Role of parents in shaping their child’s career
Is your son or daughter happy with their decision regarding their future? Have you, as a parent, tried to be of help to them in making these decisions? Are you also wondering how to be a part of this process where your younger one is deciding what they want to pursue in the future or where their interest lies? Before continuing, ask yourself if you are, in any manner, trying to put your own thoughts on to your child’s future decision making process?
The children are expected to choose the field of study based on the skill set they possess, aptitude, and their core interests but most of the time this is not how it works. Parents tend to add in their unfulfilled dreams and desires on to the child’s life and expects them to take it forward. The decision making process works well only if the child and the parents are aligning their thoughts and opinions. A research study mentions that 60 percent of employees were not satisfied with their jobs while 80 percent were looking to change jobs. 30 percent out of the total sample size stated the reason for looking at job change as the previous ones are meaningless work. The parents should also consider the fact that there are a number of options available from which their ward can pick form. To work on the options and have a better set of lists should be done after considering the scale of how much the skills and interests matches in the child.
A few points to keep in mind while helping your child when they are choosing their field of study or career is that,
- The initial step in helping your child is to let them discover their own strengths, weaknesses, and interests on their own. With the help of the teachers, mentors, friends, peers, and courses, one can get the exposure that is needed for them to understand what they really are interested in.
- Let your children develop a social life. Let them experiment and learn new things by themselves. Not only their creative side is activated but also the decision making capacity increases.
- The parents should treat their children according to the age and not consider them a child always. Letting them take responsibilities and decisions will bring the better version of them. The children can start with taking less serious or dangerous decisions for themselves under the supervision of the parents so that they do have the idea of a decision has to be taken and what sort of thinking it takes.
- It is on the parents to realize the fact that the marks do not decide their children’s abilities. They might be excelling in other areas but maybe not in academics. The theoretical knowledge they possess would be weaker but their practical knowledge about the same concept could be highly exceptional. Encourage them to learn more apart from the books that are prescribed for them.
- Listen to your child actively regarding their likes and dislikes. If they say that they like something or are interested in a particular field, encourage them to learn more and see if the skills and passion meet with them.
- Beyond everything, allow your child to decide the career path they would want to choose and give them enough guidance and support from your end. It could be the usual route of science stream or an unconventional one, but in the end your child should be doing what they are passionate towards.
The parents should look out for these points while approaching their children’s decision.
- Parents expecting their children to settle down in economically viable careers which might be short sighted in reality. It is necessary that no parent fall for the market trends that exist instead they can prioritise the skills and passion their child possess. To not get influenced by the external sources is a must.
- There are times when the parents decide for themselves with regards to what their child has to do even before they reach the 12th Restricting the child in getting exposed to different career fields and options is something that every parent has to avoid.
- Another important factor is that the children should not be restricted to choose the colleges based on the proximity, geographical location, or its popularity.
- Parents could also give a shot at trying career counselling for their younger ones where they are guided in a very straight forward manner based on their aptitude, skills, and interest. This process might also open a couple of new options to pick from.
- The most important thing is that the parents should refrain themselves from comparing their children with the others with respect to all terms that are possible and understand that their child is completely different and unique from the others.
One’s abilities, skills, and strengths does evolve and gradually develop as they grow. The encouragement to do the right thing should never stop from the parents’ end. To understand the children and giving them the best of the best options to choose from gives them confidence and the trust in themselves and also in you as a parent.
