A mother of a teen with two graduate degrees shares her top parenting advice, which inspired her daughter to desire further learning.

Jimalita Tillman finds it both humbling and inspiring to have an 18-year-old daughter with a doctorate.

Dorothy Jean Tillman II, a 17-year-old Chicago teen, earned a doctoral degree in integrated behavioral health from Arizona State University last year, becoming the latest in a string of academic achievements that include a bachelor's degree at age 12 and a master's degree in environmental science by age 14, both online.

Jimalita tells CNBC Make It that she looks to her as inspiration for things she does in her own day-to-day life.

Jimalita, a single parent, recognized her daughter's outsized curiosity and zeal for learning at a young age and facilitated her accomplishments through home-schooling.

To help other parents, she advised following a child's interests and letting them teach.

Tillman says that initially, it was crucial to let her guide and impart knowledge to him, even if he already knew it.

Building confidence and a thirst for learning

Research indicates that when kids teach a subject to someone else, they gain a deeper comprehension and become more invested, regardless of whether the recipient is a parent or a peer.

Jimalita demonstrated a keen interest in the subjects that fascinated her daughter by asking numerous questions and allowing Dorothy Jean to elaborate on the concepts she was studying.

Jimalita says that whenever she took interest in something, she would also take interest in it and allow her to teach her, which boosted her confidence and the things she knew. As a result, she felt the need to learn more.

At age 8, Dorothy Jean swiftly completed her home-school courses and mastered high school subjects. A year later, she enrolled in the College of Lake County's online courses and obtained an associate's degree in psychology at age 10.

"Jimalita says, "Initially, she was fascinated by the workings of the mind and human interactions. However, her curiosity centered on why adults behave the way they do.""

Encouraging her daughter's instincts

Dorothy Jean frequently spent time with a cluster of home-educated peers during her childhood, and Jimalita recognized early on that her daughter relished imparting her knowledge to others.

"Jimalita says that her love of learning extended beyond just acquiring new knowledge, as she enjoyed sharing and experiencing new things with others. She believes that half the challenge of learning something new is being able to teach it effectively to others."

Dorothy Jean's advanced courses and busy schedule prevented her from participating in typical teen experiences such as homecoming and spirit week. Jimalita compensated by frequently inviting Dorothy Jean's friends for group vacations and study sessions, especially after most schools shifted to remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Jimalita.

Last month, the New York Times reported that the outgoing teen went to her best friend's prom.

Dorothy Jean's leadership skills were strengthened by encouraging her to teach her peers, Jimalita says. In 2020, Dorothy Jean founded the Dorothy Jeanius STEAM Leadership Institute, which provides educational programming in STEM and arts subjects for Black youths in Chicago. Now that she has completed her doctorate, she will spend part of this summer teaching through that organization, her mother says.

"Jimalita wants her to be able to work towards her vision of peace, speak, share her story, and impact more people. She really enjoys that."

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