense of humor. Besides, our kids will only be this little for a limited period of time, and then they're heading off to college, getting jobs and starting families of their own — so why take everything so seriously?"

4. Give love (to anyone and everyone.) ( Doyin Richards )

"My mom doesn't care if you are white or black, gay or straight, Republican or Democrat, thin or chubby, rich or poor, etc. If your heart is pure and kind, she'll be 'loud' about it and let you know."

5. Appreciate what you have now. ( Susie Garlick )

"I am appreciating my messy house because time will pass and one day it won’t be messy. I am enjoying cooking for a house full of teenage friends because time will pass and one day I will be cooking for two. I am turning off my phone, sitting on the couch and talking with my kids because time will pass and one day my couch will be empty."

6. Remember to cheer. ( Amanda Mushro )

"So for the good, the bad, the hard, the easy, the big, and the small, NO ONE will bust out those pompoms, cheer louder and stand stronger in their corner than me. Just like my mom, I’m going to be their cheerleader as long as I’m around."

7. Let your husband do it his way. ( Ana/ Mommy’s bundle )

"Even if it isn’t up to my standards, even if it’s a little messy even if it causes me stress. Let my husband handle things on his own, without a fight or constant scrutiny. The diaper changes, the outfit choice or the bath mess."

8. When in doubt, handle it. ( Jill Simonian )

"Aside from her constant friendship, most incredible pep talks, practical discipline and unmeasurable support over my lifetime, my mom maintained a most consistent and motivating message with my sister and I: We could handle anything that life throws us."

9. Be graceful and gritty. ( Run. Knit. Love. )

"She taught me how to live with grace and grit even when everything falls apart. She taught me that life is short, way too short, and that I cannot let a day go by without telling my children how much I love them and why."

10. Always negotiate. ( Meredith Masony )

"My Mom ... has the ability to sell a ketchup Popsicle to a woman in white gloves. It is a true skill. I was lucky enough to get the ninja skills. I believe that all things are negotiable. I never pay full price. There is always room to negotiate."

11. Ask for what you need. ( Thriller Mom )

"Mom has taught me that I must do whatever it takes to maintain my health and sanity. If that means hiring a babysitter, throwing the kids in front of the TV with frozen dinners, spending the evening at Wal-Mart alone just to walk around, or hiding in my hamper behind locked doors to enjoy my chocolates then so. be. it."

12. Take pictures of yourself. ( Melissa Fenton/ 4boysmother )

"[The scrapbooks] were filled with first steps, first birthdays, first haircuts, first dances and t-ball games. Pictures of Christmas mornings and Halloween evenings; of car trips, boat trips and airplane trips. Page after page of little boys doing little boy things — playing with their dad, shoving cupcakes in their mouths, even being stitched up in the ER. And they all had one thing in common. I wasn't in any of them."

13. Don't wallow. ( Patrice Poltzer/ Furst Bites )

"Divorced, heart-broken and now a mother to an infant, she had to navigate her life with zero child support from my biological father and the notion that at only 25, her life was not what she thought it would be. But my mom was never one to wallow. So she did what she does best. She went to work. Weekends, holidays, late nights ... you name it. And she always did it with a positive attitude and a smile on her face."

14. Be resilient. ( Justin Ricklefs )

"In the gritty, messy, uncertain world we live in, your resilience gave me hope to keep fighting. To get in the ring one more time. To take one more swing. Like the time when the first business I started failed, with a newborn baby girl at home. Or like the time when we had two miscarriages back to back. Or when my own marriage hit a tough spot and we had to dig in deep in the counselor's chair."

15. You don't have to be at every practice or game. ( Lies about parenting )

"From cheerleading to baseball, drop-off was the preferred method of delivery. The upside? I never once heard my mother scream at me while I was running down the basketball court. I never once saw disappointment in her eye when I missed a goal, or basket, or cheer (as was often the case). Kids are perfectly capable of playing sports without parental supervision. Yes, even on Game Day."

16. Don't buy Christmas presents early. ( Tove Maren )

"Don’t buy Christmas presents early! You either use them as bribes in November, or you forget you have them and then use them as bribes in January!"

17. Make hugs a priority. ( Tove Maren )

"Cuddling is more important than being on time — always."

18. Don't buy strawberries in January. ( Mary Ann Ware )

"When you were diligently calculating as groceries filled the cart, when you refused to buy strawberries in January or Cookie Crisp, well, EVER, you taught me to make wise choices and to live within my means."

19. Angry? Let it go. ( Ronda Chesser Porter/ The Domestic Curator )

"Mom may not know it but she taught me to be slow to anger ... I’ve learned to stop and think before I react and more importantly to choose my battles well."

20. Cooking doesn't have to be fancy. ( Beyond Mommying )

"It may not be fancy, but it’s always delicious! [My mom] taught me the skills and confidence to try new things and sometimes even know how to save things I royally screw up."

21. Keep family close. ( Mommy's Bundle )

"Even though I don’t have my mom close enough to see everyday, I treasure the wisdom she shares with me over the phone when I’m facing a new predicament. She reminds me to keep my family close, whether in thought or person and reach out to them on occasion to show them love."

Essay on Parents Role in Our Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on Parents Role in Our Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Parents Role in Our Life

The importance of parents.

Parents play a crucial role in our lives. They are our first teachers, guiding us through the early stages of life. They teach us values, morals, and skills, shaping our character and personality.

Our Support System

Parents provide emotional and financial support. They encourage us when we face challenges and celebrate our achievements. Their unconditional love and care are irreplaceable.

Role Models

Parents are our first role models. We learn how to interact with others, handle difficulties, and make decisions by observing them. Their actions and behavior influence our growth and development.

In conclusion, parents play an essential role in our life. Their love, support, and guidance shape us into who we are.

250 Words Essay on Parents Role in Our Life

Introduction.

