In an era defined by generative AI, gig economies, and rapid change, parenting advice from one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs offers a surprising blend of simplicity and insight. Mark Cuban, investor and retired Shark on Shark Tank, has offered a closer look into what is actually significant for children in the 2020s, both for parents and kids. Drawing from his interviews with CNBC and TheStreet, here are the key lessons every parent needs to hear.
Curiosity Over Certainty
Cuban often says he didn’t push a specific career path for his kids; instead, he prioritized one word: curiosity. According to Cuban, children (and adults) are better served when they stay curious about the world rather than being locked into one road. As one account puts it, “Instead, his best advice is just two words long: ‘Be curious.”
Thus, for parents, this means that jobs aren’t supposed to pave a path for your child; rather, they are to encourage exploration. Learning is a lifelong process. Hence, ask questions, experiment with skills, and show that not knowing is fine.
Teach Skills For The Future
In his interviews, Cuban shifted from “get good grades” to something sharper: teach resilience, adaptability, and, increasingly, AI skills. He told CNBC that one of his strongest suggestions was for kids to embrace AI, both as learners and users:
“If I were a student today … I’d learn how to write prompts for AI tools like ChatGPT and teach others how to use them.”
And from TheStreet: Cuban emphasized that students who get comfortable with emerging digital tools are more likely to succeed:
In short, the world is changing so fast that the skills your child needs may not yet even have a name. Instead of drilling traditional subjects exclusively, build learning habits—how to use tools, ask good questions, solve problems, and pilot AI as a helper, not a threat.
For parents, the practical takeaway is don’t treat tech as a toy or distraction—make it a tool. Encourage your child to tinker, create, fail forward, and bring learning into the digital world as much as the physical one.
Let Them Not Know
Perhaps one of Mark Cuban’s most freeing messages: it’s okay if your child doesn’t know exactly what they want to be when they grow up. In fact, he says, expecting them to have it all figured out is outdated. “You don’t have to know what you are going to be when you grow up.”
He views adolescence and early adulthood as exploration zones—not rigid pipelines. For parents, this means resisting the pressure to map careers too early.
Encourage Hustle, Not Entitlement
Being a child of successful parents comes with some privileges; however, Cuban mentions that what’s significant is effort and relying on oneself. He has been very clear: wealth doesn’t absolve responsibility. “You can’t just buy whatever you want; I don’t want you to be entitled jerks.”
He backs his children to seek their own way by learning the worth of hard work and making their own identity from scratch. Thus, parents must set some expectations, assign chores, take responsibility, and earn money, instead of spoiling. This way, they can learn about money and what the money means, which is independence, contribution, and competence.
Embrace Change—Especially Now
Mark Cuban reflects that in today’s world, kids will graduate into vastly different fields than the one in which we grew up. His advice was to adapt, learn new tools, and change continuously. From Economic Times: “Read books and learn how to use AI in every way, shape, and form you can.”
In interviews, he speaks about how older generations built stable careers—today, careers are built and rebuilt constantly. So parents can’t teach “job for life”—they can teach mindset. How to pivot. How to relearn. How to spot where value is emerging and lean into it.
For kids: experiment with digital tools, learn to build things, code, prompt AI, and analyze. For parents: support them in learning new tools—not just entertainment but creation. Celebrate trying new things rather than sticking to comfort zones.
Curiosity + Skills + Action = The Formula
If you tie these threads together, Cuban’s formula for raising kids isn’t rocket science—but it is intentional:
- Curiosity gives the spark: explore, ask, fail, shift.
- Skills give traction: reading, tech, AI, and tools of creation.
- Action gives confidence: work, build, earn, and adapt.
In his words, he frames the goal not as “be successful like me,” but “be yourself and build what you like.” He’s said: “I want them to be themselves … I try not to say, “You’ve got to go in this direction or that direction.”
How Parents Can Apply This Today
- Model curiosity: Explore things together with your child—books, hobbies, and AI tools. You don’t need all the answers; instead, just your willingness matters.
- Use tech as a tool: Introduce the uses of technology, not for fun, but for solving a problem. Prompt engineering, digital creation, and building simple apps.
- Allow transitions: Don’t lock your child into a path. Celebrate exploration. Mistakes. Switches. Adaptation is a strength.
- Set earning challenges: Have your child earn things. Not just allowance, but tasks, projects, and building something.
- Prepare for change: Let your child try multiple fields. Encourage gaps, internships, side hustles, and curiosity.
- Keep your role small but steady: Cuban emphasizes letting kids figure out their path. Your role is to guide, not dictate.
Conclusion
Mark Cuban’s parenting advice does not sound flashy, but that is why it works. In a world full of chaos, parents worry about social media influence, choice of college, and job security. On the other hand, Mark Cuban brings back fundamentals like curiosity to learn, building skills, self-reliance, and embracing the constant transformation.
These are not just tips; rather, they’re mindset shifts. When you ask your child to “be curious” instead of telling them to “become a doctor,” you are not lowering expectations. In fact, you’re giving your children freedom. When you encourage them to learn AI tools, you’re preparing them for tomorrow, not yesterday.
