Launching Dreams Together: Entrepreneurial Lessons for Parents and Kids from October Sky

“Sometimes one dream can light the fuse to a different kind of future.”

That’s exactly what October Sky captures. Based on the memoir Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam, this movie tells the true story of a coal miner’s son who defied small-town expectations to pursue his dream of becoming a rocket scientist. That dream carries him far beyond the expectations of his small town and even further beyond the shadow of the mine his father wants him to work in.

But it’s more than a story about rockets. It’s a crash course in entrepreneurship, complete with vision, setbacks, innovation and the courage to believe in something bigger.

It’s a story that many young entrepreneurs will find inspiring. If you’re raising a child with big ideas and an independent streak, it’s worth watching as a parent because this film doesn’t just show us how dreams are born, it shows us what it costs to nurture (or neglect) them.

Here are five powerful reminders for us as we raise tomorrow’s changemakers:

John Hickam, Homer’s father, was a good man, hardworking, brave and a responsible leader. He believed in coal mining and the dignity of providing for your family. To him, rockets were a distraction, a waste of time.

But the world was changing and Homer saw it. The launch of Sputnik in October 1957 was a sign, literally among the stars, that captivated Homer.

As parents, we’re tempted to steer our children toward safety. We push them toward what’s familiar, proven, “practical.” But sometimes our efforts to protect them become the very thing that limits them.

Lesson: Your child may be building something you don’t yet understand. That doesn’t make it any less valuable.

John didn’t understand Homer’s obsession with rockets. But Homer’s teacher, Miss Riley, didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to believe in him. She encouraged him, gave him books, entered him into a science fair and kept reminding him that he mattered.

You might not understand your child’s business idea. You might wonder if selling handmade crafts, dogwalking, creating a podcast, or running a YouTube channel is really “worth it.”

But support doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means showing up, cheering your child on and makeing space for him or her to try, fail and grow.

Lesson: You don’t need to be the expert, you just need to believe your child can become one.

The Rocket Boys didn’t have labs. They had dirt roads, scrap metal and books borrowed from the local library. They failed…a lot!

But each failure taught them something.

If you’re raising a child who’s trying out business ideas, chances are you’re also dealing with mess: cardboard prototypes in the garage, half-finished projects on the kitchen table and perhaps excitement followed by tears when something doesn’t work out.

It can be frustrating, but growth often looks like chaos before it becomes clarity.

Lesson: Don’t rush to clean up the mess (or mop up the tears.) That’s where the magic is. That's growth and grit under construction.

John’s resistance to Homer’s dreams wasn’t cruelty. It was fear: fear of the unknown, fear of seeing his son get hurt.

It’s easy to slip into that space when our children dream big. We say things like:

• “Are you sure this is realistic?”
  
  

• “Don’t you want to study something more stable?”
  
  

• “You can always come back to that later.”
  
  

But sometimes our “concern” is really our anxiety talking.

Lesson: Be honest with yourself: is your resistance rooted in wisdom or worry?

In the end, John Hickam did come around. Quietly. Not with a big speech, but with a quiet act of support that told Homer: “I see you now.”

That one moment changed everything.

As parents, we often underestimate the power of our words. A single comment like, “I’m proud of you,” “You’re really good at this,” or “I believe in your idea,” can be more profound than we realise.

Lesson: Even if you don’t have the final say in your child’s path, you have a lasting influence on how confidently they walk it.

October Sky is more than a feel-good movie. It’s a mirror.

If you’re raising a young entrepreneur, innovator or dreamer, you’re not just managing a child,  you’re stewarding a vision…and that requires wisdom, humility and considerable courage.

Courage to let go.
Courage to hold space.
Courage to believe ... even before the rocket launches.

So grab some popcorn and watch or rewatch October Sky as a family and let it spark a conversation, not just about rockets, but about dreams, legacy and the kind of parent you want to be.

Below are some lessons for a young entrepreneur to consider after watching October Sky:

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