27 Comments

This is great, especially the ads. I don’t have kids, but I like to think that I would’ve encouraged them to pursue whatever they wanted, with a side of pragmatism thrown in.

Expand full comment

you’re on point, Tim.

Expand full comment

In addition to learning from skillful parents, it’s important to learn as well from those less skillful (if not downright neglectful or even hurtful.) In my experience working with thousands of kids and parents over the years, one of the biggest mistakes a parent can make is to, in any way, limit the potential of their child.

Expand full comment

how can a parent guard against these limits?

Expand full comment

I know, right? It’s counterintuitive because we want to protect them (having raised two of my own and stewarded thousands of students). Two words that should be banished from all parents’ lexicon when speaking with their kids: “You can’t.” Or any derivative thereof like: too dangerous, be careful, go slow, don’t do that, no!, etc. Three words that every parents should use: “try, then learn.”

Expand full comment

I really love the idea of learning from not just the parents who are getting it right, but also from the ones, who didn't. I call it learning in reverse.

Expand full comment

I really enjoyed this piece and the ads were top tier!

Expand full comment

thanks for stopping by. You’re far too kind.

i actually have a bit of copywriting background and so i love to show case my love for ads.

i have a full google drive with the ones i made and the ones i’ve collected over time.

I’m an ads geek like that 🥹🥹

Expand full comment

LOL not me thinking about my parents who discouraged me from ever becoming a writer since I was in elementary school but here we are😂 thanks for writing Tobi! May we never be stumbling blocks for the next generation!

Expand full comment

i recently stumbled on a song by Noah Kahan that said “i’m angry at my parents for what their parents did to them”

that put everything into perspective for me.

Expand full comment

I love my dad.

But there's something he said to me that I plan to point him back to in future😁😁

Expand full comment

hhahahaha! which was?

Expand full comment

Oh it was something about success not being in working on the laptop all the time...

Expand full comment

I love 'can I borrow a tenner' in the end😄 This is a clever piece of advertising, humorous and serious at the same time.

Expand full comment

you know! So enjoyable. 🤩

Expand full comment

LOWKEY I WOULD LOVE TO DO THIS ONE DAY BUT MY AFRICAN FAMILY WOULD THINK IT IS AIMED AT SPITING THE OLD GUY ..... NICE PIECE .... spicy just the way i love my Jollof Write

Expand full comment

thanks for reading flexi. You should do it but make sure you have your own roof over your head before you pull it off. Just in case it back fires 😂😂😂

Expand full comment

Hahahaaaaa OMG I would never have had the nerve to do this

Expand full comment

Would also love to see the dad's response lol

And those ads were brilliant.

Expand full comment

i’m urgently waiting for the dad’s. 😂

it’ll be epic! 😂😂

i’m glad the ads resonated in this piece. I’m actually from a copywriting background which metamorphosed into an Ads-geek. I can’t see an advert on the road and not take the picture. If i love a brand so much, i make one. I made one for substack, i’ll probably share that soon.

I’ll try to add a few ads in the future because i’ll love for my readers to know about my love for ads too. Of course, in an organic way, just as shared in this article. You feel?

Expand full comment

Really? That's interesting. I actually do some copywriting too (I'm a social media manager)

You should definitely share the one you made for Substack. Would love to see it.

Expand full comment

i will, thank you, priscilla.

Expand full comment

It's Precious 😊

Expand full comment

hahahahahha! brain fart! I completely didn't even realize it. My bad.

Precious.

Expand full comment

Lol It's completely fine

Expand full comment

Lol It's completely fine

Expand full comment

These are epic!

Expand full comment