Saturday, April 18, 2026

What we inherit from our mother and father

We’re not doomed to repeat their errors, or destined to imitate their finest conduct.

A parent and child holding hands
Karl tapales / getty

That is an version of The Surprise Reader, a publication wherein our editors suggest a set of tales to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight. Join right here to get it each Saturday morning.

Many people spend our teenage years working tirelessly to keep away from changing into our mother and father. However eventually, we uncover that we didn’t stray fairly so far as we thought. A number of years in the past, my colleague Religion Hill spoke with 17 mother and father who had the identical disconcerting expertise: All of them observed themselves doing one thing, large or small, that mimicked what their very own mother and father used to do. “Some had been genuinely pleased to take after them,” Religion writes. “However most felt at the least somewhat uneasy on the realization: Even individuals who had comparatively pleased childhoods, in spite of everything, can recall some parental shortcomings. After all they don’t need to replicate them.”

The legacy of 1’s mother and father can really feel like a prophecy, Religion notes. However we’re not all doomed to repeat our mother and father’ errors, or destined to inherit their successes. In the present day’s studying record is a information to taking helpful classes with out dropping your personal manner.


On Changing into Your Mother and father

The way to Take Cost of Your Household Inheritance

By Arthur C. Brooks

You might be high quality with changing into extra like your mother and father or hate the thought. Both manner, it’s one thing you may management.

Learn the article.

The Parenting Prophecy

By Religion Hill

The best way somebody was raised usually reveals up in the best way they increase their very own children—for higher or worse.

Learn the article.

Quaker Mother and father Have been Forward of Their Time

By Gail Cornwall

The almost 375-year-old faith’s rules line up surprisingly nicely with trendy parenting analysis.

Learn the article.


Nonetheless Curious?


Different Diversions


P.S.

An image of an ocean and the clouds
Courtesy of Elizabeth

I lately requested readers to share a photograph of one thing that sparks their sense of awe on this planet. Elizabeth, from the Outer Banks of North Carolina, shared this picture of “the darkening day, the calm, the colour, the size of the ocean in comparison with the size of me—of all of us.”

I’ll proceed to function your responses within the coming weeks. Should you’d wish to share, reply to this e-mail with a photograph and a brief description so we are able to share your surprise with fellow readers in a future version of this text or on our web site. Ship us the unique, unedited images out of your cellphone or digital camera as JPGs—no cropping or shrinking is required.

Please embody your identify (initials are okay), age, and site. By doing so, you agree that The Atlantic has permission to publish your picture and publicly attribute the response to you, together with your first identify and final preliminary, age, and/or location that you simply share together with your submission.

— Isabel

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