What future for your child?

[Daogroupie]

School has a huge impact on you in terms of your peer group and the options that are open to you. But being in a good school is not enough, you also need the support of your family and good friends. We can see in this week's sad news that being in a school with dedicated and hard working teachers is not enough and being "clever" is not enough. I find keeping my dd's on the straight and narrow a very time consuming enterprise. In terms of career choices there is time enough for that. The important thing now is to make sure they have the skills they need to do well in any field. If you have great comps near you there is no need to go to Grammar school. Unfortunately we did not. DG

[doodles]

Don't choose for them; educating them gives them the best tools to make their own decision.

[yoyo123]

They will gradually find their niche, some sooner, some later.

Their choice of degree may or may not influence their choice of career. My daughter has a degree in history , she then worked for 3 years in marketing ina small IT start up , where her research skills were perfect. She's living abroad now, polishing up her second language, doing some freelance marketing work, working on setting up her own company, doing some work as a teaching assistant teaching English in a primary school and having a fantastic time.

I left school at 17 because I refused to be pushed down the route to be a teacher.
I worked in research labs as a technician, went to university to do BSc when I was almost 30 and at 37 found the job which I really love..as a teacher. All my experience along the way has made me a much better teacher than I ever would have been when I was younger.

My husband made the sensible choice at uni, is a managing director in manufacturing industry and is very good at what he does - he is now at 56 doing an OU degree in history, his secret passion for all these years - spurred on by our daughter's course.

I am still wondering what hole my son will fill as an adult, but I am sure he will do it with style!

As parents we can support them, love them and hope for the best

[ninanina]

Thank you yoyo for a detailed answer. That's really interesting to know how course choices at uni could shape or help in career choices.

[silverysea]

I and a lot of my friends and DH did PhDs in various branches of biology. Most of the women became secondary or uni teachers fitting around family though some have husbands with less demanding jobs so the men share or do more with the family. One became a stem cell researcher, I became a clinical scientist in the NHS. DH and the other man I know well became a high level civil servant. Biology studies have led to good things for them, maybe not stellar pay but steady and meaningful work.

If they like science, there are lots of opportunities and new fields as well as increasing demands in health environment energy- growth area and fulfilling work.

[hermanmunster]

You say "most of your friends are very successful", so share with us, what do they do? .

From the last time I sat round a table with a bunch of them:


Teacher x2
Writer
IT company
Matron
solicitor x2
Teacher
jewellry business
doctor x 2
politician
tax accountant
11 plus tutor
journalist
lecturer
barrister
festival organiser
school bursar
clergyperson

and nearly all mothers too.

[southbucks3]

politician
tax accountant

I like the way you naturally remembered these two consecutively.

[hermanmunster]

politician
tax accountant

I like the way you naturally remembered these two consecutively.

probably sitting next to each other

[silverysea]

No one is suggesting that a parent should somehow force their child to choose a given career, even if that were possible.

However as a parent you have many years of perspectives to offer-your own your family friends and colleagues experiences. Maybe you have contacts who will provided work placements later on-these are harder to get nowadays.

As a parent I try to provide opportunities for my DC both to pursue interests and passions they may have, and to get them to try things even if they aren't initially interested. This has been also helpful with their social life, for example a period of stress at school due to bullying was offset by having loads of existing and a new extracurricular interests outside of school, friends from outside school and ultimately forming a better friendship group AT school on the back of a new interest.

In my opinion youngsters should stay broad in their subject choices then later pick the things they enjoy, having tried properly. You can help by asking them questions-what did they do today, what was best, why did they choose/quit it-"my mates do it" "I don't like the teacher" answers might get a gentle raised eyebrow from you, for example-but just get them thinking for themselves. If they do fix on a goal you also might point out subjects they need to work on to achieve their goal, offer help if you are able.

But in the end who knows what subjects are "the future"-it's up to them in the end.

[Fatnorville]

DS to be England cricket captain. Just being opening bat bowl or bowl just is not good enough. No pressure there. DS knows I have this expectation and as soon as he is finished on Minecraft will be out practicing his cover drive.

No point thinking about DD as she is so headstrong she will do what she wants, hence we call her Thatcher. I just hope she remembers her loving parents when she decides to destroy society as we know it in circa 2040.....