Do They Know What You Do?

Does your teen know what you do? Do they know about your work? I wonder if they really do. Each time I “travel” with students on their journey of career exploration, I hear them report that they see their parents, family members, and family friends in a new light. This is due to obtaining more detailed information about careers and responsibilities as they explore interviews with those around them.

Here are some comments students have made:

• “I never new my dad had so much to keep organized at work. I want to learn those strategies.”

• “My mom really knows what she is doing. I think I would need a lot of training to sell real estate like she does.”

• “My grandparents started this business. After talking with them, I think I may want to run it someday.”

It is important for teens to understand that there are skills that are important for all careers, such as timeliness and punctuality, time management, organization, communication, and more! You can help them by talking about how you use these skills. You can also point out the consequences of struggling with those skills. These conversations help prepare teens for their continuing education and careers.

Some parents take care of their home and family for their work. Teens need to know all the important skills required for that undertaking, especially the skills mentioned above. Some parents work hard to balance work and family. Conversations about strategies and challenges in achieving and maintaining balance are invaluable.

Communicate, demonstrate, and elaborate on your development of work habits and skills. Your teen may not tell you how much your sharing means to them, but teens are telling me! They want to know what you do!

What does your teen think about your career? Please comment below to let us know.