Teens are fascinating creatures. One minute they’re happy and the next minute they’re sad. Today they might like one color and tomorrow they may prefer a totally different color. Even teens in the same family can vary from day to day. One day they might like their vegetables and the next day they’ll eat only meat. It’s no wonder so many teens are struggling to find their passion when it comes to what to do with their life after high school.
Education
Some teens seem to know what they want to be when they grow up from the time they can talk, while many others change their minds from day to day. Helping teens focus on a well rounded education will help those that change their minds daily. Teens that have a well rounded education with all of the basics covered can then go for something in college that isn’t so specialized.
Teens wishing to specialize in a specific topic or subject should focus on that subject as much as possible. Have your teen talk with a career guidance counselor about what the pre requisites are for the position they are seeking.
Likes vs Dislikes
In most teens their likes and dislikes may change from day to day. Observe and see what the most frequent like is and help your teen to really consider the likes they more often have. If a teen likes something specific chances are they’ll give it more of a chance and work through those boring lessons to achieve their goal in the end.
Job Training
Teens that like a specific job idea may benefit from some job shadowing or job training. They may find that the dream job they considered isn’t such a dream after all, or perhaps they’ll find it to be even more stimulating than they had originally thought and move forward with the job goal. Whichever the case, job training and job shadowing are great ways for a teen to get in and get their feet wet in a job and learn more about it.
Hobbies
Many fashion designers and jewelry designers started out with a hobby. Perhaps they enjoyed fashion or creating their own jewelry. Maybe they enjoyed sewing and creating their own clothing. If your teen has a hobby encouraging them to incorporate this into their passion may well be the first step in exploring this as a job option.
Putting it All Together
After helping your teen evaluate and assess all of these areas take a deep breath and step back and let your teen decide what they are going to do. They’ve got the facts and it’s time to allow them to grow up. You’ve done your part and helped them to assess their choices and make their own choice. Stand in the sidelines and support them.
Remember that we all make mistakes and be ready to help your teen get back on their feet and learn from said mistakes. No “I told you sos” are needed, your teen will need your support if their dream doesn’t work out.