Why Watching Our Mom Chase a Dream Taught My Sisters and Me to Chase Ours
In 1978, I was living the dream—or at least the sixth-grade version of it.
I had two loving parents, two (mostly) loving sisters, my own bedroom, and a shiny new 10-speed bike that had just replaced my beloved purple banana seat ride. I had few chores, zero responsibilities, and a mom who ran the house like a well-oiled machine. We even had a wood-paneled station wagon, the ultimate suburban status symbol.
My dad was the executive vice president at one of the two banks in our small Wisconsin town, and my mom was a full-time homemaker—chauffeur, chef, housekeeper, and homework consultant all rolled into one. Life was good until…
Mom decided to go back to college.
She had started school back in 1957 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee but left after two years to work at a bank, where she met my dad. They got married, had three girls, and settled into domestic bliss. After nearly two decades, Mom wanted more than a clean house and a well-packed lunchbox. She wanted to finish what she started. At 38, she re-enrolled in college to become a teacher.
And just like that, our household flipped upside down.
Suddenly, dinner didn’t magically appear on the table. Rooms didn’t clean themselves. Laundry sat—gasp—unfolded. And I, a previously pampered sixth grader, found myself muttering things like, “Why do we even have chores?” and “Is this how other kids live?!”
To make things even more exciting, the university was more than an hour away, and Wisconsin winters are no joke. Some nights, Mom stayed in a hotel near campus, which meant we had to figure things out without her—like how to cook actual meals, not just toast.
Slowly, we got the hang of it. My sisters and I learned how to plan ahead, clean a bathroom without dying, and appreciate everything Mom had done for us up until then. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was transformational.
And we learned more than just life skills.
We learned that a college education really did matter—because we watched Mom work twice as hard to earn hers. We learned that it’s never too late to finish something or try something new. We learned that stepping outside your comfort zone is how you expand it.
Years later, those lessons stuck. When my sister Bridget went back to earn her Master’s of Education at 39, when Colleen moved to Boston for a new job at 35, and when I started my own master’s degree at 47—we didn’t hesitate.
We already knew we could do it.
Because Mom had showed us how.
What This Means for Leaders
Lifelong learning isn’t just a heartwarming family value—it’s a leadership superpower.
In a rapidly changing world, the best teams aren’t the ones who know everything—they’re the ones willing to learn anything. Leaders who make learning a priority don’t just keep up—they stay ahead. They build teams that are curious, adaptable, and unafraid to stretch beyond what’s comfortable (or even convenient).
If you want to create a culture of growth on your team, here’s how to start:
Model curiosity. Talk about what you’re learning—whether it’s a new certification, a better way to run meetings, or how to use the office printer without summoning dark forces. When you show you’re willing to grow, your team will be, too.
Offer opportunities. Provide training, mentorship, and real chances for people to build new skills. That includes conferences, job shadowing, or even book clubs.
Reward growth. Don’t just celebrate results—celebrate effort. When someone applies a new skill or stretches into something new, make it a big deal. Growth is contagious.
Ask your team: “What’s one skill you’d like to develop this year?” Then listen—and help make it happen.
Just like my mom taught us, learning doesn’t end when the school bell rings. In fact, that’s when the real education begins.