Growing Up Without Growing Apart | Dr. Valerie Woo | TEDxHSRW

A personal talk on how growing up can change both young adults and their parents. Pediatric dentist and speaker Valerie Woo describes the shift as young adults begin choosing their own lives while parents learn to step back, trust, and stay connected in a new way. The talk is drawn from her own story as the daughter of Filipino immigrants and introduces the idea of Half Nester. The talk was given at TEDxHSRW, an independently organized TEDx event. It focuses on the in-between space between home and independence, family expectations and personal identity, and ambition and belonging.

• Young adults choosing their own lives while parents adjust
• The in-between space between home, independence and identity
• The Half Nester concept, rooted in the speaker's personal life
• Becoming yourself without betraying where you come from

What happens when growing up changes not just the child, but the parent too? In this personal and emotional talk, Valerie Woo explores what happens as young adults begin choosing lives of their own while their parents learn to step back, trust, and find a new way to stay connected. Filmed and edited by Fotocinema (Arkadiusz Tomala). Dr. Valerie Woo is a pediatric dentist, entrepreneur, speaker, and proud daughter of Filipino immigrants. Through her work and personal story, she explores what it means to grow, lead, and become yourself in seasons of change. On the TEDxHSRW stage, Valerie will share the heart behind Half Nester, a concept born from her own life long before motherhood. Through that lens, she speaks to the in-between space so many students know well: between home and independence, family expectations and personal identity, ambition and belonging. With warmth, honesty, and insight, Valerie invites the audience to rethink what it means to be limitless, not by doing more or balancing everything perfectly, but by finding their own rhythm and realizing that becoming yourself is not a betrayal of where you come from. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx