Contents
- Help your child choose a career
- Don't project
- Be patient and encouraging
- Help them discover their interests
It’s no secret that children can be quite fickle beings. One day they’ll have a strong interest in a particular thing, and tomorrow they may change their mind to something completely different.
However, most kids have certain things that always catch their attention. Sometimes, our natural points of interests during childhood are precursors to the field we end up in as adults. But how can you as a parent help your child to use their passion as a path to their future career? GoStudent has the answers.
How to help your child choose a career
It’s never too early to think about your child’s future. Encouraging them to consider certain areas of study based on their interests is a great way to engage their minds about their future academic life and potential career. 💡 In fact, studies conducted in the UK show that even primary school-age children can benefit from career-related learning.
Depending on what they’re interested in, your kid may be able to leverage their interests and passions for their future profession. As a popular adage says;
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” 🖥️
If your child is interested in coding, for example, this could easily be turned into a great career.
However, since kids tend to pick up hobbies and interests quickly and often drop them just as fast, it can be hard for parents to keep up. Here are three top tips that will help you support your kid as they identify their interests and create their path in life:
#1 Don’t project yourself onto them
Be mindful that your child is their own, unique person. They are not you, or an extension of you. It’s important to avoid projecting your own dreams and hopes onto your child, because they need to forge their own path ahead – and that path may not be what you expect.
Keep in mind that the things you might like, your child may not. Your kid has a mind of their own too, and they know what they like and dislike. They may not be interested in the same school or career path as you, and that's okay.
Instead of projecting your own ideas and likes onto them, try to celebrate their interests and engage them in activities related to what they like. ⭐ There are some excellent educational websites out there that can help your kid learn and explore their interests.
#2 Be patient and encouraging
While you may have an idea of what your child’s interests are, watching them a little more closely could provide you with some important information. Resist the urge to tell them not to engage in certain hobbies or to avoid certain jobs because of how you feel about them.
Instead, remind them that the path to ending up in a field that they will be truly passionate about is usually one of self-discovery and experimentation. 🧭
At some point, your child may very well change course and find different things they’re passionate about. This is natural, so be patient with them and encourage them to learn more about themselves and their passions, so that they can continue to grow into the awesome person they’re meant to be.
As a parent, encouraging your kid’s passions is important. Do they like art? If so, you could do some scrapbooking with them or allow them to create birthday and holiday cards for their friends and family. 🎨 Talk to them about art, take them to galleries and art museums, and let them experiment and get creative. Whatever they might be into, nurture that interest and help them learn more.
For parents, it can be confusing if your child is interested in something you don’t know much about. 🎉 Luckily, the team at GoStudent are more than happy to help. We have a great group of tutors who would love to support your kid as they develop their understanding of the subject at hand. We’ve also got some great tips for parents on how you can help your kids excel academically.
#3 Help your child to identify their interests
Children will have many interests throughout the course of their development. These days, the interests children gravitate towards are often directly linked to the career they end up in as adults.
One of the things you can do as a parent or guardian is to give them the freedom to explore a wide range of different interests and encourage experimentation.
From observing your child in their early years, you’ll likely spot some strong interests of theirs. Maybe they like to build unique structures with Legos – 🏛️ this could potentially lead them into engineering or architecture in the future. Do they love spending time in the garden, examining different plants and bugs? Maybe they’d be interested in studying botany or horticulture.
If your child loves reading or is always coming up with interesting stories, studying English Literature or Creative Writing could be a great match for them. They might also benefit from learning more about proper English grammar.
Does your child love helping people? 🥼 Maybe you could encourage them to go into a field like medicine or counselling. Whatever their interest is, talk to your child about potential career paths that their passion can take them.
No matter what your child’s biggest passion is, it’s important to nurture and encourage them as they explore. GoStudent offers tutoring in a range of different subjects, and our tutors are waiting to help your kid excel. Book your kid’s free trial lesson today! 🚀
