What dads today really want for their kids

Lately, I’ve been talking to a lot of dads about their kids—their challenges, the fun moments, their hopes and dreams.

And today, I want to share something exciting: what today’s dads really want for their children. Spoiler alert: it’s giving me a lot of optimism about the future of our world.

Dreams for an immigrant child

As the child of immigrants, I know firsthand what it's like to grow up with certain expectations. My parents moved to the U.S. from India before they had kids, and I was born here. I was raised with very typical immigrant values and dreams, which were shaped by the sacrifices my parents made to give me opportunities they didn’t have.

If you had asked my parents what they wanted for me, their answers would’ve sounded familiar to a lot of first-generation kids:

• Go to a top-tier university

• Land a stable, high-paying job

• Get married and have kids

I had friends who grew up with the same expectations. But as our generation grows older and becomes parents ourselves, things are shifting. Mental health isn’t as taboo. We’ve seen friends and peers grow into adults who are nothing like the expectations their parents set.

And now, we want something different for our kids.

What today’s dads really want

So, I started asking dads what they hope for their children. I was curious—what do modern dads dream of for their kids?

Here’s what they told me:

• "I want my kids to have a solid foundation and be prepared for the real world."

• "I want them to be self-motivated and have a love of learning, not just do things because they have to."

• "I want my kids to be strong in their faith."

• "I want to raise polite and respectful kids who treat others well."

• "It’s all about relationships. I want my kids to have a healthy relationship with themselves, with us as their parents, and to build a network of support."

• "I want them to get along well with their siblings and form lasting bonds."

• "I want them to learn things that aren’t taught in school but are crucial for life."

• "Financial literacy is something I care about—they need to know how to handle money."

• "I hope my son looks back on his childhood as a positive time in his life."

• "I care more about their emotional intelligence (EQ) than raw intellect."

• "I hope they’re empathetic, but teaching that feels like a challenge."

• "At the end of the day, I just want them to be good human beings."

• "I just want them to be open, honest people."

If I boil this down, I heard the following themes:

• Instilling core values: Dads want their kids to grow up with integrity, kindness, and respect for others. And guess what, research shows that EQ is responsible for 58% of professional success.

• Developing life skills: It’s not just about academic success anymore. Modern dads are focused on practical skills—emotional intelligence, financial literacy, resilience—that will serve their kids for life. This will serve kids well in the future, as an overwhelming majority of employers (93%) say life skills play a critical role in their decision about who to hire.

• Building strong relationships: From sibling bonds to healthy connections with parents, dads today are prioritizing relationships, because they know those are the things that matter most in the long run.

The future looks bright

Honestly, hearing this from so many dads gives me hope.

We’re raising a generation of kids who will be prepared for the real world. They’ll grow up empathetic, responsible, and emotionally intelligent. They’ll value relationships and know how to navigate life’s challenges with grace.

If we keep doing this—if we stay intentional about raising good human beings—our world will look very different in 30 to 40 years. And that’s a future I’m excited to see.

So, to all the dads out there: thank you for being intentional, for caring, and for showing up for your kids. We’re building something incredible together.

Here’s to the next generation of good humans.