Hi there!   

What does it really take to raise kids who not only chase their dreams but thrive while doing it?

For my older son, it’s been about nurturing his love for acting. He started as the kid grabbing the microphone at every opportunity, and now he’s auditioning for projects on Netflix. 

My younger son, on the other hand, is a tennis player who’s learning to balance school, training, and tournaments while building resilience through every match.

Hi, I’m Lakshmi—your neighborhood laid-back parent. Parenting these two has taught me so much about growth, failure, and finding joy in the process. In this newsletter, I’m sharing everything I’ve learned, no rulebook, just what’s helped along the way. 

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Be the Role Model Your Kids Need

I believe the single most important principle in parenting is modeling.

Kids learn more from what you do than what you say. If I want my children to be ambitious, kind, and involved, I have to live those values myself. That means volunteering, taking leadership roles, and showing them that I have my own goals and dreams.

My husband plays a big role here too. He’s a high achiever who’s deeply involved in their lives. Seeing us both lead by example inspires them (most days) to mirror these behaviors.

Children copy what they see, and it has long lasting effects, READ here! 

How to Spot and Nurture Your Child’s Unique Potential

Every child has something they’re naturally drawn to—you just have to let them explore enough to find it.

For example, my older son’s love for acting didn’t come from me or my husband. We’re not from that world. But from a young age, he was always the kid grabbing the microphone, making skits, and performing. Instead of brushing it off as “just being a kid,” we encouraged it. 

The key is to give your kids space to try different things—sports, creative fields, whatever sparks their interest. Watch what excites them, and go from there.    

Former pro athlete explains how to assess a kid's true athletic potential.

Are They Good at “Failing”? 

Failure is inevitable, but how kids handle it makes all the difference.

For my son’s acting journey, I keep a google sheet of every audition he’s done. It started as a way to keep track of it all since I knew nothing about the industry, but now it’s something I pull out when he’s feeling down. It reminds him how much effort he’s put in and how far he’s come.

For my younger son, who plays tennis, we focus on progress rather than wins. If he loses a match, we talk about what he did better than last time. Praising effort over results helps them stay motivated and resilient. 

Teach your kids to fail forward.  

Word for the Wise, Start Small… 

One thing I’ve learned is to start small when nurturing a new interest.

If your child shows excitement about something—whether it’s piano, basketball, or art—don’t rush to sign them up for intense classes right away. Instead, explore it at home. Watch YouTube tutorials together, play with them, and let them build their passion gradually.

Overloading them too soon can scare them away because kids don’t need to be professionals in anything.

PS: Found this interesting article that talks about 18 ways to develop ambition in your kid! 

What Parenting Ambitious Kids Teaches You

Parenting kids with big dreams comes with its own set of surprises.

One unexpected lesson for me has been the amount of learning I’ve had to do as a parent. My kids come to me as the “expert” in everything they’re interested in—whether it’s acting, tennis, or something entirely new. 

It’s meant a lot of back-end research for me to keep up! 

Another thing I’ve noticed is how one passion can spark another. Success in one area often leads to curiosity about something new, which can be both exciting and challenging to manage.   

And that’s a wrap for this issue, parents! 💗

But before you leave, don’t forget to check this out… ⬇️👀

Inside the Laid-back Parent’s Internet History this week: 

Note for My Fellow Laid-Back Parents 📧

If there’s one thing I’d tell other parents, it’s this: nurture their interests gently.

If you see even a hint of enthusiasm in your child, start small. Let them explore and enjoy it before jumping into structured lessons or goals. Your job isn’t to make them an expert right away—it’s to make them want to come back and do it again. 

The goal is to help them fall in love with the process, not just the outcome.

Catch you next time, 

Lakshmi (Chief of Chill Parenting)