This blog is for the parents who have children in high school and college. It seems like you were just waving goodbye to them for kindergarten and now you have this semi adult who is destined for greatness. The possibilities are endless and you have to be confident that you’ve done your job as a parent and let go. Let them be more independent and start giving them more responsibilities as a high school kid. Because this message is mainly for the parents, we have to be honest with ourselves yet again about the child rendering process. I have seen and experienced way to often how parents can seemingly think they’re doing the right thing for their children, but they are really doing things to make themselves comfortable. Parents, you don’t have that frightened 5 year old entering the big kid school, you have children on the brink of adulthood. The last thing you want to do is force your children into anything they don’t want to do.
Let’s start with what your child wants to be in life. We have all asked our small children what they want to be when they grow up. Aside from Spiderman, you usually get the typical doctor, lawyer, teacher spill. Although those are all great jobs, there are other fields that are just as rewarding. It’s just that we tend to turn our nose up to careers like artist, music producer, or sculptor. This is a gentle, yet loud reminder that it’s not up to you what your child wants to be…even if you’re footing the college tuition. Forcing them to do what you want will be a waste of time and your money every single time. Parents who push their agendas on their children will result in resentment and your child will not be fulfilled. You have chosen your life, now let them choose their own path.
Speaking of letting your children choose their own path, don’t get mad when your child chooses not to attend college. I can honestly say without flinching that college is not for everyone. Some kids feel pressured to go because their parents make them or their friends are going and they don’t want to be left out. The most valuable piece of information you will get from this blog is that there are more entrepreneurs that are the billionaires. It sucks to admit it, but most doctors and lawyers won’t be the millionaires, but they will be well off…after paying Sallie Mae. It may sound messed up, but a person can never step foot in a university and start up their own business and be a success overnight. Meanwhile, the rest of us have to go to school for 4-8 years to be as successful. I’m not knocking them, I’m actually celebrating the fact that someone can use their creativity to make it big.
The reality is that you have to gauge your child’s work ethic way before they get to college age. You know if your child has what it takes just by seeing their grades in high school, if they need tutors, if they are lazy, and if they have skills that could be developed more in a trade school. There are beauticians, writers, singers, and all who are creative enough to go without a 4 year education. I always say that undergrad was for my parents, which is probably why I didn’t take it too serious. But grad school was all me. I made the conscious decision to go back to school because I knew I needed it to get more money in my profession. We also need to stop pushing NBA and NFL on our children instead of focusing more on the educational aspect of school. They can be smart and talented, which actually go together. Parents, chill and let your kids find their own career paths. They will thank you for it.
Be Sweet 