Over the past years a lot has changed in Pakistan from the Prime Minister to the foreign relations, but unfortunately, one thing is still the same, and might stay like this forever.
No, I am not referring to Meera G’s English. The point of consideration here is the ever increasing pressure from parents to pursue a career of their choice.
A lot of us have had to sacrifice the opportunities they could have embraced only because of our parents, mostly dads. My friend gave up his dream of becoming a “Software Developer” because his father wanted him to follow the family norm and pursue a career in medicine. So he bid farewell to his love for computers and did MBBS.
Sadly, boys aren’t the only ones who are forced to choose a field. Girls are also swayed to follow a profession of their parents’ choice. My uncle didn’t allow his daughter to enroll in Fine Arts because he feared that a degree in Arts might not get her a good marriage proposal.
Sure, parents do so to ensure their children have a future financial security, successful career, and good quality of life. But it is utterly disgraceful that parents try to overpower their children to the extent that they decide the course of their career on their own by completely ignoring what their kids actually want.
As a result, more and more teenagers are becoming troubled students or depressed interns. Since there is no concept of high school counselors in the country, the situation is only getting worse with time.
To help you out, here I have laid down some pointers that could be used to convince your parents when their expectation weighs you down every time you try to pursue a career they do not have clarity on.
- Be Clear About What You Want to Accomplish
If you really want to convince your parents, then be very clear about your goal. You might want to be a fashion designer or a certified chef, and that is great. However, if you are uncertain about your goals and strategy to accomplish them, you are definitely not in a position to ask your guardian or parent to listen to you. If you want to follow your heart and study something you are really passionate about, it’s time to set your mind on something.
- Tell Them Why Knowing Aptitudes is Critical
Different aptitudes are required to excel in different fields. For instance, if an individual is high on spatial aptitude he or she would do well in architecture or urban planning because they have the skill of visualizing three-dimensional figures. Likewise, people looking to score a job in management should have aptitudes like numerical reasoning and logical reasoning. So talk to your parents about the aptitudes and tell them you do not have what it takes to be a doctor or engineer if they want you to pursue a career in medicine or engineering.
- Share the Good Examples in the Field Chosen by You
When you are keen to follow a particular profession, it’s always a good idea to tell your parents about the successful people in the field. It will give them an idea about the kind of life you will have after adopting the profession, your working hours, career progression and most of all, the amount of money you can make from it. You can even suggest your parents to connect with such professionals to gain more insights about the field. It will allow them to make an informed decision and have the assurance they need.
To conclude, I hope that these pointers would prove helpful and who knows perhaps your enthusiasm will inspire your parents to pursue their own dreams and passions.
All views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
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