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Every parent carries something into the role: the lessons they were taught, the love they received, the fears they inherited, and the promises they quietly made about what they would do differently.

In Fire #8, Rachel and Ryan reflect on their very different childhood experiences and what each has chosen to carry into parenting Ember. They talk about presence, perseverance, whimsy, kindness, respect for difference, and raising a child who knows she is deeply loved - even when she makes a mistake. From transforming July the potato through “magic” to teaching Ember that she is allowed to be upset but not mean, they share the ordinary moments that reveal what they value most.

They also speak honestly about where their parenting instincts differ, how inherited expectations still surface, and the ongoing work of repairing, recalibrating, and giving each other grace. As Ember becomes more fully herself, Rachel and Ryan consider what it means to protect her without trying to control everything, to care more about who she becomes than what she becomes, and to raise her to be strong enough to be gentle.

Because parenting is an ongoing practice of deciding what love asks us to hold firmly… and what it asks us to let go.