Teachers have their share in career choices of their pupils. We’ve already talked about how schools can better help in this area – read about it here! But what of parents? Successful career choices are a joint effort between students, teachers and parents. Students have to attend classes and do what is required of them. Then parents also come in as advisory members.
More than just asking your child what was taught, it is important to seek to understand their way of thinking about reality in relation to what was taught. It is hurting to know it, but some parents don’t even know about their children’s academic life.
Students whose parents are involved in their learning out-perform those whose parents are distant or estranged from their learning. Earlier in our schooling, we had to answer the “What do you want to be when you grow up?” question. Is it still asked?
Yet not many parents care enough to seek to know that. So many of us grew up in school not even sure about what we really wanted. We’ve had to plan our future as we go along. A great majority failed.
Ensuring your children are set up for a successful career, future financial security and good quality of life is a pressing challenge for every parent. As parents, your children will look to you for advice and guidance even if they don’t like to admit it! –MidKent College on The role of parents in their child’s career choice
At the end of the day parents must not become controlling. Some parents lose it as they want to live their shuttered dreams through their children.
It is true parents know more about life, but children know what they deem best for them. It is during this decision-making process that parents come in and act as guides. Letting children be chief decision makers is very crucial. So how involved should parents be?
According to MidKent College, “parents have adopted beliefs about success, how to become successful and what constitutes a ‘good job’ or ‘ideal life.’ Anything we feed back to our children is based on these beliefs and our own experiences. Many of us make the mistake of trying to shield our children from the mistakes that we made- whether knowingly or unknowingly. While we can guide them away from some pitfalls we encountered, they’ll inevitably make mistakes and hiccups along the journey- but these hiccups are vital for their personal growth.”
The best thing to do is that parents can help their children be mature decision-makers, guide and motivate them along their career journey. Parental support will instil the sense of purpose in children.
Nothing is as important as pursuing something that you know that someone believes in you. The very first people to show that they believe in career choices of children are to be parents. Parental input is a necessity.