Parents play a pivotal role in shaping our lives. They are not just the biological entities who give birth to us, but the guiding lights that help us navigate the complex journey of life.

The Foundation of Character

Parents lay the foundation of our character. From teaching us basic etiquettes to instilling moral values, they prepare us for the real world. They influence our behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs, thereby molding our personality and identity.

Support System

Parents are our primary support system. They provide emotional stability, helping us to cope with life’s ups and downs. Their unconditional love and care foster a sense of security and confidence in us, enabling us to face challenges with courage.

Educational Role

Parents are our first teachers. They introduce us to the world of knowledge and continue to contribute to our learning process. Their active participation in our educational journey significantly impacts our academic success and intellectual development.

Parents serve as role models, influencing our aspirations and ambitions. Observing them, we learn the importance of hard work, perseverance, and resilience. Their life lessons guide us in making informed decisions and pursuing our goals.

In essence, parents play an indispensable role in our lives. Their immense contribution is beyond quantification. They shape us into responsible individuals, preparing us for life’s challenges and opportunities. Therefore, it is imperative to acknowledge and appreciate their role in our lives.

500 Words Essay on Parents Role in Our Life

The quintessential influence of parents.

Parents play a pivotal role in shaping our lives, a role that extends far beyond mere biological or legal obligations. They are the architects of our character, the nurturers of our dreams, and the pillars of our resilience.

Parents as Role Models

Parents are our first role models. From a young age, we observe and imitate their behavior, attitudes, and responses to various situations. This process of modeling is intrinsic to human nature and is a key method through which we learn about the world and our place in it. Parents’ actions, therefore, leave indelible imprints on our psyches, influencing our values, ethics, and interpersonal skills.

Parents as Nurturers of Dreams

Parents also play a significant role in nurturing our dreams and aspirations. They provide the necessary resources, guidance, and emotional support that enable us to explore our interests and cultivate our talents. Whether it’s a mother staying up late to help her child with a science project or a father sacrificing his leisure time to coach his child’s sports team, parents’ contributions are instrumental in our journey towards realizing our potential.

Parents as Pillars of Resilience

Life is a roller coaster ride filled with ups and downs. In this tumultuous journey, parents act as our pillars of resilience. They teach us how to cope with failures, manage stress, and navigate through life’s challenges. Their unconditional love and support provide a safety net that cushions the impact of life’s adversities, fostering resilience and emotional strength in us.

Parents as Guides in Decision Making

As we mature and begin to make important life decisions, parents serve as our guides. They share their wisdom and experiences, helping us evaluate our options and make informed choices. By doing so, they equip us with the tools necessary for independent thought and action, thereby preparing us for the future.

Parents as Emotional Anchors

Parents also serve as our emotional anchors. They are our confidants, our cheerleaders, and our comforters. They celebrate our victories, empathize with our struggles, and provide reassurance during our moments of self-doubt. This emotional support is crucial for our mental well-being and self-esteem.

The Lasting Impact of Parents

In conclusion, parents play a multifaceted role in our lives. They shape our character, nurture our dreams, fortify our resilience, guide our decision-making, and provide emotional support. Their influence is profound and enduring, leaving a lasting impact on our lives. As we navigate through the different stages of life, let us remember to appreciate the invaluable role our parents play in shaping our lives.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Life Without Newspaper
• Essay on Life of Soldiers
• Essay on Life Is Beautiful

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Essays About Life Lessons: Top 5 Examples and 7 Prompts

Read our guide to see the top examples and prompts on essays about life lessons to communicate your thoughts effectively.

Jordan Peterson once said, “Experience is the best teacher, and the worst experiences teach the best lessons.” The many life lessons we’ll accumulate in our life will help us veer in the right direction to fulfill our destinies. Whether it’s creative or nonfiction, as long as it describes the author’s personal life experiences or worldview, recounting life lessons falls under the personal or narrative essay category. 

To successfully write an essay on this topic, you must connect with your readers and allow them to visualize, understand, and get inspired by what you have learned about life. To do this, you must remember critical elements such as a compelling hook, engaging story, relatable characters, suitable setting, and significant points. 

See below five examples of life lessons essays to inspire you:

1. Life Lessons That the First Love Taught Me by Anonymous on GradesFixer.Com

2. the dad’s life lessons and the role model for the children by anonymous on studymoose.com, 3. studying history and own mistakes as life lessons: opinion essay by anonymous on edubirdie.com, 4. life lessons by anonymous on phdessay.com, 5. valuable lessons learned in life by anonymous on eduzaurus.com, 1. life lessons from books, 2. my biggest mistake and the life lesson i learned, 3. the life lessons i’ve learned, 4. life lessons from a popular show, 5. using life lessons in starting a business, 6. life lessons you must know, 7. kids and life lessons.

“I thought I knew absolutely everything about loving someone by the age of fourteen. Clearly I knew nothing and I still have so much to learn about what it is like to actually love someone.”

The author relates how their first love story unfolds, including the many things they learned from it. An example is that no matter how compatible the couple is if they are not for each other, they will not last long and will break up eventually. The writer also shares that situations that test the relationship, such as jealousy, deserve your attention as they aid people in picking the right decisions. The essay further tells how the writer’s relationship became toxic and affected their mental and emotional stability, even after the breakup. To cope and heal, they stopped looking for connections and focused on their grades, family, friends, and self-love.

“I am extremely thankful that he could teach me all the basics like how to ride a bike, how to fish and shoot straight, how to garden, how to cook, how to drive, how to skip a rock, and even how to blow spitballs. But I am most thankful that could teach me to stand tall (even though I’m 5’3”), be full with my heart and be strong with my mind.”

In this essay, the writer introduces their role model who taught them almost everything they know in their seventeen years of life, their father. The writer shares that their father’s toughness, stubbornness, and determination helped them learn to stand up for themselves and others and not be a coward in telling the truth. Because of him, the author learned how to be kind, generous, and mature. Finally, the author is very grateful to their father, who help them to think for themselves and not believe everything they hear.

