To wonder if there are any careers you discourage your kids from doing?

[malificent7]

Dd told my dad and i that she wanted to work in Harrods when she grows up... she is 8!
My dad told her she shouldnt work in a shop. She also wants to be a model, pop star, vet... the usual.
My parents basically wanted us to be doctors and duscouraged anytjing else.
I rebelled and did teaching am now a TA.

Aibu to ask how much you want to influence your kids career decisions.

Also aibu to think there is nowt wrong with working in Harrods!

[reallyanotherone]

They can be whatever they want to be which is great but if my eldest goes down her chosen path I don't see how she'll be able to pay her rent. The school have then failed in my opinion, she could be a doctor but is being told to follow potentially unrealistic Dreams ... It's frustrating

Does she want to be a doctor though? What if she's successful in her chosen path?

Medicine can wait 5, even 10 years. Why not try out her dreams first, then go to medical school later?

These days you do not have to choose your path at 18. There is nothing wrong with taking a few years out.

[glitterazi]

Maybe I'm in the minority going by this thread and what I've read on the first couple of pages, but I wouldn't discourage my kids from taking any career path.
As I acknowledge they are their own person and I'm someone else entirely.I'm not them. I can't tell them what they can or can't do when it comes to jobs.

[Mildred007]

My daughter would like to be either a vet or a petting farm owner at the moment. She recently asked me which job I think she should choose...I asked her which one would make her the happiest...
Whilst I think our forces are amazing to do what they do, I personally would rather my children didn't do those jobs for my own sanity, it must be such a worry.

[Imdonewithchristmas]

My son has just said he wants to be a DJ:)

[Middleoftheroad]

Army. Police.

[Graphista]

Not rtft as already quite long I'm afraid.

Military - one side of family military. Not just because of the danger but because the main reasons it used to be a good career are now gone or going. The pay and conditions aren't as good as they were. Ditto police.

Nursing - I'm an ex nurse so dd has heard the down sides so I wouldn't actively discourage.

Social work - dd was VERY keen on this for a while but we discussed and she had a somewhat rose tinted view of it. Myself and her uncle (police officer so works with them sometimes as have I) and once she realised what a 'damned if you do damned if you don't' job it was and that she may be sometimes dealing with very nasty people not just the poor children she was hoping to give lots of cuddles and help to, she re thought.

She's currently wavering between speech therapy, physio therapy and teaching.

[Graphista]

Meant to say she's a bit of a sensitive soul too so that's why I think she'd struggle with social work. And she's 15 so not a little one thinking with their idealism.

[plominoagain]

Policing . About 80 per cent a thankless task , and 15 percent frustration at all the mindless mindless crap trotted out by those only out for promotion and no interest whatsoever in the welfare of their staff .

But then there's that 5 percent that we all do it for . When we catch that burglar after having chased him , and he's still got the property . Or when you get to an accident , and you see the relief on people's faces because they think the cavalry's arrived . Or when you go to a collapse behind locked doors in time to save a life . That's what I do it for . That and the doughnuts .

My son is now a special . He's never listened . Or maybe , maybe he has .

[ChocolatyClair]

IMO, Law is a useless degree if you don't have the connections necessary to get a good job.
This.

[HermioneWoozle]

I don't agree, law is respected by a lot of employers as a challenging degree and is a good grounding for a lot of jobs and skills you will need in them.

That said, only do it if you will enjoy it. Always do subjects you enjoy, not ones just to get you a good job, would be my advice.

[Ibelieve123]

My ds is 7 & wants to work in poundland.
He thinks he will be able to have sweets for lunch & people will give him money 😂😂
I've told him he could own poundland...but no he thinks it would be much more fun behind the counter

[Safetysam]

I would strongly discourage service in the armed forces above all else. That would break my heart.

I would also discourage any sort of faith based vocations.

I would also discourage any of the arts, artist, singer, musician, acting unless they have extraordinary talent.

[BathshebaNewYearStone]

Prostitute or hitman.

[InfiniteSheldon]

Estate Agent or Lawyer would both upset me as I'd rather they didn't lie for a living but if they'd chosen it I wouldn't have let them know.

[Nataleejah]

I'm on the fence with military. Apart from war zone, there are a lot of worthwile career opportunities and incentives for non-academic individuals.

[HermioneWoozle]

Why do you imagine lawyers lie for a living, Sheldon? What an incredibly ignorant comment.

[InfiniteSheldon]

Ok lie was strong twist the truth to achieve their goals then; it's just a bit unsavoury for my tastes.

[user1482840083]

DS (24) is a videogame programmer. He loved games ever since he was a boy. His dream was to work in the videogame industry and growing up he did as much as he could in order to make it. I was kind of apprehensive because the competition in the videogame industry is intense. And for you to land a good post you have to really stand out. I thought he should perhaps have some backup ambitions but he wouldn't have it. And my baby did it. He works for a big videogame studio and lives in California. Despite the long hours (the studio he works for are about to finish working on a game that took them 3 years to make - DS is working 16 hours a day) he loves his job. The things he can do with a computer just by writing a few lines of code, is incredible. I'm so very proud.

[JunebabyT]

Utterly ridiculous comments about lawyers upthread. We don't lie and twist the truth to achieve our goals - I think you've watched too much rubbish TV... Also not true that you need connections to get a good job.

I'm a lawyer and DP is a design engineer. Ideally we would like our DD to go into a professional career with good earning potential and I think we will encourage her in that direction but without being too prescriptive about what careers we think are best, as that is up to her. The main thing is she is happy in her work but I also think it's a shame to waste potential and to aim too low.

[mudandmayhem01]

Why would you discourage faith based vocations, I saw a survey that the clergy had the highest level of job satisfaction of any profession. My children and I are atheists but it would be very prejudiced to discourage them if they found a religious calling ( unless it was an extreme or cultish religion)

[Bumbleclat]

Ibelieve123 that is so cute!!

[EverythingEverywhere1234]

Police
Army
Anything fame inducing

That's about it I think. My DP on the other hand, would be discouraging them from anything if it wasn't agriculturally linked 😂

[EverythingEverywhere1234]

Oh! And prostitution, stripping etc

[Newbrummie]

I know women who paid for their first house stripping

[daddyorscience]

I tell my 2 that an open mind is useful. Set a goal if you wish, or see where life takes you. Take me - first job, garage forecourt. Didn't like that. Next one was working in council IT as a junior.. Fun, but not right. Then I worked in an agricultural garage, fixing cars, tractors, farm machinery, 4x4s... That was good.

Then I worked at the local abbey as a guide/secretary. Then back to IT support at the council. Then I moved to IT in infant/primary/private school sector. then freelance, then back into IT in a secondary. Then 2 years ago, I moved sideways in the school to become the senior science lab technician.

It's all been good, I've learned a lot. They're currently 4 and 7.. Holidays free is good. When they're older, I may change again..I have time to retrain in my leisure if I so wish.

My opinion is, if you don't try, you'll never know.