Melinda French Gates, the billionaire philanthropist and former co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, recently shared her approach to parenting in an interview with NPR’s “Fresh Air” podcast. With a net worth of $14.5 billion, as reported by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, and being married to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, French Gates was well aware of the potential pitfalls that accompany immense wealth. She feared that her children, Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe, might grow up entitled and detached from reality. To combat this, she took deliberate steps to ensure they remained grounded and appreciative of their circumstances. French Gates emphasized that she wanted her children to have deep values and understand their good fortune. Reflecting on her own middle-class upbringing, she adopted strategies that her parents had used to instill a sense of responsibility and humility. One of her key decisions was to send her children to local schools rather than homeschool them. She believed that being part of the community would benefit them immensely. Although this decision led to some challenges, such as the kids experiencing a few transitions between different schools, the overall result was positive. French Gates and her family often engaged in community service, both at home and abroad. They visited and worked with homeless shelters, volunteered to serve meals, and participated in other forms of local outreach. These activities were designed to expose the children to the wide range of life experiences beyond their privileged environment. For instance, French Gates’s younger daughter, Phoebe, spent several summers in middle and high school working in Rwanda and living with a local family. Such experiences broadened their horizons and helped them understand the world's complexities and their own good fortune. French Gates also implemented a system of chores and allowances to foster a sense of responsibility in her children. She believed that these small, everyday tasks were crucial in teaching them the value of hard work and the importance of contributing to the household. Additionally, she ensured that any hired help they worked with shared the same values, further reinforcing the lessons of empathy and humility. In a separate interview on the “On With Kara Swisher” podcast, French Gates expanded on the significance of community work. She highlighted that activities like helping the homeless, mentoring, and assisting with homework not only teach valuable life skills but also provide a sense of fulfillment and purpose. These experiences, she noted, help individuals feel better about themselves and more connected to their community. By integrating these practices into her children's lives, French Gates aimed to ground them in the realities of the world and ensure they recognized their responsibility to contribute positively to society. Her efforts have been part of a broader commitment to philanthropy and socially conscious living, as seen in her involvement with The Giving Pledge, an initiative she co-launched with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. Through her actions and teachings, she hopes to raise children who are not only successful but also deeply aware of the world around them and the role they can play in making it better.