Picking blueberries with my family showed me I needed to be a less anxious parent

When Francis Chang was younger, he was an anxious parent and too focused on getting his young kids into college and eventually hired into good jobs. It took his mother-in-law’s instructions on blueberry picking to make him appreciate that kids are like blueberries — they need a bit more time, light and space to grow to become the best, most ready version of themselves.

Picking blueberries with my family showed me I needed to be a less anxious parent
A smiling man holding a basket of blueberries smiles and stands next to two girls picking fruit.

When Francis Chang was younger, he was an anxious parent and too focused on getting his young kids into college and eventually hired into good jobs. It took his mother-in-law’s instructions on blueberry picking to make him appreciate that kids are like blueberries — they need a bit more time, light and space to grow to become the best, most ready version of themselves.