Most children feel loved and supported by their parents who encourage them to pursue an exciting career based on aptitude and interest. Though it sounds fairly simple, children would know it isn’t that easy. It isn’t uncommon to find difficulties in selecting a career option in today world due to two major reasons- meeting parental expectations and inadequate knowledge about career paths. Intentional or accidental parental influence on a child;s professional choices can have both beneficial and bad effects. Upon reaching puberty, kids start taking their futures seriously and frequently seek their parents for guidance. The way a parent handles this situation may encourage kids to consider
various prospective careers.

It is unfair to thrust aspirations on them
Thrusting an unfulfilled ambition on a child holds tremendous potential in ruining a career. Pushing the child to take up such a career could be due to two reasons-
1) It is a career that a parent was always interested to take up but could not due to various reasons.
2) It helps advance a family’s legacy in a particular field or line or business Just because several generations have been involved in a business does not mean a child has to be involved too; he may have a different aptitude. Instead of the above, the kids need to be encouraged to choose a field that interests them. Parents must observe their children closely and not ignore needs as they continue to grow older. For example, if a child has the gift of rhythm, it can often be seen when he/she listens to music or bangs surfaces such as tables. It could be the beginning of a career in vocal or instrumental music. On the other hand, too much pressure to become a musician would cause problems.

Aptitudes must match
Simply pushing a child into a career is not enough. It is important to see if the necessary aptitude to grow in a field is present. At the end of the day, all we are really meant to do is to be happy, but we must also realize that the career plays a significant role in our happiness. If parents do not heed to children interests, it may kill their ambitions and make them feel miserable mentally.

Addressing the generation gap
Most of us have complained at some point or the other about how parents face a generation-gap while dealing is us, not understanding situations from our perspectives. During the early and late 1990’s, engineering and medicine were the two primary professions for all students. However, with the arrival of more opportunities such as journalism, sports, arts, and more, interest levels began to rise in the early 2000’s. Several students have succeeded in the above careers, and so parents must understand
that there is tremendous scope to do what one really wants to do today.

Children take encouragement cues from parents
According to the parenting website Hello Motherhood, adolescents frequently pick up on their parents attitudes on the importance of schooling. College may be viewed by parents in less affluent homes as the greatest path to providing their children with financial security as adults. When parents support their children academic success, their children learn to respect education and start to form their own goals for continuing their education after high school.

Unusually high expectations are detrimental
Some parents discipline their adolescents for not receiving all As or berate them for choosing to pursue one career over another seemingly practical career. In certain situations, a youngster could feel pressured to choose a prominent or high-paying career in order to impress or please her parents. This is why it critical for parents to discuss report cards with kids, commend accomplishments, and inquire
about ways to assist kids improve on failing scores. If parents are clear that they have no predetermined expectations for their child; future, he or she will feel free to explore a wider range of careers and make a career decision based on own tastes rather than those of the elders. Parents should support and encourage their children to investigate the various possibilities available in order to discover the greatest career match.