Thanks for this inspo! I especially love your ideas for families to put things in action! I'm going to try the challenge this month. I'd like to add the importance of modeling failure too. Do you admit mistakes? Do the hard work to address/ fix them? Hide them, be ashamed and play small? The littles are so smart and pick up on so much. I know I'm thinking about how to model both the strengths I want them to have, but also that it's OK to be imperfect and everything is addressable when they go sideways.
Thank you, Carisa, for sharing your perspective. I appreciate this.
You're spot on. Modeling failure is just as important as modeling success. Children don’t just need to see us winning, they need to see how we handle losing, making mistakes, and bouncing back.
Do we own up to our mistakes? Work through them? Or do we hide, avoid, or let shame take over? If they see us embracing failure as part of the learning process, they’ll learn that setbacks are just a part of the journey.
Strength and vulnerability are powerful tools for nurturing our children.
Great ideas for family activities here. We have a family movie night where we take turns to pick the movies - the kids are in their mid-twenties but we all still learn from each other's choice of movie and our reactions to it.
I absolutely love this! 💛 What starts as a simple family tradition becomes a lifelong culture—something that continues even when our children have their own families.
And I love how these moments stay with us. When I meet up with my siblings, we still stay up late, laughing over the same stories we told years ago. And somehow, we still laugh the exact same way, bring up the stories in the exact same order😊
That’s the power of these shared experiences. As much as they fill the moment, they become part of who we are. And that’s exactly what we should be building: a foundation of connection, learning, and joy that lasts for generations.
Great article. Thank you for writing it. I love the idea of learning by imitation, and I honestly think that "modern parenting" talks a lot about it. But leading by example? Not so much.
It's certainly a good thing to play with your kids. But they obviously also learn that mama can't cook and dad is always on the phone, sometimes or most of the time, to order pizza or kebab...
And that leads to devastating eating habits, as we know.
Being close to 81 now, I am not learning how to change, but I am checking retroactively how our parenting with my dear wife was working. My children are past 50, so the grandchildren are growing up diligently.
It is good to see that we followed your compelling recipe without knowing. The good news is twofold: we raised two brilliant and successful children, and they followed suit on their own.
For my 80th birthday, a dear friend of mine gave me a massive book on theoretical economics. The big volume is full of mathematics. (having my Ph.D. in electron physics, I can handle it).
But mathematics is only a tool. The aim and essence are the learning mindset, which will determine humankind's future. It involves the most complex theoretical discussions, but it starts with the family, with our kids, just as you explained it to us.
Wow, what an incredible perspective! Thank you so much for sharing this—I’m truly honored by your words.
It’s inspiring to hear that, looking back, you and your wife instinctively followed this path of lifelong learning and modeled it for your children. And now, seeing your grandchildren continue on that journey? That’s the ultimate reward.
Your life exemplifies and proves exactly what this article is about—learning never really stops, and it shapes generations. As you beautifully said, it starts with the family.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience and reinforcing the fact that cultivating a learning mindset is one of the most powerful legacies we can leave.
I said how brilliant my two children are. This is the qualification of a parent. Supported by a few facts: daughter Csilla: BS and MS in chemical engineering, Budapest Technical University/Université De Paris, MBA at INSEAD. Spoken languages:6, managerial experience: Unilever, Boston Consulting, Gas de France/ ENGIE, Octopus Energy/Kraken
Son Zsolt Jr.: MA in Economics Budapest University of Economics/University of Amsterdam, MBA at INSEAD, spoken languages: 9 managerial experience: ABN/AMRO, Hoare/Govett, GE Capital, Starwood Capital, Pictet Bank
No matter how well we parents helped our children progress, their effort, hard work, and relentless action every day enabled them to achieve those ranks, positions, and professional status. We parents had to pay a high price for the shiny picture. We have seen and could hug them just a few times a year for decades. We could see our grandchildren mostly in photos and during the occasional encounters.
I am preparing to meet my son and his two brilliant daughters in London before Easter. We shall see a football match between Chelsea and Fulham at Craven Cottage. I cherish the occasion.
And what a special occasion to look forward to—London, football, and family!
Watching Chelsea vs. Fulham at Craven Cottage sounds like an unforgettable experience. I hope you soak in every moment, every hug, and every shared laugh.
Wishing you a truly beautiful reunion! Please share pictures when you return. 😊
Thank you, Stella. I couldn’t be more proud of them both. It would have been too long to list all the geographic locations of those jobs and degrees. If possible, my dear wife was even more proud of them with the women’s emotional overcharge. Up above the skies, she is still with us, still admiring.
Such a beautiful tribute to your lovely wife. May her love and presence continue to shine through the lives of those she cherished. May you always feel her warmth and admiration surrounding you and yours. 🙏
Stella, I have a short bio written for my 80th birthday. If you send me your email address, I will send it to you. It shares many of my adventures and quite a few pictures.
Thanks for this inspo! I especially love your ideas for families to put things in action! I'm going to try the challenge this month. I'd like to add the importance of modeling failure too. Do you admit mistakes? Do the hard work to address/ fix them? Hide them, be ashamed and play small? The littles are so smart and pick up on so much. I know I'm thinking about how to model both the strengths I want them to have, but also that it's OK to be imperfect and everything is addressable when they go sideways.
Thank you, Carisa, for sharing your perspective. I appreciate this.
You're spot on. Modeling failure is just as important as modeling success. Children don’t just need to see us winning, they need to see how we handle losing, making mistakes, and bouncing back.
Do we own up to our mistakes? Work through them? Or do we hide, avoid, or let shame take over? If they see us embracing failure as part of the learning process, they’ll learn that setbacks are just a part of the journey.
Strength and vulnerability are powerful tools for nurturing our children.
