Q. "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
A. "Something that hasn't been invented yet."
Most of us were brought up to study hard, get good grades, choose a "practical" college major, and strive for a "good job."
Talk to a stranded midlife career-changer and you realize the game has changed. Yesterday's rules prepared us to be passengers on a large ocean liner that promised a smooth voyage. Today we realize that ocean liner turned out to be the Titanic and we need to keep ourselves afloat on a small life raft if we want to survive.
Here are some tips to help your child learn not only to survive, but to thrive and grow in a chaotic world.
1. From the first day of kindergarten, encourage your child to build on strengths rather than focus on limitations.
Does she spend hours studying models of cars for the last twenty years? Maybe she'll become an auto mechanic -- or maybe she'll parlay her ability to classify detailed information into a career as a biologist or pharmacist.
2. Encourage your child to choose a field of study based on his or her natural abilities and passions, not "what will get me a job."
Claudia Kennedy, the Army's first female three-star General, majored in philosophy. In her book Generally Speaking, she claims philosophy prepared her to become a top-level intelligence officer. Carly Fiorino, famed CEO of Hewlett-Packard, studied medieval history. And Michael Lewis, financial writer and best-selling author of Liars Poker, was an art history major.
3. Assure your children that few mistakes are fatal.
Did your child fail a course? Face rejection from a first-choice college? Most of us can't avoid an occasional failure, but we can learn bounce-back attitudes as soon as we can talk.
Yolanda Griffith, WNBA basketball star, dropped out of a premier program due to pregnancy. She returned to a lower-ranked college program, baby in tow, and now plays for the Sacramento Monarchs.
I once taught a student who had flunked out of junior college following a close call with the legal system. After a four-year stint in the US Navy, she returned to college, maintained a dean's list grade point average, and went on to a top law school.
4. Encourage your child to experience success in any area of her life.
Did she make the honor roll? Get selected for a play, a club, or athletic team? Win an election for competitive office? Survive a strenuous application process for a summer job? Once your child has tasted success, he will know how it feels and will act like a winner when he enters the job market.
Cecilia, a shy twelve-year-old, blossomed when she won the lead in a school play. "We want you to improve your grades, not spend time in rehearsal!" fumed her worried mother.
To everyone's surprise, Cecilia's grades improved and she made new friends with the "good kids" who were also achievers. Most important, no matter what happens, Cecilia can return to that feeling of success whenever she gets discouraged.
5. Getting into a top university -- or any university -- will not guarantee success.
I've met Ivy Leaguers who have experienced unemployment, bankruptcy and even homelessness. I've met high school drop outs who flourished on their own initiative. In my own small town, a couple with degrees from excellent schools have dropped out to pursue artistic careers -- and they clean houses to pay the bills. Recently a minimum wage job was posted by a nonprofit -- and several unemployed lawyers applied.
Career-changers who face the future with an attitude of "I can handle anything" are the ones who win today. Tossed into the ocean, they'll improvise a set of oars and keep up their spirits till they figure out what to do next. Those who feel betrayed ("I thought I was set for life") flounder around for weeks, months, even years.
Entitlement is over. Those who have a positive outlook, who can seize the unexpected opportunity, can count on reaching the shore. And they realize that only they can transform a resting place into a safe harbor.
About The Author
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career/business consultant, helping midlife professionals take their First Steps to a Second Career. http://www.cathygoodwin.com
"Ten secrets of mastering a major life change"
Contact: http://www.cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294
green cleaning service Park Ridge ..With the beginning of the new school year coming VERY... Read More
Mealtimes together deserve an important place in any family. Around... Read More
Several similar terms describe the central attribute of a character... Read More
Is your baby approaching his or her first birthday and... Read More
For many years underparenting was perhaps the biggest problem facing... Read More
No matter how old your children are, you have an... Read More
Child Car Seat Safety:We know you love your children, but... Read More
Here are fourteen spontaneous time-outs, specially designed to help you... Read More
"Family Matters" was the headline that caught my attention in... Read More
Your daughter tells you that Uncle Charley has touched her... Read More
Recently I took my two children to a popular new... Read More
A certain educator was once asked at what point should... Read More
Sometimes dreams really can come true! May 8th - 11th,... Read More
Until about the age of six, children do not generally... Read More
I don't know how people raise daughters because I have... Read More
When planning a child birthday party, just a little bit... Read More
Goal setting is essential for building a successful life. However,... Read More
All babies cry, but if yours cries a lot, isn't... Read More
"The greatest gift I ever had Came from God, and... Read More
Child support is defined as that part of your income... Read More
I never dreamed that I would be in a position... Read More
"Where did he come up with that?" Kids often amaze... Read More
A study done by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute found... Read More
1 "Law of Belonging": The greatest need of teenagers (after... Read More
We take it for granted that children know how money... Read More
emergency cleaning services Morton Grove ..College is one of the largest expenses through the course... Read More
If you are currently homeschooling or considering homeschooling your child,... Read More
She slipped her small, soft eight-year-old hand into mine. Her... Read More
In a consumer-driven society that broadcasts values you don't approve... Read More
Because most teens have not had the experience of getting... Read More
A growing body of scientific evidence shows that the way... Read More
My cousin boasts five names and I confess that when... Read More
You know that children can get into trouble. The older... Read More
Child Party Planning Guideline #1)Pick the ThemeYour child is going... Read More
Handing Down Malignancy.Children may begin bright and eager to face... Read More
Vinegar or honey, what do kids really want? "Toys, candy,... Read More
More and more kids these days are diagnosed ADD, ADHD,... Read More
How should one look upon Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)... Read More
When a couple steps forth with a baby in tow... Read More
Everyone in a private practice setting who works with children... Read More
My wife and I have been working on a video... Read More
Before my daughter was born my house was... Read More
Dan Rather made a significant and tactical error and got... Read More
Who lives in your house? Are they driving you "crazy?"... Read More
On a bright Sunday morning, a couple of weeks ago,... Read More
Bi-Polar Disorder, or Manic Depression, is characterized by mood swings,... Read More
The school holidays are a great time for the kids,... Read More
There are some grounds to assume that a cognitive dissonance... Read More
While youth gangs are nothing new -- they've been traced... Read More
My daughters and I went to the beach several weeks... Read More
Parenting |