Career Choices

17-year-old Kevin Dodson’s
dream has always been to play professional baseball. He says, “I
really don’t care if it’s major or Triple-A. I would
do baseball for free.”

His second choice is a career in finance. Kevin says, “I
know for sure that finance is a good field, and I want to pursue
that.”

Pursuing your dreams versus choosing a career where jobs are
plentiful. What do you say when your child’s dream is not
practical?

Debbie Brown, a career coach in Atlanta says, “Sometimes
of course, parents steer the children away from those kinds of
careers because they feel, ‘Oh, gee that’s nice, but
how are you going to make a living?’”

Career counselors advise parents not to discourage kids from
chasing a dream. Brown says, “I see so many people who were
either steered into careers because they were practical, because
they always knew they could get a job. Ten, fifteen years later
they are very unhappy.”

Kevin’s mom Carol says, “I’ve always taught
Kevin that if you want it, pursue it. But by the same token, you
need to have something to fall back on.”

What parents can do is provide information. On the department
of labor’s website, you can learn which professions need
people.

Brown says, “You can actually type in, say for instance,
nurse. You can find out what the demand is for nurses, what the
job outlook is over the next ten years or so, salaries, training
that’s required.”

She says if kids choose a career where the competition is stiff,
explain what that means: rejection letters, low pay, perhaps moving
to a small town with a shortage of professionals.

Above all, Brown says, “It’s persistence, it’s
not giving up, it’s having that vision of what you want and
holding to that vision, and despite rejection letters, keep going.“

According to the National Association of School Psychologists,
career-related anxiety among children has increased approximately 15
to 20 percent in the past decade. Even affluent, academic achievers
are finding themselves buckling under enormous amounts of pressure
as they witness the world of work become a place of fierce competition.

This trend of children’s early anxiety over financial wellbeing
is further evidenced by a recent USA Weekend survey. It revealed
the following statistics concerning students in grades six through
12:

• Only 52 percent of those surveyed believed they would be better
  off than their parents financially. An estimated 44 percent believed
  they would end up the same as their parents, and 4 percent said they
  would be worse off financially.
• About 12 percent said they worried a great deal about their family’s
  finances, as opposed to 46 percent who worried sometimes and 42 percent
  who did not worry much.

Is it harmful for children and adolescents to be worried about competition
and financial success at such an early age? Competition is generally
good for children, according to the National Network for Child Care.
Whether children are competing for a spot on the volleyball team or a
chance to win an academic scholarship, the experience help them gain
insights about their physical and intellectual skills and limitations.
Competitions also enable children to learn teamwork, identify personal
goals, develop criteria for success and motivate them to increase their
efforts to attain the goals they desire. But if your child begins to
develop a “winning-is-everything” attitude, parental intervention
may be necessary.

If your adolescent seems preoccupied by
future financial insecurity, you can take several steps to ease their
angst. The experts at Northwestern University’s Medill School
of Journalism suggest you start by using these tips to guide your child
when dealing with the issue of careers:

• Encourage your child to explore his or her options. Be supportive
  by asking your child, “Can I help you get connected?” or “Can
  I help you with researching a career?”
• You need to remember this is not your career decision. Have
  trust in your child and be supportive, yet informative.
• The world of work has changed since many parents made their
  first career choice. So some parents need to realize some of their
  information might be outdated.
• Direct your child to resources where he or she can research
  his or her desired career.

If your child comes to you with career and financial concerns, the best action
you can take is to listen, according to the National PTA. Engaging in open
communication with your child and sharing your own experiences and frustrations
will help to ease your child’s anxiety. If your adolescent appears
highly stressed about the future, you need to take the necessary steps to
reduce that amount of stress before it can damage your child’s physical
health. The American Academy of Family Physicians cites these signs and symptoms
that indicate your child may be experiencing too much stress and anxiety:

• Feeling depressed, edgy, guilty or tired
• Having headaches, stomachaches or trouble sleeping
• Laughing or crying for no reason
• Blaming other people for bad things that happen
• Only seeing the down side of a situation
• Resenting other people or personal responsibilities

The National PTA says you can help your adolescent learn to keep
his or her anxiety at a minimal level by teaching him or her the
following skills:

• Limit or expand the number of your activities and responsibilities
  based on your capabilities. Preteens and teens should have challenges
  without becoming overwhelmed.
• Avoid unnecessary worry. Thinking about a problem in order to
  arrive at a solution can be positive, but constant and deconstructive
  worry doesn’t accomplish anything. It usually just makes
  situations more stressful.
• Become better organized. Plan activities and goals one step
  at a time so parts are accomplished. This gives you more self-esteem
  and more reasonable deadlines.
• Practice ways to reduce stress, such as aerobic exercise, proper
  nutrition, yoga, meditation, deep breathing, relaxation exercises,
  sleep, massage, taking a whirlpool or sauna bath, and by having
  fun.