The world has never had so many career paths before and this blessing in disguise can cause a lot of stress on the younger generations. This is one of the biggest differences between different generations. Here are some pointers to make sure you are not applying the same pressure and expectations on your child based on your experience and expectations. That is a lot of pressure to put on children but if you equip them young enough with the tools of responsibility and the skills of confidence with themselves, they can set themselves up from a young age.
Encourage your kids to find their strengths and explore them but with an open mind. This can be done by exposing them to several types of activities at an early age: art classes, swimming school, museums, or math camp. Whatever it is, you never know what might inspire them. Even if they don’t find their passion in those spaces, it encourages positive influences on your child. Being surrounded by engaging, like-minded people can only be beneficial.
It is somewhat bizarre to think that the professional world expects you to know which career line you want to follow before you really know what the world is. You can help your child reduce the room for error if you just simply listen to them and help them make the decisions for themselves. As your child grows, careers evolve so don’t narrow your child’s perspective by listing career opportunities but rather create the awareness of their strengths by praising the things they do well, especially those small life skills that are so easily overlooked.
It is also essential to remember that no decision must be made immediately, college is a place for exploring possibilities. One-third of college students in the U.S. change their majors and studies show that your child will only get a grasp of their career in their early 20s, so be patient but still push the narrative that they must eventually decide and can’t fear that leap of faith. Remind yourself that becoming a doctor or a lawyer does not guarantee success but to have a job that you are enthusiastic about and love, result in happiness which is success at its best.