I Raised Grit Over Privilege
The societal cost of privileged upbringings
As a parent, I’ve always strived to give my daughters the best possible start in life, providing them with the proper guidance, love, and support. Coming from a poor, hard-working immigrant family, I know firsthand the challenges and sacrifices it takes to build a better life.
Growing up, I believed that education, coupled with love and encouragement, was the key to unlocking the American Dream—whatever that dream means in 2024.
My daughters are grown now, and I couldn’t be prouder of the extraordinary, hard-working women they’ve become. They’ve achieved so much, not because they were molded or engineered to perfection, but because of their resilience, determination, and the values we instilled in them.
No, they are not designer kids. They are messy and gritty. They had to do the dishes, clean their rooms, study, and get a job.
They result from lots of love, discipline, perseverance, and the belief that they alone could shape their futures, imperfections and all. To do so, they had to roll up their sleeves, work at life, and realize their potential every single step of the way. Nothing was ever handed to them on a silver platter — even when, at times, we could have afforded to do so.
