It’s an age-old cliche, one that’s been played out time and time again in popular movies and pop culture in general. This cliche is the idea that parents often run the risk of projecting their own dreams onto their children. This often comes in the form of forcing them to follow a certain career path. Here’s how to ensure that you don’t do it.
Influence, Don’t Force
Nothing good comes from something that is forced. There’s nothing wrong with influencing your child with certain beliefs that you have, or even giving over a passion that you truly love. But when you do that, make sure that you’re doing it in a healthy and organic way. You may think that you’re not forcing your kid to do anything, but that may not be the case if you don’t consider the following factor.
Understanding the Power You Have
You may not realize how much power you have over your child’s worldview. You don’t want to get to a point where your kid feels compelled to follow a certain career path because he or she is afraid of disappointing you. Be starkly aware of how your words and actions are coming across when you talk about whatever passion you have.
What to Ask Yourself
Is your child enjoying the experience? Are they getting inspired? But most importantly, do they actually want to pursue the path themselves? This may be hard to detect because again, they may be afraid to let loose an aura of defiance. It’s up to you to pay attention to them and to make one thing clear to your child: that you’ll love them no matter what they end up deciding to do.