“In my opinion, I believe it is more important to study the past rather than the present because we can learn more from our mistakes.”

This short essay explains the importance of remembering past events to analyze our mistakes. The author mentions that when people do this, they learn and grow from it, which prevents them from repeating the same error in the present time. The writer also points out that everyone has made the mistake of letting others dictate how their life goes, often leading to failures. 

“… I believe we come here to learn a valuable lesson. If we did not learn this lesson through out a life time, our souls would come back to repeat the process.” 

This essay presents three crucial life lessons that everyone needs to know. The first is to stop being too comfortable in taking people and things for granted. Instead, we must learn to appreciate everything. The second is to realize that mistakes are part of everyone’s life. So don’t let the fear of making mistakes stop you from trying something new. The third and final lesson is from Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” People learn and grow as they age, so everyone needs to remember to live their life as if it were their last with no regrets.

“Life lessons are not necessarily learned from bad experiences, it can also be learned from good experiences, accomplishments, mistakes of other people, and by reading too.”

The essay reminds the readers to live their life to the fullest and cherish people and things in their lives because life is too short. If you want something, do not let it slip away without trying. If it fails, do not suffer and move on. The author also unveils the importance of travelling, keeping a diary, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

7 Prompts for Essays About Life Lessons

Use the prompts below if you’re still undecided on what to write about:

As mentioned above, life lessons are not only from experiences but also from reading. So for this prompt, pick up your favorite book and write down the lessons you learned from it. Next, identify each and explain to your readers why you think it’s essential to incorporate these lessons into real life. Finally, add how integrating these messages affected you. 

There are always lessons we can derive from mistakes. However, not everyone understands these mistakes, so they keep doing them. Think of all your past mistakes and choose one that had the most significant negative impact on you and the people around you. Then, share with your readers what it is, its causes, and its effects. Finally, don’t forget to discuss what you gained from these faults and how you prevent yourself from doing them again.

Compile all the life lessons you’ve realized from different sources. They can be from your own experience, a relative’s, a movie, etc. Add why these lessons resonate with you. Be creative and use metaphors or add imaginary scenarios. Bear in mind that your essay should convey your message well.

Popular shows are an excellent medium for teaching life lessons to a broad audience. In your essay, pick a well-known work and reflect on it. For example, Euphoria is a TV series that created hubbub for its intrigue and sensitive themes. Dissect what life lessons one can retrieve from watching the show and relate them to personal encounters. You can also compile lessons from online posts and discussions.

If the subject of “life lessons” is too general for you, scope a more specific area, such as entrepreneurship. Which life lessons are critical for a person in business? To make your essay easier to digest, interview a successful business owner and ask about the life lessons they’ve accumulated before and while pursuing their goals.

Use this prompt to present the most important life lessons you’ve collected throughout your life. Then, share why you selected these lessons. For instance, you can choose “Live life as if it’s your last” and explain that you realized this life lesson after suddenly losing a loved one.

Have you ever met someone younger than you who taught you a life lesson? If so, in this prompt, tell your reader the whole story and what life lesson you discovered. Then, you can reverse it and write an incident where you give a good life lesson to someone older than you – say what it was and if that lesson helped them. Read our storytelling guide to upgrade your techniques.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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• Vishal's account

5 Lessons From Your Parents To Pass On To Kids

Golden Nuggets of Common-Life-Lessons Taught by Parents

We’re lucky and blessed to have been gifted with parents who taught us how to differentiate the right from wrong, taught good manners, and instilled in us a sense of self-respect. But it’s only when we ourselves become parents that we realise just how much the lessons learned from parents are worth. Just like how they’ve played a huge role in shaping our future, we try to do the same for our children.

1. Be Respectful Towards Others

You can’t be a self-respecting woman if you don’t respect others. And you can’t expect your children to follow suit if you don’t show them how it’s done. Respect both for yourself and for others is perhaps one of the best life lessons your mother taught you. When you teach your children the same concept of respect, what else follows are qualities like obedience, kindness and self-control. Traits that help your children grow up into being well-rounded individuals. The best part? They’ll pass it on to their own children.

2. Good Manners Are Important

Manners are another good life lesson taught by parents. Not only do they raise the social IQ of an individual, but they also teach you to think about the welfare of others. Children learn from their parents and when they see you and your hubby putting the needs of others first and making an effort to maintain decorum, they’re a lot more likely to do the same. You can start by teaching your little ones to say ‘please’, ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry’. As they grow, you can introduce more complex concepts like to offer something to someone first, lending a hand, and empathising.

3. Be Patient and Make Decisions Wisely

One of the important things you may have learned from your dad is patience. Patience to understand situations and people, and make decisions wisely after careful thought. It’s a trait that’s extremely valuable and one you may want to pass on to your children. Teaching them not to make decisions out of anger and frustration and teaching them to evaluate their emotions and actions, will help them not just now but when they grow up into adults.

4. Losing and Winning is Part of Life

Growing up, it’s easy to take life’s losses badly and want to win at everything. But an important thing that you probably learned from your mother is that life’s a journey, filled with ups and downs. As a parent, it’s your turn to pass on this valuable lesson to your kid. This will teach your kid to take failure constructively, and success gracefully. When you lead by example, they’ll apply what you’ve taught them in their own lives.

5. Remain Truthful Always

An honest person doesn’t cheat, lie or defame others. As a parent, you want your children to grow up into people with integrity and dignity. Just as how your parents taught you that dishonesty doesn’t get you anywhere, you can do the same for your children. Lead by example so that they know that no matter how tough it can be to stick to the truth, it can bring them peace of mind.

