The Importance of Talking With Your Children About Their Future

When And How Should You Start Talking With Your Children About Their future?

Do you recall your feelings or thoughts about the future when you were younger? While some went outside to look for dinosaur bones in the garden and others were interested in space and the laws of the universe, others wanted to be a doctor, engineer, firefighter, or nurse. Of course, you are naturally curious to know when it is appropriate to talk to your children about their future. 

Kids need to learn that life isn’t always fair and that there will be times when things won’t turn out exactly as they’d hoped. But parents shouldn’t force their children to think about the future because this could cause anxiety or stress. Instead, teach them to look for opportunities in every situation and to take responsibility for their actions.

Here’s What You Need to Know

It’s never too early to start talking with your child about their future. Start by asking open-ended questions about what they want to do in school, sports, music, etc., and then follow up with more focused questions about their career goals and college plans. If you’re worried about your child’s grades, ask them about extracurricular activities that might help boost those grades.

The best thing you can do for your kids is to help them develop a positive attitude toward life. “It’s important to let your child know that he or she has control over his or her destiny,” says Dr. David Gelles, author of How to Raise an Adult. “You want to instill confidence in your child.”

According to research, children as young as 10 begin to consider the significance of picking a career path. Talking to your children about their future careers is a good idea once they begin taking elective classes in school and have the freedom to choose what they want to study. At that point, you should start educating them about work experience and attempting to explain the meaning of a career path.

Get to Know Them More

You need to find out more about their interests by looking into the costumes they have requested for a costume party, the people they admire and why, or the things that worry them about the future.

Always acknowledge how much life has changed and is still changing before you begin the conversation. You can start the conversation by posing a question. For instance, ask what they would write about if they were to publish a book or blog. Listen to their answer attentively and give them space to say everything on their mind.

Start asking them these questions and let them use their imagination in their answers. If they don’t know yet, it is okay. Fambeezy can help them learn more about their talents. You can find out about their preferred and nonpreferred subjects, allow them to explain why they believe they are better at one of them, and then show them your support and encourage them to do more of what they are good at doing.

“It’s important to help kids understand that life doesn’t always go according to plan,” says Dr. David Walsh, director of the Center for Child Development at Boston University School of Medicine. “They should learn to accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people.”

Talk About Money as Soon as They’re Old Enough to Understand It

It’s never too early to start talking about money with your child. Start by explaining what money is and why it’s necessary. Then, explain how money works and how it gets spent. Finally, teach your child about saving and spending wisely.

Dr. Jennifer Harris, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, says, “You want to help them develop a sense of self-worth and independence.” She suggests starting conversations about money when kids are young and making sure that they know what they’ll be spending and saving.

Last but not least, keep in mind that many undergraduates do not specify their career goals until after graduation, per 2017 research, so don’t take their responses at face value. Talking with your children about their future is crucial, yet do not feel like they think they want to be in their final decision as they grow up every day to learn more new things and gain more skills, which might be a reason for them to change their minds in the future.

Press here to know how to teach your children to be patient.