Career choice is one of the most stressful points for any child as well as parents. It is something, to which a person usually devotes a major part of his/her life, and not all can look back once a choice is made.
In this respect, I think it's high time we need to ask our kids right questions.Instead of asking:
what do you want to become in life?
Orwhat career you want to choose?
Ask the child:
what do you want to achieve?
Or how do you want to contribute to the world?
Priyank Sharma
"A Random Educator"
These are important questions.
In former case, when you ask a close ended question to a child, you limit his/her potential to visualize herself / himself in the context of work. And, do not signify the importance of the contribution of your work to the world. When a child, for instance, says that s/he wants to become an engineer or doctor or businessmen, there's at times a very limited vision and reason for that career choice, and almost no idea of contribution to humanity through that work.
But in the latter case, you are leaving the space open for the child to visualize his/her world of work, and how effectively s/he can contribute to make world a better place. The career choice can come later, but where one wants to contribute and how one pictures oneself in that, is important first.
It is important to not expect answers immediately and it's also okay if there's confusion; we should allow the kids to ponder over these questions in their own time and space.
It is also okay if a kid says that he doesn't know it or doesn't want to contribute. The important part for us, is to ask right questions to invigorate consciousness.
Let's take example of the business world. You're encouraged to be creative and come up with a different original idea. This is from the economic perspective. There are consultants and specialists who will tell you if the idea will fare well in the society, and how to implement the same. You see, there's an economic angle to the idea. But, what we completely negate is the social angle to it.
We just evaluate if the idea will yield good monetary results? will the business work?
But, what about the impact of the business / work on us (world)?
Do you think, in the board meeting of Coca-Cola (for example), anyone discusses the impact of these aerated drinks on people's health? How Coca-Cola as a company contributing to the world?
So, it is important for us to ask the right question to our children. I surmise if someone had asked the right question to the founders of various industries which are thriving, but killing environment and humanity, may be, they would not have been started in the first place. I don't know, may be.