You’re certainly not alone if you have a teenager who doesn’t know what to do or where to take their life. In fact, most teens likely feel like this, and only a handful have a clear idea of who they are and what they want to do in the future.
Yet the truth is that teenagers have to make many difficult decisions that can affect their lives – they’ll need to find a college program or a job, or perhaps they’ll look for an apprenticeship. As a parent, you’ll want to guide them in the right direction, but you’ll also want to ensure they make their own decisions. With that in mind, here are some ways you can help your teenager explore their passions, which should help them get a better idea of what they need to do in the future.
Identify Their Spark
There is bound to be something that your teenager is interested in more than anything else. You need to identify what that is – their spark, in other words – and help them understand that this is something they can use to move them forward in life. No matter what that spark happens to be, whether it’s sports, reading, computer games, drama, fashion, science, or anything else, there will be a career that links to it – this is the great thing about the modern age.
A good idea is to find an example of a college program that they’re interested in – one that connects to their passion. Then, using a college acceptance calculator – like CampusReel, for example – will help show them what they need to fulfill in order to improve their likelihood of getting accepted into their dream college program. If they want to pursue their passion in further education, calculators like this one are useful tools to point them in the right direction and can show teens that they can use their interests or hobby in life to build a career.
Encourage Them To Work
If you can’t determine what it is your teenager likes more than anything, and they don’t really know themselves, a part-time job could help, so it’s important to encourage them to find one and help them write a resume or get ready for an interview if need be. A part-time job that doesn’t interfere with their studies will help them become more prepared and confident for the future. It might also help to spark some passion or at least show them what they don’t want to do as a job later in life.
For example, if they were to find a part-time job caring for people or helping animals, this might show them a path they should or should not take, depending on whether they find fulfillment in that job or not. Or perhaps working for someone else will show them that they should consider studying business to become their own boss.
Find A Mentor
If your teenager is really struggling to find anything they want to do or to explore their passions fully, it might be that they need a mentor to help them. This could be a friend or family member who works in an area that your child is interested in, or it could be a school teacher, a counselor, or a local person who wants to help others – you might be able to find them online. Social media is an excellent place to start.
Sometimes, no matter how well-meaning you might be as a parent, a teenager might be self-conscious about coming to you to discuss their hopes and dreams. They might find it easier to speak to someone else instead, so if this is the case, don’t hold them back. Whether they want to talk to another family member, a mentor, a teacher, or even a counselor or therapist, as many young people do, it’s important to let them do so.
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