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Okay, I'm going to start a topic and let's see what people have to say. At what age, and how do you begin speaking to your kids about career direction. I'm beginning to do this with my 12 year old son. I personally think that it is a good time to introduce him to possible directions in so far as a career are concerned. I realize that his ideas may change many, many times, but I think it is good to get him thinking of what he wants in life and how to get there. My real hopes are that in addition to getting him to put some thought into it, that he will also understand the importance of how he performs in school.
At 12 is not to early for providing info on careers. I knew at 12 to 14 that I would have something to do with money and accounting type work. I studied college requirements and what I was interested in. Decided being a vet was out of reach due to costs and our location (Alaska). Did not want a general education since I wanted to be self supporting and independent. I was very analytical even at that age.
I actually went to college for accounting and am just about to retire from the IRS with a great career.
I think that you should start talking about careers as early as possible. This is not in a way to pressure them into a career (I never say "you need to be ____") but is more to feel out there interests and to hit into their head early that college and careers are important. My 8 year old cousin said she wanted to be a cleaning lady. When I asked her why, she said that she gets to only clean one house a week (she sees her gmas cleaning lady clean once a week). I explained to her how they clean houses every day and that some people don't treat them right, and she bagged that idea. Next, she said she wants to be an artist. This is good (and she is really interested in art) so we asked her if she would like to take art classes. She is, and she is actually really good! This doesn't mean that she's going to be an artist, but we wanted to foster that interest. Her mom then asked her if she thinks she might want to be a nurse because she is a great caretaker and she said she would think about it!
The key is to just explore their interests with them, talk about the importance of education, and to never say that they HAVE to be something!
12 is not too young.
and make sure they are exposed to an enormous number of examples of people with careers and what they do. That is one reason schools bring in people to talk about careers.
Never too early to talk about job, career, life work. I like to include "Do what makes you happy, not to please someone else, not just for the money, not because someone is pushing you into it. It's your life, and no one elses." I also like to tell them it is OK to change jobs, change career, change college major. Better to be happy than miserable, and over the course of life it is normal and natural to change directions completely. It is not about "flighty" or "irresponsible" but it indicates growth and willingness to explore new directions.
Discussing what careers are and what different careers are like, I think as soon as they have any interest. Choosing a career, think that about 25 makes sense. Very few people chose their career at an early age. many who are pushed into a career path when young either end up hating it, or they end up unhappy. You are not the same person when you are 18 that you were when you were 12. You are also not the same person at 24 that you were at 18. Your priorities, interests, abilities everything changes. Just wait.
It is not critical that someone get going immediately on a career that they will do for the next 40 years. they have plenty of time to catch up. If they are going to excel, they will excel. If they are not going to excel, no amount of early start of childhood pressure will make them excel. If they like their work and it challenges them, they are much more likely to excel. if they get stuck in something that they chose when they were 12, they may end up unhappy and do poorly.
Discussing what careers are and what different careers are like, I think as soon as they have any interest. Choosing a career, think that about 25 makes sense. Very few people chose their career at an early age. many who are pushed into a career path when young either end up hating it, or they end up unhappy. You are not the same person when you are 18 that you were when you were 12. You are also not the same person at 24 that you were at 18. Your priorities, interests, abilities everything changes. Just wait.
It is not critical that someone get going immediately on a career that they will do for the next 40 years. they have plenty of time to catch up. If they are going to excel, they will excel. If they are not going to excel, no amount of early start of childhood pressure will make them excel. If they like their work and it challenges them, they are much more likely to excel. if they get stuck in something that they chose when they were 12, they may end up unhappy and do poorly.
I completely agree!
Looking back, my father wanted me to go to medical school or law school from the time I was 4 yrs old. I know it goes back that far because in my NURSERY SCHOOL "yearbook" under my photo it says, "Wishes to become a doctor". I dropped the idea of medical school when I was 10 when I fainted at the site of blood.
Law school was then drummed into my head until I graduated HS. I gave up on the idea of auditioning for music conservatories because I didn't think it was what I really wanted. I cancelled all the auditions I had been preparing so hard for and decided that the foreign service was where I really wanted to be. But then when my college acceptances came in, my father decreed what university I was going to attend. Despite being accepted to a university in DC with an excellent foreign service program, my father thought TEXAS was where I should go.
I started out as pre-law in college and by the end of my sophomore year, I realized that I was living my father's dream and NOT mine. My maternal grandfather was a judge and my father envisioned me following in his footsteps. I wasted 2 yrs pursuing a degree that I didn't want and had to work OT to finish the degree I really wanted over the next 2 yrs in a school, while excellent, would not have been my choice for the degree I ultimately pursued.
I do think it's important to emphasize from a young age how vital a good education is and to expose your children to different backgrounds and life choices. But, I also think it's important to let your child find his/her interests. Some kids are driven and will know early on what they'd like to pursue in life but for many others, it's not something that comes into focuse until AFTER they graduate from college and even then, there are still people in their 30s and older finallly pursuing the careers that actually mean something to them.
Discussing what careers are and what different careers are like, I think as soon as they have any interest. Choosing a career, think that about 25 makes sense. Very few people chose their career at an early age. many who are pushed into a career path when young either end up hating it, or they end up unhappy. You are not the same person when you are 18 that you were when you were 12. You are also not the same person at 24 that you were at 18. Your priorities, interests, abilities everything changes. Just wait.
I think its really important to help children understand their interests and abilities starting at an early age. My oldest is 10 and I am already trying to help him connect the dots between his interests and what types of careers they could lead to. I don't want to push him into anything, just give him some kind of suggestions based on who he is up to this point.
As someone who was given the "You can be anything you want to be" speech, and no direction from family or counselors, other than "you WILL go to college," I have to say some steering and objective assessments of my capabilities would have been appreciated. And along with that, a sense of earning potential for various degrees/careers and what kind of lifestyle they will provide.
I suppose kids that have more of the go-getter attitude do fine with or without this kind of advice, but I think we dreamer/drifters benefit from some more substantial advising.
I don't know if there is such a thing as too early to start this discussion. We start when they are very young about how to do well in school so they can go to college...then when they are in school about a year or so we say things like ..."keep it up and you'll be able to be whatever you want when you grow up!"
My daughter is 14 - straight A's - cheerleader - her lowest grade is a 96 (can you tell how proud I am) - she started telling me she wanted to be the kitty's doctor when she was 2 - of course its changed over the years but I think thats a big part of it.....2 years ago she was ablsolutely convinced she wanted to be a landscape architect......she took an agriculture class and decided ....no way this is not what I want! Now she doesn't know what she wants...but my 5 year old son has now informed his kindergarten teacher that he is going to work really hard at coloring in the lines because he wants to be a fireman when he grows up...and colleges like coloring in the lines.
So...its all about the kid. Every kid is different....and they will make the most of what they hear from their role models. IMO.....
Okay, I'm going to start a topic and let's see what people have to say. At what age, and how do you begin speaking to your kids about career direction. I'm beginning to do this with my 12 year old son. I personally think that it is a good time to introduce him to possible directions in so far as a career are concerned. I realize that his ideas may change many, many times, but I think it is good to get him thinking of what he wants in life and how to get there. My real hopes are that in addition to getting him to put some thought into it, that he will also understand the importance of how he performs in school.
Just a thought, but why not ask him what he's interested in, then go from there, because maybe he's already thought about a career choice or two or maybe he's thinking of trade school.
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