Motherhood: The Ultimate Learning Adventure
- Dr. Sara Reed
- May 9
- 3 min read
Recently, I took my youngest on an adventure to a local farm. We petted baby animals, learned about them, and ate donuts: the essentials. As I sat on a bench watching her navigate the ropes course, the song “Don’t Blink” floated through the speakers, and it hit me: nearly 16 years of motherhood have been one long, beautiful learning lab.
My children are living a very different life than I did. There are many reasons for that, but one thing I carried forward from my own childhood is an insatiable curiosity. And my kids have it too.
Whenever one of them goes on a learning journey, I go with them in some way. Sometimes we learn side‑by‑side, exploring a new city or country. Sometimes I’m playing catch‑up, like when one of them picks up a new sport I never played growing up. And more often now, as they get older, I learn simply because they are learning.
From the child determined to earn an associate’s degree in Math before high school graduation, to the one who brought theater into our home, each new passion they pursue invites me to choose:
How do I participate without becoming that mom?
How do I show care through curiosity?
How do I demonstrate support by showing up?
I haven’t always gotten it right. When one of my kids earned their black belt, I thought I understood the significance. What I didn’t understand was the mental, physical, and emotional toll that journey required. (And yes, I’m working to be ready for the second degree.)
College is coming fast. New adventures are coming even faster. And I’m learning right alongside them.
Connecting Motherhood to Leadership
This season of parenting has become a masterclass in leadership, specifically, in intellectual humility.
Each of my children’s pursuits, sports, advanced academics, theater, has stretched me in different ways. I’ve had to learn new things, ask questions, admit what I don’t know, and stay open to being shaped by their experiences.
That’s leadership.
Embracing a Learner’s Mindset
As leaders, we don’t grow by knowing everything. We grow by staying curious, by letting others teach us, and by recognizing that wisdom can come from anywhere—our teams, our peers, our mentors, and yes, even our children.
Creating a Culture of Collaboration
When leaders model intellectual humility, we create environments where people feel safe to contribute, experiment, and stretch. My child’s dedication to mathematics inspires me. My willingness to learn from them strengthens our relationship. The same dynamic holds true at work:
Curiosity builds trust, and trust fuels innovation.
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Realizing We Will Be Surpassed
One of the most humbling realizations, both as a mother and as a leader, is accepting that the people we pour into will eventually outgrow us. Our children will master skills we never had access to, dream dreams we couldn’t imagine, and step into futures we can’t fully prepare them for. The same is true in leadership: if we do our jobs well, the people we lead will surpass us in capability, confidence, and impact. That isn’t a threat; it’s the point.
Leadership is an act of stewardship, not ownership.
Our role is to create the conditions for others to rise, even if that means they rise higher than we ever did.
The Leadership Lesson I’m Carrying Forward
Motherhood keeps reminding me that learning is lifelong. It’s messy, humbling, energizing, and deeply human. And the more I nurture my children’s diverse interests, the more I grow as a leader.
Leadership isn’t about having the answers. It’s about staying open to the journey.
© 2026 Dr. Sara Reed. All rights reserved.
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