Parents play a pivotal role in career choices of their children. This is a sphere I always talk about any time I secure the crucial chance to facilitate a career talk in a school. Sometimes, some parents trivialize this royal role.
Yet, whether they are literate or illiterate, they have a great impact on careers of their children. Again, some parents are obviously oblivious about it. So, what is the best advice to such a parent? It is simple like a dimple. In life, you must not know everything. Wise living behooves you to seek comely counsel of people who know what you do not know. It cements inter-dependence.
In fact, Dr. Stephen Covey in his book titled the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, posits: Highly effective people are neither dependent nor independent. Instead, they are inter-dependent. They are not islands or leeches. They are like colonies where members interact with each other freely without restraints. They support, integrate and co-ordinate with each other.
Somehow, when a parent knows nothing about something, yet it is a very important thing, it is prudent to look for someone who knows more about it. A parent who is not knowledgeable about vocational skills should help the child find a mentor, career counsellor or life coach, whose ken of knowledge in that sphere can be helpful.
When schools are closed, and children are at home for holiday, parents should look for such resourceful people who can guide their children through the dreary alleys and labyrinths of life.
In this life, such people are replete here and there. Such people in different settings can offer hope and help. It can be a one-on-one session after a church service.
They can achieve this agenda in a genteel joint or in a certain counselling centre. The world has also experienced great evolution in the form of digital revolution.
Under the surveillance of the parent, a child can meet prominent purveyors of vocational ideas and insights through online platforms.
In case the parent is knowledgeable, s/he can give guidance that can prop up and shape the future profession of the progeny.
This borders job shadowing, which involves exposing children to professionals or in places people are doing what they would love to do in future. This is how children start learning the ropes. Parents who are professionals can create ample time. Then, confer with their children over career choices.
Moreover, it is advisable, parents get involved before their children select subjects at Form Two level or choose college course at Form Four level. Such an arrangement can only succeed where parents are ready to play their part without dereliction of duty or abdication of responsibility.
Consequently, parents should have in-depth discussions with their children pertaining career choices. They should help them explore the world of work and leave them make career choices based on their heartfelt desires.
Meaning, parents should not try to compel children to be what they do not want to be. For in most instances, parents who have dearth of information about careers, will try to influence their children to be what themselves thought of becoming but cruel and callous twist of fate made them not to become.
A parent whose knowledge about careers is small may think that there are careers that flow in the bloodstream like River Yala, which crosses the village perched where I was born and brought up.
Some parents think if the first born was an engineer, then the second, third and fourth born can follow suit. Yet, parenting with purpose means that parents appreciate peculiarity and diversity of their children. In a larger sense, the strength of the family is its variety and diversity, not similarity.
In addition, the best thing parents can do to their children in relation to career enhancement and development is to instill in them pious principles, values and attitudes – mindset plus beliefs. Parents should help their children discover their innate talents, lift their gifts and hone useful skills. This is important because success in life is not just about being book-smart.
Life requires some beautiful blend of abilities. Being a one-liner, or approaching life from a linear and unilateral perspective, is a perfect recipe for dismal failure.
Talents, gifts and skills complement people’s professions.
For instance, writing plus communication are very useful skills for someone who yearns to pick the path of journalism or jurisprudence.
Then, parents ascend to vocational roles when they provide resourceful materials because most children commit career mistakes due to paucity and scarcity of knowledge.
This happens when they are not able to access credible sources of knowledge.
Therefore, as a parent, it is good to procure for your child books based on career choices.
There are many good books flooding the market that talk about this important ambit. A good example is the Essential Career Guide written by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
Alongside treasure troves that talk about careers, a child will not go wrong in case s/he complements the reading of the core-course books with self-help ones, for the sake of personal discovery and development.
Lastly, parents shape future careers of children when they become more concerned about what happens in schools. Just to be blunt about it.
There are parents who take their children to school and forget about them completely.
They delay to defray fees. Some send their children to school without the necessary academic tools. Then, there are those parents who are not concerned about morality, spirituality, discipline and character-formation of their children. When they are called to school because their children are veering off the road, they choose to side with their children.
Eventually, when their sons and daughters become spoilt brats, of course, this dents future careers. There are parents also who become less concerned about the academic progress and success of their children. Poor performance affects careers of children in big ways.
By Victor Ochieng’
The writer rolls out career talks and training services. He offers one-on-one career counselling and coaching services at the Penman Centre in Nairobi.
vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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