There are many other common life lessons taught by parents and these are just a few. Remember when your mom and dad insisted that you offer that last cookie to your sister? Or when they insisted that you always greet someone with ‘good morning’? They were the first steps toward inculcating good life lessons in you. Now it’s time for you to do the same with your little darlings.

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• My Parents Essay

500 Words Essay On My Parents

We entered this world because of our parents. It is our parents who have given us life and we must learn to be pleased with it. I am grateful to my parents for everything they do for me. Through my parents essay, I wish to convey how valuable they are to me and how much I respect and admire them.

My Strength My Parents Essay

My parents are my strength who support me at every stage of life. I cannot imagine my life without them. My parents are like a guiding light who take me to the right path whenever I get lost.

My mother is a homemaker and she is the strongest woman I know. She helps me with my work and feeds me delicious foods . She was a teacher but left the job to take care of her children.

My mother makes many sacrifices for us that we are not even aware of. She always takes care of us and puts us before herself. She never wakes up late. Moreover, she is like a glue that binds us together as a family.

Parents are the strength and support system of their children. They carry with them so many responsibilities yet they never show it. We must be thankful to have parents in our lives as not everyone is lucky to have them.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

While my mother is always working at home, my father is the one who works outside. He is a kind human who always helps out my mother whenever he can. He is a loving man who helps out the needy too.

My father is a social person who interacts with our neighbours too. Moreover, he is an expert at maintaining his relationship with our relatives. My father works as a businessman and does a lot of hard work.

Even though he is a busy man, he always finds time for us. We spend our off days going to picnics or dinners. I admire my father for doing so much for us without any complaints.

He is a popular man in society as he is always there to help others. Whoever asks for his help, my father always helps them out. Therefore, he is a well-known man and a loving father whom I look up to.

Conclusion of My Parents Essay

I love both my parents with all my heart. They are kind people who have taught their children to be the same. Moreover, even when they have arguments, they always make up without letting it affect us. I aspire to become like my parents and achieve success in life with their blessings.

FAQ of My Parents Essay

Question 1: Why parents are important in our life?

Answer 1: Parents are the most precious gifts anyone can get. However, as not everyone has them, we must consider ourselves lucky if we do. They are the strength and support system of children and help them out always. Moreover, the parents train the children to overcome challenges and make the best decision for us.

Question 2: What do parents mean to us?

Answer 2: Parents mean different things to different people. To most of us, they are our source of happiness and protection. They are the ones who are the closest to us and understand our needs without having to say them out loud. Similarly, they love us unconditionally for who we are without any ifs and buts.

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Life Lessons Scholarship Program

A college education is already a major financial challenge for most American families, but it becomes infinitely more difficult for a student when a parent dies, leaving little or no life insurance.

Life insurance is an important financial safety net that parents can leave their families. Unfortunately more than 100 million Americans don’t have life insurance, and most with coverage have far less than recommended.

Recognizing the character and perseverance that so many young people show in the face of such adversity, Life Happens sponsors the annual Life Lessons Scholarship Program for college students and college-bound high school seniors. Qualified entrants who submit essays or videos about how the death of a parent impacted their lives are eligible for scholarship money. Over $3.8 million dollars in college scholarships have been awarded over the years.

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Life Lessons From My Immigrant Parents

Senior Director, Law Practice Program at Ryerson University

Like most children, growing up I did not appreciate the tremendous influence that my parents had on shaping my values and beliefs. As an adult currently working with immigrants to Canada, I now realize just how much my parents and their experiences have impacted me.

My mother was a young woman in her early twenties when she crossed the Atlantic alone, arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax, before taking the train to Montreal, and then Toronto. She was the youngest daughter of six children, and had never before this experience traveled away from her familiar neighborhood of Kalogonia (literally "the good corner") in Sparti, Greece. However, she was of a time when dowries were expected of families by grooms. Appreciating how hard her parents worked, she chose to leave home to alleviate this future obligation when she, one day, would marry. Having limited education, no English language, little money and few other family members abroad... I am often amazed when I consider the journey upon which she embarked. I often wish I could meet my mother at the age of 25 and discuss her fears, challenges and hopes at the time. But she survived, indeed succeeded, in many ways... with grace, determination and tremendous kindness, bringing to Canada a future husband, siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews.

As a man in that era, my father had the opportunity to travel more than my mother before arriving in Canada; mandatory military duty at that time for all Greek men meant that he had seen many parts of the country, including snowy parts of Northern Greece (a prelude of things to come, perhaps). Born and raised in a small village in southern Greece, my father's entrepreneurial spirit shone through from a young age: He was the first young man in his village to buy a bicycle as a means of transportation, and to set up shop as a tailor in the next village. But he wanted more, beyond Greece, and when a friend he trusted told him his sister in Canada was "of age" for marriage... my father agreed to the engagement and subsequent travel across the Atlantic. He, too, arrived without much money, no English language and limited education, but a drive to succeed, a strong work ethic and solid family values. Even in the toughest of times, his humor and positive attitude pulled him forward. To this day, "don't worry, be happy" is one of his favorite English sayings!

Together my parents built a life as newcomers in a land they would come to greatly appreciate, one which they saw as opening up opportunities for them and their future family. Along the way, their experiences provided me many valuable "life lessons," including the following five:

Respect: Throughout their lives, my parents demonstrated a solid respect for all individuals, regardless of their background. They truly enjoyed people, with the result that their customers, neighbors, colleagues and employers from a wide cross-section of ethnicities, ages and income levels cherished them! Fundamentally, my parents also taught us to always respect ourselves and our families, which then made it easy to extend the same care and appreciation to others. Language : Both of my parents struggled to learn English. They certainly found ways to cope, but on occasion my father would speak with regret that he had not more fully learned the language of his adopted country. There were experiences and opportunities he felt he had missed, as a result. From a young age, my parents helped me realize that the power of words, of language, cannot be underestimated for one to be a fully engaged citizen. Their struggles were my motivation to learn as much as possible, at all times.

