GAM Stories

Moments, memories, reflections, and creativity from ABC Next Gen and parents.

Welcome to the GAM Stories Library - a growing collection of voices from across generations.

Here you’ll find Next Gen stories, parent reflections, paired family stories, creative works, and submissions shared from around the world.

Every story is real, personal, and shaped by livered experience.

Browse by category. Explore paired stories. Discover new voices.

And if you’re ready, share your own.

Featured Paired Stories

These stories present two sides of the same moment - one from a youth, one from a parent.

Next Gen

Parents

First Love, First Crash

Even if they leave, love still makes us whole.

How I Accidentally Became a “Try-Hard”

I wasn’t the smartest. I just kept showing up and got into MIT anyway.

When Everyone Else Knew What to Do

I tried to serve others. Then I realized I needed more tools. That’s how I found medicine.

How Far You Go, How Well You Go

Networking and communication define how far and how well you go in your career.

Yuki, My Brother

Even when you feel “abroad,” you can still belong if you learn to walk in your own skin.

Through the Lens

Medicine taught me discipline. Photography taught me how to breathe.

The City Where I Didn’t Say Goodbye

I never said goodbye. But ten years later, I finally returned.

When Love Breaks Them

A mother doesn’t need the full story. She only needs to stay.

The Morning I Followed Him Quietly

He used to be shy. Now he knocks on every door. Glad to witness his transformation.

The Two-Year Window

Sometimes the detour is where they find their direction.

When My Son Stopped Talking

I taught him everything except how to use his voice. This is what

The Museum Kid

Some children run through museums. Ours taught us how to stand still.

What the Photos Say

The photos hold us together. Even when he says nothing, I hear everything.

What Do I Say to My Father or My Son

My father loved me in silence. I raised my son the same way until he broke the cycle.

Next Gen Stories

Stories from ABC Next Gen in high school, college, graduate school, and early career.

Double New Year

Twice the fireworks, twice the feelings.

The Cadet Who Surprised Everyone

I didn’t choose a different path to rebel — I chose it to belong.

Learning to Like My Own Body

Maybe I never hated exercise — I just hated the spotlight.

Baking for One (And Sometimes Two)

Sometimes the quietest rituals heal the loudest parts of you.

A Week of Sunsets in Taipei

I went looking for color and found myself softening into the world again.

My Friend Group Is a Map

It turns out home isn’t one place — it’s people from everywhere.

What I Wish Someone Told Me Before

The secret? It’s not actually about college.

The ABC Kid Who Learned to Speak Up

Hard work builds foundations — but voice opens doors.

Finding Mandarin in Manchester

Sometimes the things you run from follow you home.

My Desk-Shelf Museum

In a world that asks you to grow up fast, small memories grow roots for you.

Share Your Story

Parent Stories

Reflections from parents - wise, gentle, honest, and full of lived experience.

Lanterns in a New Sky

A familiar festival, a different country, and a daughter learning that traditions can travel too.

The Day My Daughter Taught Me How to Be Cool

A crash course in Gen Z slang, social cues, and surviving a TikTok moment.

The Birthday Gift I Almost Didn’t Give

Sometimes the smallest memories become the biggest comfort.

Learning to Rest Again

After decades of working nonstop, my daughter taught me how to slow down.

The Phone Call I Waited Three Years For

Sometimes our children don’t need advice—they need time.

The T-Shirts We Forgot to Fold

A simple evening of laundry turned into a quiet lesson in letting go.

The Joy of a Two-Hour Road Trip

Sometimes the quiet moments teach us more about our children than any conversation ever could.

The Return to My Piano

How rediscovering music helped me reconnect with my daughter—and with myself.

Our Little Book Club

A simple weekly ritual helped me reconnect with my teenage son.

The Night Shift That Changed Me

A doctor learns that healing a family is different from healing a patient.

Share Your Story

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