Kids are often excited to go to college. It will be the first time that they will be away from their parents. Their university years will be their first taste of independence. But it can also be quite challenging. Your role is to prepare them for this demanding phase.
Preparing them for college does not mean that you will dictate the major they will take. A college professor told the Washington Post that kids should choose their career path. But of course, you must guide them when they make this decision. Your input will help your kids remain grounded.
You can start this course shopping as early as middle school. Starting this early will help them take the right strand during senior high. It will also help them look for which institution to join. Not to mention, it will give them a peek at possible careers options.
Medicine
The pandemic made us acknowledge the importance of nurses and doctors. We have witnessed their struggles. We became aware of the medical personnel shortage crisis. Seeing all of these made us see their worth.
If your child idolizes Dr. Anthony Fauci, you should encourage her to take up this august profession. It is one way to show our gratitude to the medical personnel who have risked their lives during the pandemic. But you have to warn them about the challenges that lie ahead.
Nursing and medical technology are great pre-med courses. The subjects in these courses are related to the ones offered for med-proper. Your child undergoes the same mental and physical pressures. Once she graduates, she can assess if she still wants to proceed.
Let us say that when your daughter reaches senior high, she still focuses on her goal of becoming a doctor. It would be an excellent time to remind them that she should not take this path lightly. But also emphasize that you are there to support her.
Psychology
By the time your son reaches middle school, he will already have some idea of what he will take up in college. He might already show interest in psychology. In this case, encourage him by enumerating the various job opportunities. He can join the academe as a counselor or as a teacher.
Your son can also use this as a stepping stone to a law degree. If he turns into a divorce attorney, his background in psychology will make him more empathetic. He will understand how traumatic these events are to a child. Thus, he will search for ways to make the proceeding as painless as possible.
If you have observed that your son is exceedingly empathetic, he can become a psychiatrist. This career choice will allow him to help people overcome their depression and phobias. Their therapy can vary from simple cognitive-behavioral therapy to taking prescribed medicines.
We have seen crime dramas where the criminal profiler cracks the case. As a psychiatrist, he can also join the government. If your son chooses such a career path, his job opening is not limited to the FBI. But he can also join the ATF.
History
If your child yearns for adventure, he can become an archaeologist. They are paid to explore hidden wonders. When they find something, the whole world celebrates their accomplishment. They will forever be remembered for this.
The discovery of King Tut is a great example. It is almost a century since Howard Carter stumbled upon the boy king’s tomb. But we still remember his exploits. We might not even know the relevance of the Earl of Carnarvon to this discovery. But we all recognize Howard Carter.
“Historians are gossips who tease the dead,” Voltaire once said. This assessment might not necessarily be correct because they do not help us uncover the chronological events. But they teach us the morals behind these stories. They help us not make the same mistakes that our ancestors made.
Some parents are worried that taking up such a course will limit their children’s growth. But it does not. Sir Simon Schama, a renowned historian, has traveled all around the world. A historian can also become a museum curator. Lucy Worsley is living her dream by managing the numerous historical palaces.
Your child can enjoy their university days if she knows what is in store for her. She will understand that college is not all frat parties. It is the phase of life where she fully grasps the meaning of independence. She might remember her first year as the time that she stumbled several times. But it is also the period where she learns how to become a good citizen of the world.
