When you think of legendary investor Warren Buffett, images of boardrooms, financial statements and investment strategies often come to mind. However, a different side of Buffett is revealed through interviews and personal anecdotes from his children Susie and Peter Buffett.
In a 2017 Forbes interview, Peter Buffett sheds light on a relatable, grounded upbringing, dispelling myths of a lavish lifestyle often associated with wealth.
“People have these projections of what life must have been like. My father drove a Volkswagen when I was a kid. I remember him running out of gas once,” he said.
“He doesn't make that many mistakes, and that can be a little frustrating growing up because he pretty much knows everything you know, plus a whole lot more. ... He was always home at 5 or 5:30 p.m., always at the dinner table, always reading after dinner for hours. His temperament never wavered. You knew what you were getting all the time.”
Furthering this narrative, Susie Buffett reminisced about her childhood in the documentary "Becoming Warren Buffett." She recalled how her father would rock her to sleep at night while singing “Over the Rainbow,” a song that holds a deep sentimental attachment for her. She also recounted a cherished memory from her childhood when her father surprised her with a new dress and a Slo Poke sucker, followed by a trip to the ballet — an experience she later realized her mother had likely orchestrated, but at the time, it was a thoughtful gesture from her father.
While Susie Buffett acknowledged that her father wasn’t the traditional dad who played catch in the backyard or read bedtime stories, she emphasized that he was always present and available whenever his children needed him.
“He wasn’t the dad out in the backyard throwing the football, and he wasn’t really the dad, you know, sitting in the bedroom at night reading the stories with us, but I always had the sense he was there whenever we needed him,” she said.