Quick Tips for Parents

A child making her career choice is a challenging time for most parents. Before the turn of the millennium, there were but a handful of education choices, but today there is a plethora of options, many of which most parents wouldn’t even have heard of! While every family is unique here are a few things that parents can generally keep in mind when it comes to career decision time:

• Be patient!
  It is important to be patient when your child appears to be vacillating between choices, indecisive or confused. You can help her with your inputs if she seeks them or simply give her time to reach her own conclusions.
• Listen!
  There is a minimum of a two-decade gap between your ages – there is bound to be difficulty communicating and understanding each other. It is important to listen carefully when your child speaks, so you can understand what she wants to say. Remember your child needs a friendly sounding board, you can be one!
• Be supportive and open!
  There are so many career options today. When your child approaches you with her ideas, discuss them with an open mind. Every child has the capability of doing well in one career or another, and parents have to help children make the right choice. However, even though making the right career choice is important, the process should not upset the mental wellbeing of the child.
• Do not bulldoze!
  It is important not to force your own opinion, prejudices or preferences on your child. Rather, provide them with a rounded picture encompassing the pros and cons of their choice(s), or offer them help in exploring any particular option.
• Provide space!
  Allow your child to make mistakes : failure is an integral part of learning.
• Be informed!
  Being up to date with current trends and education is crucial. You should try not to be taken by surprise and be able to hold a strong argument, and provide proper perspective about the topic being discussed.
• Communicate!
  Never close the doors of communication. An absence of healthy communication leads to misunderstanding, and the child can distance herself. Communication enables the child and the parent to understand each other’s constraints – financial or otherwise. Further, it leads to the facilitation of a mutual decision, where both parties are fully on board with the final choice.
• Don’t panic!
  Your child will be stressed enough with peer pressure, academic pressure, parental pressure and therefore it is very important for the parents to stay calm. If you lose your cool and start haranguing your child, that will not help her to make the correct decision – it may push her to make a wrong one in a hurry!
• Forget your ego!
  Sometimes, a child may simply feel more comfortable speaking with a teacher or career counsellor, allow your child that freedom. Do not feel slighted, this is a very common situation. Arrange for career counselling if the child is unable to decide either on her own or with your help. Always keep in mind your child’s ultimate gain – a career choice that is aligned with her interests, aptitude and values.