Patience : Anybody knowing my father would agree that he likes to get things done immediately and would be surprised at my suggestion that I have learned patience from him! However, as a general philosophy, perhaps because of the era in which they were raised, perhaps because of the challenges they faced, both my parents appreciated that sometimes, some things... just take a little while. Waiting is okay; there is no need to rush through life, all the time. If something is meant to happen... it will. Born and raised in an agrarian society, they reminded me frequently that nature has its own timetable and cannot... and should not... be rushed.

Determination : My parents left their place of birth for an unknown country, with little information about what to expect. Each for their own reasons, was determined to make things work, despite challenges and roadblocks. They simply kept pushing through, not giving up in the face of adversity. As a student, whenever I neared the end of an essay or studies and felt I had no more energy or drive left, my father would offer encouragement by saying in Greek, " Τώρα που έφαγες τον γάιδαρο, θα αφήσεις την ουρά ;" The literal (funny) question asked me how I planned to leave the tail -- when I had already finished off the rest of the donkey! But the essence, of course, was a reminder that since I had made it this far... I certainly had it in me to accomplish my ultimate goal!

Work and Play : This lesson is perhaps the most relevant and ties all other lessons together. My parents showed me what a strong work ethic meant. When they worked, they worked very hard. However, our home and life was also full of music, games and family activities. I still remember times after a full day at their store, my parents would close up shop late at night, get us into the car, and drive nearby for an ice cream... or further away to Niagara Falls to enjoy the evening lights on the water. They did not worry about "work-life balance"; they just incorporated both elements into their lives, when and as they could. Sometimes one area drew more of their attention, but eventually (with patience), the tide always seemed to turn the other way again.

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'You failed as parents:' Families of teens killed in Michigan mass shooting slam Crumbleys

Those who loved the four murdered students the most made it clear just how culpable they thought the crumbleys were for buying a gun for their son and ignoring signs of his mental health issues.

As James and Jennifer Crumbley sat in a courtroom Tuesday waiting to be sentenced in connection with a mass shooting committed by their son at a Michigan high school, family members of the four teens killed lambasted the couple, with one saying no punishment is enough.

During separate trials, the Crumbleys sought to minimize their roles in their teenage son's decision and ability to perpetrate the mass shooting. But in the series of victim impact statements, those who loved the four slain students the most made it clear just how culpable they thought the Crumbleys were for buying their son a gun and ignoring the troubling signs about his mental health.

The Crumbleys were both found guilty – Jennifer in February and James in March – of four counts of involuntary manslaughter for each victim in the November 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School about an hour north of Detroit. They were both  sentenced Tuesday in a Michigan district courtroom to 10 to 15 years in prison, becoming the first parents in the United States to be held criminally responsible for a school shooting by their child.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Cheryl Matthews condemned the Crumbleys for the "glorified the use and possession of these weapons."

Both parents addressed the courtroom Tuesday to express remorse for the actions of their son, Ethan, who was 15 at the time of the shooting. The teen is serving a life sentence after he pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism.

North Carolina: 1 person airlifted, 10 others injured after school bus overturns

'You failed as parents'

Nicole Beausoleil, the mother of 17-year-old victim Madisyn Baldwin , was the first to deliver a victim impact statement, condemning the Crumbleys and asking the judge to give them the maximum punishment.

"The lack of compassion you have shown is disgusting," Beausoleil said through tears, blaming the parents for the loss of her daughter and the never-ending pain she still endures. "You failed as parents. The punishment that you face will never be enough."

Beausoleil recalled the final hours of her daughter's life, contrasting those final moments with the Crumbleys' actions before and during the shooting.

"When you were on the phone ... trying to figure out where the gun was ... I was on the phone with her father trying to figure out where she was," she said. "When you texted 'Ethan don't do it,' I was texting Madisyn: 'I love you. Please call Mom.'"

Her voice cracking, Beausoleil talked about how she would often look at her daughter and wonder: "What did I do to deserve a perfect person? I grew up because of her ... I mattered because of her."

'Living a life like this is not normal'

Craig Shilling, the father of 17-year-old victim Justin Shilling , said that by giving an impact statement, he could describe how Ethan Crumbley's actions have altered not just his life, but the lives of everyone in the courtroom.

“Most people will never have to make an impact statement,” he said. “This is not normal. Living a life like this is not normal.”

Agreeing with Beausoleil, Shilling said the Crumbleys "failed at their parental responsibilities" and should face the maximum sentence.

“I just can’t get over the fact that this tragedy was completely avoidable,” Shilling said. “They failed across the board ... This type of blatant disregard is unacceptable.”

Both Beausoleil and Craig Shilling singled out Jennifer Crumbley’s comment during the trial that she would not do anything differently, pointing to what Beausoleil described as a lack of compassion.

'If only they had taken him home'

Justin's mother, Jill Soave, also spoke about the weight her son's death has left on her and echoed her husband's call for a maximum sentence.

Soave described Justin's achievements in school and said their family would have been celebrating his 20 th  birthday soon.

“The ripple effects of both James’ and Jennifer’s failures to act have devastated us all,” she said. “If only, your honor, they had taken their son to get counseling instead of buying a gun … If only they had checked his backpack, if only they had taken him home or taken him to counseling instead of abandoning him at that school, I wouldn’t be standing here today.”

Soave is honoring Justin  through the Forever Justin Shilling Foundation , an effort announced last year to honor his love of nature, which promises to use donated funds to help plant trees, host local clean-up events and support clean water and air programs.

“His future was so very bright," Soave said. "Full of possibilities.”

'Apply lessons learned'

Arguing that criticizing the Crumbleys was "low-hanging fruit," Buck Myre, the father of 16-year-old victim Tate Myre , instead turned his attention to how the government, schools and other institutions can prevent such tragedies.

