After U.S. Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor's father passed away when she was 9 years old, she and her younger brother, now a doctor, were raised solely by their mother, Celina. What values did this single working mother instill in her children, both of whom grew up to be extremely successful? In this clip from an episode of "Oprah's Next Chapter," Justice Sotomayor talks to Oprah about her mother's parenting philosophies.
Justice Sotomayor says that, for her mother, raising two successful children came down to a simple conscious choice: "She will tell you that she did it by not interfering," she tells Oprah.
In her book My Beloved World, Justice Sotomayor also links her successes to a fierce love of education -- a value her mother instilled in both of her children by telling them, "It doesn't matter how good your grades are. I just want to know that you studied. The rest will work itself out."
Ultimately, Justice Sotomayor says, it comes down to parents letting go of their own hard-and-fast expectations and allowing their children to follow whatever path they choose for themselves. "You really do need a parent who's willing to set themselves aside, and their own hopes and dreams," she explains. "If your child marches to a different beat, a different drummer, you might just have to go along with that music. Help them achieve what's important to them."
"Oprah's Next Chapter" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on OWN.
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