How Much Should You Really Be Trying To Influence The Career Your Child Wants To Pick?

famveldman - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only, not the actual children
famveldman - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only, not the actual children

Parents often have a major influence on the decisions their kids make regarding career choices.

According to a survey conducted by Joblist, 40 percent of people felt pressured to follow their parents’ career advice, while two out of three parents claimed they were disappointed when their child did not end up pursuing their desired career.

Parental influence can be positive and negative. It’s beneficial because parents are the ones who know their children best and can help them figure out which careers will be a good fit.

Without practical guidance from parents, poor choices might be made.

On the other hand, a child may bend to their parent’s wishes, hoping to please them and failing to develop their own sense of self, which can lead to frustration and resentment later on.

So when it comes to influencing your kids’ career choices, you need to find the right balance between guiding your child and respecting their decisions.

For one, refrain from imposing your own hopes and dreams on them. For example, maybe you’ve always wondered what it would’ve been like if you had chosen to be a scientist.

So now, you’re trying to convince your kid to pursue a job in the field of STEM. But is that your child’s dream job or yours? Are you trying to live vicariously through them to fulfill a personal vision that never came to fruition?

Doing some reflection would be helpful toward making sure you’re not pushing your child in a certain direction.

famveldman – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual children

Try to expose your child to many different kinds of activities so they know what’s out there and can better determine what their strengths are. Also, listen and be supportive when they talk about what they do and don’t enjoy.

Children’s interests change as they grow, so what they dislike now may become something they gravitate toward in the future.

You can definitely offer your opinion on career options, but avoid being too critical or pushy. Your words have a big effect on your child. It’s important that your kid feels safe coming to you for help. Don’t make them feel like your opinion is their only option.

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Emily  Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a ... More about Emily Chan

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