“From the purchase of the gun to the response,” he said. “That’s when real change happens. When we look at something, evaluate it and apply lessons learned.”

'You gave him a gun'

Reina St. Juliana, the sister of 14-year-old victim Hana St. Juliana , brought many to tears as she spoke of how her sister would never see her prom, graduation or birthdays.

"I never got to say goodbye," Reina said. "Hana was only 14 ... She took her last breath in a school she hadn't even been in for three months."

She looked at the Crumbleys and said: "The fact is, you did fail as a parent, Jennifer. Both of you ... Instead of giving quality time ... you gave him a gun."

"I miss her with every breath I take," she said. "I have never known pain that is forever until I saw Hana in a casket."

This 'destroyed a large portion of my soul'

Hana's father, Steve St. Juliana, also spoke, saying that the Crumbleys’ choices are what enabled their son to carry out the shooting that killed his daughter.

“They chose to stay quiet, they chose to ignore the warning signs,” he said. “They continue to choose to blame everyone but themselves.”

The dreams St. Juliana had for his daughter died with her, he said.

“It’s impossible for me to truly convey the complete impact of my daughter’s loss,” he said. “Hana’s murder has destroyed a large portion of my soul ... I remain a shell of the person I used to be.”

Hana’s family has  established a memorial fund in her honor , which is raising money to build a garden in her honor.

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci , Cybele Mayes-Osterman

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A.I.’s Original Sin

A times investigation found that tech giants altered their own rules to train their newest artificial intelligence systems..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.”

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Today, a “Times” investigation shows how as the country’s biggest technology companies race to build powerful new artificial intelligence systems, they bent and broke the rules from the start.

My colleague Cade Metz on what he uncovered.

It’s Tuesday, April 16th.

Cade, when we think about all the artificial intelligence products released over the past couple of years, including, of course, these chatbots we’ve talked a lot about on the show, we so frequently talk about their future their future capabilities, their influence on society, jobs, our lives. But you recently decided to go back in time to AI’s past, to its origins to understand the decisions that were made, basically, at the birth of this technology. So why did you decide to do that?

Because if you’re thinking about the future of these chatbots, that is defined by their past. The thing you have to realize is that these chatbots learn their skills by analyzing enormous amounts of digital data.

So what my colleagues and I wanted to do with our investigation was really focus on that effort to gather more data. We wanted to look at the type of data these companies were collecting, how they were gathering it, and how they were feeding it into their systems.

And when you all undertake this line of reporting, what do you end up finding?

We found that three major players in this race OpenAI, Google, and Meta as they were locked into this competition to develop better and better artificial intelligence, they were willing to do almost anything to get their hands on this data, including ignoring, and in some cases, violating corporate rules and wading into a legal gray area as they gathered this data.

Basically, cutting corners.

Cutting corners left and right.

OK, let’s start with OpenAI, the flashiest player of all.

The most interesting thing we’ve found, is that in late 2021, as OpenAI, the startup in San Francisco that built ChatGPT, as they were pulling together the fundamental technology that would power that chatbot, they ran out of data, essentially.

They had used just about all the respectable English language text on the internet to build this system. And just let that sink in for a bit.

I mean, I’m trying to let that sink in. They basically, like a Pac-Man on a old game, just consumed almost all the English words on the internet, which is kind of unfathomable.

Wikipedia articles by the thousands, news articles, Reddit threads, digital books by the millions. We’re talking about hundreds of billions, even trillions of words.

So by the end of 2021, OpenAI had no more English language texts that they could feed into these systems, but their ambitions are such that they wanted even more.

So here, we should remember that if you’re gathering up all the English language text on the internet, a large portion of that is going to be copyrighted.

So if you’re one of these companies gathering data at that scale, you are absolutely gathering copyrighted data, as well.

Which suggests that, from the very beginning, these companies, a company like OpenAI with ChatGPT, is starting to break, bend the rules.

Yes, they are determined to build this technology thus they are willing to venture into what is a legal gray area.

So given that, what does OpenAI do once it, as you had said, runs out of English language words to mop up and feed into this system?

So they get together, and they say, all right, so what are other options here? And they say, well, what about all the audio and video on the internet? We could transcribe all the audio and video, turn it into text, and feed that into their systems.

Interesting.

So a small team at OpenAI, which included its president and co-founder Greg Brockman, built a speech-recognition technology called Whisper, which could transcribe audio files into text with high accuracy.

And then they gathered up all sorts of audio files, from across the internet, including audio books, podcasts —

— and most importantly, YouTube videos.

Hmm, of which there’s a seemingly endless supply, right? Fair to say maybe tens of millions of videos.

According to my reporting, we’re talking about at least 1,000,000 hours of YouTube videos were scraped off of that video sharing site, fed into this speech recognition system in order to produce new text for training OpenAI’s chatbot. And YouTube’s terms of service do not allow a company like OpenAI to do this. YouTube, which is owned by Google, explicitly says you are not allowed to, in internet parlance, scrape videos en masse from across YouTube and use those videos to build a new application.

That is exactly what OpenAI did. According to my reporting, employees at the company knew that it broke YouTube terms of service, but they resolved to do it anyway.

So, Cade, this makes me want to understand what’s going on over at Google, which as we have talked about in the past on the show, is itself, thinking about and developing its own artificial intelligence model and product.

Well, as OpenAI scrapes up all these YouTube videos and starts to use them to build their chatbot, according to my reporting, some employees at Google, at the very least, are aware that this is happening.

Yes, now when we went to the company about this, a Google spokesman said it did not know that OpenAI was scraping YouTube content and said the company takes legal action over this kind of thing when there’s a clear reason to do so. But according to my reporting, at least some Google employees turned a blind eye to OpenAI’s activities because Google was also using YouTube content to train its AI.

