By Victor Ochieng’
vochieng.90@gmail.com
Parents play a pivotal role in the future vocations of their children. This is something I often apprise students any time I secure the highly-coveted chance to facilitate a career talk in a school.
Sometimes, some parents trivilise this royal role. Yet, whether they are literate or illiterate, they influence careers of their children to a great extent. Again, some parents are obviously oblivious about it. So, what is the best option to such parents? It is simple like a dimple. In life, you must not know everything. Wise living behooves you to look for people who know what you don’t know. In fact, that is what cements inter-dependence, which adds flavour to the yummy meal of life.
Somehow, when a parent knows nothing about something, yet it is a very important thing, it is wise to look for someone who knows more about it better. 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 of great help. When schools are closed, and children are holed up at home, 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 rife in church, estates, plots and villages. The help can be offered by such people in different settings. It can be a one-on-one session after a church service. The agenda can be achieved 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 eminent purveyors of vocational ideas and insights through online platforms like the Zoom Webinar and Google meet.
In case the parent is knowledgeable, s/he can give guidance that can prop up and shape the future profession of the offspring. This borders career shadowing, which involves exposing children to professionals or different places of work. This is how children commence learning the ropes. Parents who are professionals can create ample time, then confab and 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 careers. They should help them explore the world of work and leave them make career choices based on their heart desires. Which means; parents should not try to compel their children to be what they don’t 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 infinitesimal 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 we appreciate the uniqueness and diversity of children. The strength of the family, is its diversity, not similarity per se.
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 their 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 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.
Parents ascend to vocational roles when they provide resourceful materials because most children commit career mistakes due to lack 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 a lot of 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), published by the Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) and approved by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD). 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 take defensive stances. 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.
The writer rolls out Career Talks and Training Services in Schools. He also addresses Parents during AGMs, Class Conferences, Academic Clinics, Form One Orientation & Induction Days.
