When your dad is Bill Gates, forget the typical graduation gift. You won’t be seeing Starbucks gift cards here!

In 2018, the world watched as Jennifer Gates, daughter of the tech titan, graduated from Stanford University and received a jaw-dropping present: a sprawling 124-acre horse farm in North Salem, New York, valued at a staggering $15.82 million. This luxurious estate, boasting rolling pastures and close proximity to New York City, was the perfect setting for her equestrian dreams and future studies.

However, don’t let the glitz fool you—Melinda Gates, Jennifer’s mother, wants to set the record straight. In a candid interview with The New York Times in 2024, she emphasized that their kids were raised in a very ‘middle-class’ environment.

"We aimed for a lifestyle similar to the one I grew up in," Melinda stated, highlighting how financial choices impacted their upbringing. She cited personal anecdotes of having allowances, needing to wish for gifts at birthdays, and even having preferences tempered by financial realities. "We absolutely did not just buy them things," she explained, underlining the family's intentional approach to instilling values of responsibility and patience in their children.

Melinda further warned her kids about discussing their travel arrangements, emphasizing the importance of being relatable to their peers. "You know, you really are not allowed to tell other people how we flew on this trip... otherwise it will separate you from other children," she advised.

This duality of extravagant gifts contrasted with grounded life lessons illustrates the unique upbringing of the Gates children, making Jennifer's graduation all the more memorable.