So if they raise a stink about what OpenAI is doing, they end up shining a spotlight on themselves. And they don’t want to do that.

I guess I want to understand what Google’s relationship is to YouTube. Because of course, Google owns YouTube. So what is it allowed or not allowed to do when it comes to feeding YouTube data into Google’s AI models?

It’s an important distinction. Because Google owns YouTube, it defines what can be done with that data. And Google argues that it has a right to that data, that its terms of service allow it to use that data. However, because of that copyright issue, because the copyright to those videos belong to you and I, lawyers who I’ve spoken to say, people could take Google to court and try to determine whether or not those terms of service really allow Google to do this. There’s another legal gray area here where, although Google argues that it’s OK, others may argue it’s not.

Of course, what makes this all so interesting is, you essentially have one tech company Google, keeping another tech company OpenAI’s dirty little secret about basically stealing from YouTube because it doesn’t want people to know that it too is taking from YouTube. And so these companies are essentially enabling each other as they simultaneously seem to be bending or breaking the rules.

What this shows is that there is this belief, and it has been there for years within these companies, among their researchers, that they have a right to this data because they’re on a larger mission to build a technology that they believe will transform the world.

And if you really want to understand this attitude, you can look at our reporting from inside Meta.

And so what does Meta end up doing, according to your reporting?

Well, like Google and other companies, Meta had to scramble to build artificial intelligence that could compete with OpenAI. Mark Zuckerberg is calling engineers and executives at all hours pushing them to acquire this data that is needed to improve the chatbot.

And at one point, my colleagues and I got hold of recordings of these Meta executives and engineers discussing this problem. How they could get their hands on more data where they should try to find it? And they explored all sorts of options.

They talked about licensing books, one by one, at $10 a pop and feeding those into the model.

They even discussed acquiring the book publisher Simon & Schuster and feeding its entire library into their AI model. But ultimately, they decided all that was just too cumbersome, too time consuming, and on the recordings of these meetings, you can hear executives talk about how they were willing to run roughshod over copyright law and ignore the legal concerns and go ahead and scrape the internet and feed this stuff into their models.

They acknowledged that they might be sued over this. But they talked about how OpenAI had done this before them. That they, Meta were just following what they saw as a market precedent.

Interesting, so they go from having conversations like, should we buy a publisher that has tons of copyrighted material suggesting that they’re very conscious of the kind of legal terrain and what’s right and what’s wrong. And instead say, nah, let’s just follow the OpenAI model, that blueprint and just do what we want to do, do what we think we have a right to do, which is to kind of just gobble up all this material across the internet.

It’s a snapshot of that Silicon Valley attitude that we talked about. Because they believe they are building this transformative technology, because they are in this intensely competitive situation where money and power is at stake, they are willing to go there.

But what that means is that there is, at the birth of this technology, a kind of original sin that can’t really be erased.

It can’t be erased, and people are beginning to notice. And they are beginning to sue these companies over it. These companies have to have this copyrighted data to build their systems. It is fundamental to their creation. If a lawsuit bars them from using that copyrighted data, that could bring down this technology.

We’ll be right back.

So Cade, walk us through these lawsuits that are being filed against these AI companies based on the decisions they made early on to use technology as they did and the chances that it could result in these companies not being able to get the data they so desperately say they need.

These suits are coming from a wide range of places. They’re coming from computer programmers who are concerned that their computer programs have been fed into these systems. They’re coming from book authors who have seen their books being used. They’re coming from publishing companies. They’re coming from news corporations like, “The New York Times,” incidentally, which has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft.

News organizations that are concerned over their news articles being used to build these systems.

And here, I think it’s important to say as a matter of transparency, Cade, that your reporting is separate from that lawsuit. That lawsuit was filed by the business side of “The New York Times” by people who are not involved in your reporting or in this “Daily” episode, just to get that out of the way.

I’m assuming that you have spoken to many lawyers about this, and I wonder if there’s some insight that you can shed on the basic legal terrain? I mean, do the companies seem to have a strong case that they have a right to this information, or do companies like the “Times,” who are suing them, seem to have a pretty strong case that, no, that decision violates their copyrighted materials.

Like so many legal questions, this is incredibly complicated. It comes down to what’s called fair use, which is a part of copyright law that determines whether companies can use copyrighted data to build new things. And there are many factors that go into this. There are good arguments on the OpenAI side. There are good arguments on “The New York Times” side.

Copyright law says that can’t take my work and reproduce it and sell it to someone. That’s not allowed. But what’s called fair use does allow companies and individuals to use copyrighted works in part. They can take snippets of it. They can take the copyrighted works and transform it into something new. That is what OpenAI and others are arguing they’re doing.

But there are other things to consider. Does that transformative work compete with the individuals and companies that supplied the data that owned the copyrights?

And here, the suit between “The New York Times” company and OpenAI is illustrative. If “The New York Times” creates articles that are then used to build a chatbot, does that chatbot end up competing with “The New York Times?” Do people end up going to that chatbot for their information, rather than going to the “Times” website and actually reading the article? That is one of the questions that will end up deciding this case and cases like it.

So what would it mean for these AI companies for some, or even all of these lawsuits to succeed?

Well, if these tech companies are required to license the copyrighted data that goes into their systems, if they’re required to pay for it, that becomes a problem for these companies. We’re talking about digital data the size of the entire internet.

Licensing all that copyrighted data is not necessarily feasible. We quote the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz in our story where one of their lawyers says that it does not work for these companies to license that data. It’s too expensive. It’s on too large a scale.

Hmm, it would essentially make this technology economically impractical.

Exactly, so a jury or a judge or a law ruling against OpenAI, could fundamentally change the way this technology is built. The extreme case is these companies are no longer allowed to use copyrighted material in building these chatbots. And that means they have to start from scratch. They have to rebuild everything they’ve built. So this is something that, not only imperils what they have today, it imperils what they want to build in the future.

