Parent teenager Connection
Parents being there when needed and sensing moments where your child needs support, direction and/or feedback.
Parents play a key role in helping a student succeed. Be there for them!
As your child goes through secondary school, he or she will begin to think about different careers. As a parent, you play an important role in this process – supporting your child with encouragement and information as they begin their life and career journey. Helping them narrow down their choices can really help them with their decisions. Be there for them!
Career planning can seem complex as we talking about the unknown! Where to start? How start? Remember that it is a journey, which means it will take time. Do not feel you have to have all the answers straight away! Make a start and go from there……
There is a wealth of information, resources and people that can help you take on the role of supporting your son or daughter’s career path options. For a student, finding a career path they are passionate about, fits their interests and builds on their skills is key.
Key points on how parents can help:
Show curiosity: Explore your teenagers's passions, interests, skills and experiences. Take time to learn about what is going on for them and find some common ground.
Think about your path: Take time to think about the career/life path you chose and what you learned from your experiences. Share these experiences with youth when the moment is right.
Model what you know and want: Remember teenagers are watching and listening. Take the time to model what you say. Ask for their input, invite them to talk to you and ask them for feedback.
Get involved and be there: Be active in your teen’s life. The key is to have experiences you can talk about. Once you get talking, the opportunity to help them will happen naturally.
Keep it in mind: Keep career and life planning in the front of your mind so that you can easily pick learning moments with your son or daughter.
Tap in to your connections: Introduce your teen to opportunities and people that are in line with their interests.
Create school and community connections: Attend advisory meetings and keep in touch with teachers. Visit a career centre. Take some time to tour colleges, universities or other training facilities. Be informed!
Remember to take the time to enjoy the journey you are taking with your son or daughter. There are many moments when you will be able to play a key role in helping them to achieve their dreams.
Hints to help you in career development conversations with your teenager.
- Listen to your teenage to find their passions and explore their interests.
- Build on their positive experiences
- Help to set challenging but achievable goals.
- Acknowledge and recognise their efforts and successes.
- Supporting their choices and helping them to understand mistakes are part of learning.
- Getting your teenager connected to people and resources they need.
- Encouraging them to “try on” careers by volunteering or through work experience opportunities at school.
- Explore careers and education as a team.
- Encourage them to try new things.
- Use the Johari Window to help understand self discovery and self knowledge.
We all want to help teenagers make good choices. Parents, building on your own experience is a great place to start.
Be honest, they want to know that what they are feeling isn’t so different from what you felt at their age.
- Do you remember who helped you find your path?
- What stories could you share about your own experience?
- Are there any experiences you went through that they can learn from?
- How did adults in your life help you along your path?
- Was there help or information you needed but couldn’t find?
- What did you want to be at your child’s age and what do you do to earn a income now? What changes would you make if you could?
- Which experiences helped you?
- Which experiences you wouldn't change?
Teenagers: speak to your parents, teachers, coaches, friends and/or other parents.
As a student help is often right in front of us. If you are a student viewing this page, please be open to your parents and allies helping you! Your allies are coaches, teachers, friends or other parents.
I remember when I was a teenager and having 'life issue' chats with my parents. They would try to share their experiences and be helpful.
At the time I thought that my parents were born as parents and had not experienced anything I was experiencing as a teenager. With the benefits of hindsight, I recommend that anyone wanting career and life skills help talk to other people
Seek allies. Let others help you!
As you navigate the process of connecting with your teen and understanding career planning and its challenges, you’ll quickly come to realize you can’t do everything alone. It is important to find allies for yourself, as much as for your son or daughter.
Allies come in many different forms; some will be with you for a long time and others will help with a specific situation. However long they are in your life, it is important that you know who you can turn to for support. Remember to involve people who play a major role in your teenager’s life, such as coaches, teachers, friends or other parents.
Create a career journal portfolio
A habit your teenager should get into is the maintaining of a ‘real time’ journey. Doing this with regularity is about routine and disciple. I emphasise ‘real time’ to make a point that ‘career clues’ can happen with regularity. Remember we are trying to capture information that excites, inspires, enjoy, personal fulfillment. It may be an activity in the classroom, school yard or while going for a walk. You see it is not limited to an organised experience or activity. It’s about the journey!
The idea is, as these activities and experiences are happening your child is capturing all ‘light globe moments’ the in a Career Portfolio. "What’s that?", I hear you say. It is a place to keep information about your achievements, work experience, volunteering, activities and experiences of interest, goals, careers research and details of people that can speak about your achievements and capabilities.
When is the right time to talk to teenagers about careers?
There is no wrong time to talk to teenagers about their interests. Some of the best conversations start with “how was your day?
Talking about careers with teenagers.....
As your teenager makes career choices in secondary school, it’s important to remember that things are going to happen along the way that could change those plans. Helping them prepare for the good and the bad along their journey is important, and that involves understanding what they are going through.
Career Conversation Pointers
- Bring discussions about careers and interests to the kitchen table. Use time spent in the car with teenagers to ask about their interests and activities.
- Get involved with your son or daughter in an activity (e.g. volunteering together). Make a list of careers of interest and select one to explore and discuss each month.
- Clip out articles for discussion and put them on the fridge for everyone to see.
- Explore music, books, movies, TV shows, sports and other things teenagers are interested in.
It's about you and your teenager building a stronger relationship and forming a partnership.
