Parents are the well wishers for their kids who want them to stay happy, thus they shape the kids’ life in a manner that they can live a happy, healthy life ahead. Since the parents strive for kids happiness they ensure that their children make right choices, out of which, one most important is career selection and most parents are super actively involved in the process where they play an important role.
Here it becomes mandatory that the parents know their properly and play it effectively and positively. It has been seen in our country that parents tend to decide the career of children either based on their desires which they were not able to fulfil during their life or according to the knowledge and experience they have gathered over their life tenure. They cannot be called completely wrong here as they find it their duty to get the best for their children in every horizon of life. The role of parents has been changing with the changing time as now days they are expected to be involved without dominating their children for career choices, neither they can expect them to follow their definition of a perfect career. Listed below are some ways parents can ensure their contribution in building a child’s career.
Parents should encourage their children to try and not give up.
Children today want things to happen in one go and loose their heart if things don’t happen the same way they have thought it to be. Here parents can motivate their children to try out new things and tell them that even if they failed, it is part of success and life and they have to start walking again.
Parents should help their children to discover new fields and interests.
They should stay updated with new things happening in the world every single day and also guide their children to explore every bit of opportunity so that they can discover their interest and build it up the way they want. For this, communication is the key, keep talking to people about things you are unaware of.Career scope changes with time, do not try to impose ideas or views that existed during your days. Help and guidance from Career Counsellors can be taken wherever expert opinion is needed.
Encourage children to build skill set of their interest.
Even when the child is 10 to 14 years of age they can be enrolled for learning basic skills or any extra curricular activity that will not only help in finding their interest but also make them a better individual as every skill enhances one or more attribute of personality and teaches millions of things. In this fast pacing world, mastering a skill set has somehow become necessity.
Parents should interfere and advise children but leave decision making on their children.
This prepares children for life ahead when they have to take complete charge of their lives. Discussion about the scope, pros and cons of the careers in mind should be done and then the child must be left to choose the career that he/she would want to pursue. This teaches the concept of ownership and responsibility to the child and they will work more laboriously to make their decision work.
Parents should develop bond of mutual trust with children where both are up for discussions any time.
Parent would only be able to help his child when they will be comfortable enough to discuss everything with their children. Let child share his desired passions, likings, and priorities and for that you can’t be always strict as he would be afraid to share things out and without actually knowing what your child want parent can never take or be of help in taking the right decision. Also showing them that you support them at every single career choice and decisions they want to take will help. Help them in evaluating their aptitude, personality, interest, strength and weakness and guide them towards taking an informed decision.
Don’t over pressure children with your unreal expectations.
You might expect them to be a doctor but they are happy being a singer, you might expect rupees ten lakh salary per month but they strive for 2 lakh per month. It is their choice after all. Avoid forcing your expectations on them. Discuss and match the goals. Expectations will leave them following the path they don’t want to. Fulfilling those might lead to success but in the long run it would create a feeling of discomfort with their own work as they are doing it only for the sake of proving themselves worthy of fulfilling your expectations.
Parents are first role models to whom child look upon, so setting right example is your duty.
Basic morality and values are learnt from parents only so your way to tackle situations, reacting and respecting things, reaction to failure and will to do work; everything will impact to your children. If you work for money your child also will be influenced in same way to work in for money. Thus setting right example in front of them is quintessential.
Do not demotivate children.
Never demotivate or taunt saying “you can’t do it” as it has major negative impact. Children looses the will to work by accepting themselves unworthy which is disheartening. It affects their mental health and also bring emotional quotient with parents on stake.
Stop children from falling prey to peer pressure
Peer pressure and herd mentality must be avoided for the self as well as for the children by checking on them and conversing time to time about friend circle, their choices as children many time follow career choices made by friends without being aware of course work and fields they are jumping into. Career selection process shouldn’t be influenced by peers or family members.
It is very important for parents to discuss everything with their children and strive together for common goal based on child properties as parents are the only people children need support of and if get in right direction they could do wonders.
Do not answer child's career queries if you are not sure about it.
It’s okay to take time, research or seek professional help like career counselling to aid decision.
Disclaimer: This is to bring to notice that all information of people and their practicing careers and details has been taken from public forums. Career Prabhu claims no copyrights on this information.
Career Prabhu recommends that you perform your own individual research or verify the information before making any career decision
