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How to Coach Your Children
for Career Success
Tips on
guiding your children
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Family Matters Archive
As
seasoned psychologists, career planners, and educators we've counselled,
taught, and coached several thousand students and their parents. We've
also offered support and guidance to our own seven children, as they
navigated the maze of occupational and educational alternatives.
As parents, we discovered (tripped over) many roadblocks when it
came to advising our children. Often, emotion ran high and objectivity
low. Our children seemed reluctant to take parental suggestions seriously!
Yet researchers assure us that most students need and value their parents'
wisdom. How, then, do we best proceed?
Our work taught us one
simple principle: students thrive when parents treat them as equals. To
get through to your child, we encourage you to relinquish your typical
parental role and learn a new perspective: the role of the consultant.
Your student becomes your valued client. As a consultant, you shift to a
position of equality in your parent/child relationship (and help your
client to do the same). You listen more, talk less, and engage your client
in a dialogue. On this new footing, creative and fruitful discussion can
occur.
To help your client explore career options, you can start
by asking yourself the following questions:
How much does your client know about your work?
Have you changed jobs/careers? Does your client know why?
Do you discuss work at home with your client?
How much do you enjoy your work?
If you could choose, what would you choose to do now, and in the
future?
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