And conversely, what happens if the courts rule in favor of these companies and say, you know what, this is fair use. You were fine to have scraped this material and to keep borrowing this material into the future free of charge?

Well, one significant roadblock drops for these companies. And they can continue to gather up all that extra data, including images and sounds and videos and build increasingly powerful systems. But the thing is, even if they can access as much copyrighted material as they want, these companies may still run into a problem.

Pretty soon they’re going to run out of digital data on the internet.

That human-created data they rely on is going to dry up. They’re using up this data faster than humans create it. One research organization estimates that by 2026, these companies will run out of viable data on the internet.

Wow. Well, in that case, what would these tech companies do? I mean, where are they going to go if they’ve already scraped YouTube, if they’ve already scraped podcasts, if they’ve already gobbled up the internet and that altogether is not sufficient?

What many people inside these companies will tell you, including Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, they’ll tell you that what they will turn to is what’s called synthetic data.

And what is that?

That Is data generated by an AI model that is then used to build a better AI model. It’s AI helping to build better AI. That is the vision, ultimately, they have for the future that they won’t need all this human generated text. They’ll just have the AI build the text that will feed future versions of AI.

So they will feed the AI systems the material that the AI systems themselves create. But is that really a workable solid plan? Is that considered high-quality data? Is that good enough?

If you do this on a large scale, you quickly run into problems. As we all know, as we’ve discussed on this podcast, these systems make mistakes. They hallucinate . They make stuff up. They show biases that they’ve learned from internet data. And if you start using the data generated by the AI to build new AI, those mistakes start to reinforce themselves.

The systems start to get trapped in these cul-de-sacs where they end up not getting better but getting worse.

What you’re really saying is, these AI machines need the unique perfection of the human creative mind.

Well, as it stands today, that is absolutely the case. But these companies have grand visions for where this will go. And they feel, and they’re already starting to experiment with this, that if you have an AI system that is sufficiently powerful, if you make a copy of it, if you have two of these AI models, one can produce new data, and the other one can judge that data.

It can curate that data as a human would. It can provide the human judgment, So. To speak. So as one model produces the data, the other one can judge it, discard the bad data, and keep the good data. And that’s how they ultimately see these systems creating viable synthetic data. But that has not happened yet, and it’s unclear whether it will work.

It feels like the real lesson of your investigation is that if you have to allegedly steal data to feed your AI model and make it economically feasible, then maybe you have a pretty broken model. And that if you need to create fake data, as a result, which as you just said, kind of undermines AI’s goal of mimicking human thinking and language, then maybe you really have a broken model.

And so that makes me wonder if the folks you talk to, the companies that we’re focused on here, ever ask themselves the question, could we do this differently? Could we create an AI model that just needs a lot less data?

They have thought about other models for decades. The thing to realize here, is that is much easier said than done. We’re talking about creating systems that can mimic the human brain. That is an incredibly ambitious task. And after struggling with that for decades, these companies have finally stumbled on something that they feel works that is a path to that incredibly ambitious goal.

And they’re going to continue to push in that direction. Yes, they’re exploring other options, but those other options aren’t working.

What works is more data and more data and more data. And because they see a path there, they’re going to continue down that path. And if there are roadblocks there, and they think they can knock them down, they’re going to knock them down.

But what if the tech companies never get enough or make enough data to get where they think they want to go, even as they’re knocking down walls along the way? That does seem like a real possibility.

If these companies can’t get their hands on more data, then these technologies, as they’re built today, stop improving.

We will see their limitations. We will see how difficult it really is to build a system that can match, let alone surpass the human brain.

These companies will be forced to look for other options, technically. And we will see the limitations of these grandiose visions that they have for the future of artificial intelligence.

OK, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

Glad to be here.

Here’s what else you need to know today. Israeli leaders spent Monday debating whether and how to retaliate against Iran’s missile and drone attack over the weekend. Herzi Halevi, Israel’s Military Chief of Staff, declared that the attack will be responded to.

In Washington, a spokesman for the US State Department, Matthew Miller reiterated American calls for restraint —

^MATTHEW MILLER^ Of course, we continue to make clear to everyone that we talked to that we want to see de-escalation that we don’t want to see a wider regional war. That’s something that’s been —

— but emphasized that a final call about retaliation was up to Israel. ^MATTHEW MILLER^ Israel is a sovereign country. They have to make their own decisions about how best to defend themselves. What we always try to do —

And the first criminal trial of a former US President officially got underway on Monday in a Manhattan courtroom. Donald Trump, on trial for allegedly falsifying documents to cover up a sex scandal involving a porn star, watched as jury selection began.

The initial pool of 96 jurors quickly dwindled. More than half of them were dismissed after indicating that they did not believe that they could be impartial. The day ended without a single juror being chosen.

Today’s episode was produced by Stella Tan, Michael Simon Johnson, Muge Zaidi, and Rikki Novetsky. It was edited by Marc Georges and Liz O. Baylen, contains original music by Diane Wong, Dan Powell, and Pat McCusker, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

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Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Cade Metz

Produced by Stella Tan ,  Michael Simon Johnson ,  Mooj Zadie and Rikki Novetsky

Edited by Marc Georges and Liz O. Baylen

Original music by Diane Wong ,  Dan Powell and Pat McCusker

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

A Times investigation shows how the country’s biggest technology companies, as they raced to build powerful new artificial intelligence systems, bent and broke the rules from the start.

Cade Metz, a technology reporter for The Times, explains what he uncovered.

On today’s episode

Cade Metz , a technology reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading

How tech giants cut corners to harvest data for A.I.

What to know about tech companies using A.I. to teach their own A.I.

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The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

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Cade Metz writes about artificial intelligence, driverless cars, robotics, virtual reality and other emerging areas of technology. More about Cade Metz

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