How parents can aid the career guidance process?
[Part I]
Parents serve as a major influence in their children’s career development and related decision- making. They want their children to find happiness and success in life and a major determinant of this is their career choice. When students feel supported by their parents, they have more confidence in their own ability to research and choose a career of their choice. This is important because adolescents who feel competent regarding career decision-making, tend to make more satisfying career choices later in life.
Parents influence the level of education or training that their children achieve; the knowledge they have about work and different occupations; the beliefs and attitudes they have to working; and the motivation they have to succeed.
In this blog series we are going to talk about ways in which parents can support their child’s development decisions. In Part I of this series, we summarize the active steps that parents should take in this regard.
What should they be doing-
It is for the parents to
· Encourage children to get as much education as possible.
· Help them to discover their innate talents and skills.
· Develop their knowledge of the world of work.
· Teach them decision- making skills.
· Become aware of career resources/ education and training opportunities.
· Keep the lines of communication open.
· Encourage their child to gather as much information as possible on their career interest areas.
· Recognize that their role is simply to act as a facilitator in their child’s career journey.
· Understand that independent career choices mark a young person’s first real step into adulthood.