Many people may admire May Musk as a fashionista and a seasoned model who refuses to let age be an obstacle. Even at 70, she still looks as vibrant as someone in their early 30s. However, what many might not know, or might find surprising, is that May Musk is actually the mother of Elon Musk, the renowned billionaire CEO of leading technology companies like electric car manufacturer Tesla and SpaceX.

          It doesn't matter whether you know May or Elon; what’s more interesting is the parenting philosophy of this strong single mother, which has played a crucial role in shaping Elon into the person he is today.

          Here are three key principles of her unconventional parenting style that new parents can adopt.

         1. Equip Your Children with “Perseverance” from a Young Age

          When discussing Elon’s success today, much credit goes to his mother, who serves as a role model in many aspects. May has been a successful entrepreneur since a young age, a writer, a nutritionist, and a professional model. Additionally, she has been a brand ambassador for leading cosmetics brands like COVERGIRL.

          Despite facing numerous challenges in her youth, including a divorce that led her to move from South Africa to Toronto, she once shared in an interview with Vogue, “I had to raise three kids on my own with no income. I cried when they spilled their milk because I had no money left to buy more.” Ultimately, her attitude of “never giving up” helped her persevere, and she passed this DNA on to Elon.

          “When Elon became a teenager, he had to go to a job placement agency for the unemployed. He ended up working as a cleaner at a sawmill, which was a filthy job. But Elon endured, and that was the beginning of cultivating his fighting spirit and perseverance to achieve his goals.

          2. Teach Your Children to Be Self-Reliant

          It’s not that she doesn’t love or care for her children, but May’s way of showing love involves training her sons to be strong and self-sufficient in this world by encouraging them to pursue their passions.

          “As my children grew up, I had to let them learn to rely on themselves. I always tell them that as long as they do what they believe is right, it’s always worth going all the way. This is why I fully supported Elon and his brother when they started their first company, Zip2, which was about creating online content.”

          A few years later, the company was bought by Compaq (now merged with HP) for over $304 million, making Elon a billionaire at just 28, with the belief that

“whenever you think of inventing a product or creating a service, it shouldn’t just be about being slightly better than the competition; it should be about being great.” This belief became the foundation for Elon’s ambitious projects, including plans to build rockets to take humans to Mars.

          3. Never Let Anything Stop You from Dreaming

          May’s signature trait that continually surprises those around her is her relentless pursuit of self-challenge. This philosophy is also a clear part of Elon’s DNA, as he has never considered retirement. He is the nine-year-old boy who read the entire Britannica encyclopedia and fell in love with the world of science and technology from that day on. He never runs out of energy or feels discouraged in bringing technological advancements to the world because he follows in the footsteps of his fabulous mother, who loves to chase her own dreams.

          All of this represents the simple principles that May used to raise her children, leading to the remarkable person Elon has become, known worldwide...