“I don’t agree!” my husband barked into the phone. I could almost hear our daughter’s stifled sobs through the receiver. I gently gestured to my husband and said: “She’s grown up now. We can’t keep imposing our will on her. Let’s respect her choices.” He softened his tone and told our daughter: “Alright. Just think carefully. Whichever company you choose, it’s your decision. I hope it turns out to be the right one.” That moment transported me back several years to another pivotal decision in our daughter’s life.
When we made the call for her
Back then, she was deciding on her university major. My husband and I insisted she pursue IT. It was a booming field, we reasoned, and offered excellent job prospects. She wasn’t interested, but as parents, we felt it was our duty to guide her toward a stable future. Under our pressure, she enrolled in the IT program at Sweden’s prestigious KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
Ironically, during her studies, the IT industry began to decline, and job prospects weren’t as bright as we had hoped. We couldn’t help but feel anxious. Had we led her down the wrong path? But our daughter never complained. On the contrary, she studied even harder, determined not to let us down. She completed her degree with distinction, and her graduation project at ABB in Sweden received glowing reviews. She emerged not only educated, but also experienced and deeply prepared.
Letting her take the lead this time
With her ABB experience and newfound confidence, our daughter began job hunting even before graduating. She believed opportunity favors the prepared, and she applied to multiple firms. Ericsson responded with an interview offer, along with two other consulting firms.
After several intense weeks of interviews, she received offers from all three. It was a thrilling moment — but also a difficult one. After careful consideration, she chose a smaller consulting firm over the global giant Ericsson. Before signing the contract, she called us. Her father objected immediately. That’s when I reminded him that she had earned the right to choose. It was her life. This time, she would take the reins.
A springboard into the future
In Sweden, May is like early spring in China — bright, breezy, and full of hope. It was on such a sunny day that our daughter stepped into her first job, leaving the shelter of our care to venture out into the world on her own terms. With ambition in her heart and dreams in her eyes, she joined the consulting firm she had chosen herself. And as fate would have it, her first assignment sent her straight to Ericsson. There, she thrived. Every day brought new updates — positive ones. She loved her work, earned the trust of her boss, bonded with her colleagues, and managed her life with impressive balance. Slowly, the worry in our hearts dissolved.
Giving back while growing up
At her workplace, Chinese professionals visiting from home often found a sense of familiarity in our daughter. She welcomed them warmly, offering assistance whenever possible. Some were so impressed they encouraged her to return to China, promising better opportunities. She told us she’d consider it when the time was right — and we supported her wholeheartedly.
Watching her flourish, we couldn’t help but admire her courage and wisdom. Our once timid daughter had matured into an independent, capable young woman. She was no longer the delicate child we once fretted over, but someone we now looked up to with pride. As parents, isn’t that all we can hope for — that our children surpass us, chart their own path, and find fulfillment?
Passing the torch to a new generation
Through her, we’ve seen that the new generation of Chinese youth growing up in the West possesses strengths we never had — language fluency, cultural adaptability, interpersonal skills, and a fearless competitive spirit. Compared to our struggles as immigrants, they are better prepared to succeed. On the one-year anniversary of her first job, my husband and I send her our heartfelt wishes: May her career soar and her life be filled with happiness and purpose.
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