More exc egg llent points Stella!
Great ideas for family activities here. We have a family movie night where we take turns to pick the movies - the kids are in their mid-twenties but we all still learn from each other's choice of movie and our reactions to it.
I absolutely love this! 💛 What starts as a simple family tradition becomes a lifelong culture—something that continues even when our children have their own families.
And I love how these moments stay with us. When I meet up with my siblings, we still stay up late, laughing over the same stories we told years ago. And somehow, we still laugh the exact same way, bring up the stories in the exact same order😊
That’s the power of these shared experiences. As much as they fill the moment, they become part of who we are. And that’s exactly what we should be building: a foundation of connection, learning, and joy that lasts for generations.
Great article. Thank you for writing it. I love the idea of learning by imitation, and I honestly think that "modern parenting" talks a lot about it. But leading by example? Not so much.
It's certainly a good thing to play with your kids. But they obviously also learn that mama can't cook and dad is always on the phone, sometimes or most of the time, to order pizza or kebab...
And that leads to devastating eating habits, as we know.
Thank you, Daniel, for reading and sharing your thoughts!
You’re right. Kids absorb everything, not just the moments we deliberately teach them.
If they see us constantly glued to our phones or relying on takeout, that becomes their “normal.”
The small, everyday habits we model—what we eat, how we handle stress, how often we pick up a book—shape their worldview far more than we realize.
I would say the key is conscious leadership at home. Not perfection, but awareness.
We don’t have to get everything right 100% of the time, but if we’re intentional about the messages our actions send, we set them up for success.
Totally agree with you! Perfection can’t be the goal to reach for.
A fabulous article Stella!
Thank you, Peter, I am glad this resonated with you.
Hi Stella, I have also subscribed 😊
Hi Peter, thank you for subscribing! 😊I’m soo glad to have you here. I hope you find the contents insightful and inspiring.
Stella that is an excellent post again!
Being close to 81 now, I am not learning how to change, but I am checking retroactively how our parenting with my dear wife was working. My children are past 50, so the grandchildren are growing up diligently.
It is good to see that we followed your compelling recipe without knowing. The good news is twofold: we raised two brilliant and successful children, and they followed suit on their own.
For my 80th birthday, a dear friend of mine gave me a massive book on theoretical economics. The big volume is full of mathematics. (having my Ph.D. in electron physics, I can handle it).
But mathematics is only a tool. The aim and essence are the learning mindset, which will determine humankind's future. It involves the most complex theoretical discussions, but it starts with the family, with our kids, just as you explained it to us.
Stella, your words and your emotional momentum are music to my ears. I have great memories and you have a great future!
Stella, I am glad that we used to parent in a way it is still the best. Feel reinforced by the good references in the past!💪
Absolutely Zsolt. It’s beautiful to carry forward the best parts in the way parenting was done before while adapting to today’s world.
👍😍
Wow, what an incredible perspective! Thank you so much for sharing this—I’m truly honored by your words.
It’s inspiring to hear that, looking back, you and your wife instinctively followed this path of lifelong learning and modeled it for your children. And now, seeing your grandchildren continue on that journey? That’s the ultimate reward.
Your life exemplifies and proves exactly what this article is about—learning never really stops, and it shapes generations. As you beautifully said, it starts with the family.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience and reinforcing the fact that cultivating a learning mindset is one of the most powerful legacies we can leave.
I said how brilliant my two children are. This is the qualification of a parent. Supported by a few facts: daughter Csilla: BS and MS in chemical engineering, Budapest Technical University/Université De Paris, MBA at INSEAD. Spoken languages:6, managerial experience: Unilever, Boston Consulting, Gas de France/ ENGIE, Octopus Energy/Kraken
Son Zsolt Jr.: MA in Economics Budapest University of Economics/University of Amsterdam, MBA at INSEAD, spoken languages: 9 managerial experience: ABN/AMRO, Hoare/Govett, GE Capital, Starwood Capital, Pictet Bank
No matter how well we parents helped our children progress, their effort, hard work, and relentless action every day enabled them to achieve those ranks, positions, and professional status. We parents had to pay a high price for the shiny picture. We have seen and could hug them just a few times a year for decades. We could see our grandchildren mostly in photos and during the occasional encounters.
I am preparing to meet my son and his two brilliant daughters in London before Easter. We shall see a football match between Chelsea and Fulham at Craven Cottage. I cherish the occasion.
Spending time together is the true luxury.
And what a special occasion to look forward to—London, football, and family!
Watching Chelsea vs. Fulham at Craven Cottage sounds like an unforgettable experience. I hope you soak in every moment, every hug, and every shared laugh.
Wishing you a truly beautiful reunion! Please share pictures when you return. 😊
I will post pictures. My son is a Fulham, I am a Chelsea fan. It means the result is absolutely secondary. The reunion that counts.
I like the sound of the "result is secondary." 😁. Absolutely, the reunion is pure gold. Have fun...😊
Wow. What an incredible achievement for both your children! These truly speak to their dedication and the strong foundation you provided as a parent.
You must be so proud! And rightly so... 😊
Thank you, Stella. I couldn’t be more proud of them both. It would have been too long to list all the geographic locations of those jobs and degrees. If possible, my dear wife was even more proud of them with the women’s emotional overcharge. Up above the skies, she is still with us, still admiring.
Such a beautiful tribute to your lovely wife. May her love and presence continue to shine through the lives of those she cherished. May you always feel her warmth and admiration surrounding you and yours. 🙏
Stella, I have a short bio written for my 80th birthday. If you send me your email address, I will send it to you. It shares many of my adventures and quite a few pictures.
Thank you, Stella🙏🙏🙏
I was the most fortunate man to have the chance to live with Nelly for sixty full years!