There is a saying, ‘the love of parents to their wards is incomparable’. Often parents sacrifice most of their money, time and other resources on well-being of their wards. Even children, often look forward to their parental guidance on issues beyond their understanding. And this extra concern of the parent often leads to deciding the career path for their wards. This is good, but it has its own pitfalls!
Let us look at this parental influence in a greater detail:
- I know better attitude: Many parents display this attitude of knowing world better due to their age and experience of worldly matters. This may be true in many areas, but for career choice, one should avoid dominating attitude and give a careful listening to the child as well.
- Awareness of latest trends: One can safely assume that, Bill Gate’s parent could not have envisaged potential of computer programming, as computers were not so much in use in year 1975, when Gates established Microsoft with his friend Paul Allen! Imagine what would have happened to Gate’s career, if his father would have influenced or pushed his choice of career on him!
- Listen to your ward: It has been proven scientifically that, children tend to do best in areas of their liking. Talking to your ward what interests him / her could be an ideal way to decide what career path would suit them the most!
- Seek guidance: When I confronted career choice for my son in year 2014and he said he wanted to pursue Architecture, at that time, I had no much idea about career potential for architects. So I sought guidance from my friends and people associated with the construction industry. Their guidance helped me to support my son for his career of choice. Today, my son is in final year of architecture. He is happy being in field of choice and I am happy for taking the right decision of seeking guidance!
- Be a Support: Show genuine concern for well-being of your ward for their future. Provide them with the environment that, they can share with you all their secrets, confusions, questions and fears. Don’t be judgmental due to some of their actions or mistakes. It is possible that, they may have chosen a completely different field for career progression. They may come up with something you may not get convinced for its potential then in that case it would be better to allow open communication between you. It has been a proven fact that, take any field people with mastery in their subject matter have done well in their careers.
- Think Positive: As a nation and society, we have come a long way from days of struggles and scarcities. India is emerging as fastest growing economies in the world, which is attracting billions of dollars of investment; thereby huge new opportunities will be created for our youth. So gone are the days when Medicine or Engineering were only two available choices for career.
Everyday new Flipkart or Paytm or Oyo get created by enthusiastic and smart youth of our country. Your child could be one of them, just think positive and provide them with the right environment at your home and see the wonder!