To enquire what profession your parents wanted you to take up and whether you followed their advice or did something else.

[peewitsandy]

My mother wanted me to follow her in to teaching, this despite being less than enthused with my choice of Politics at University . Mother wanted me for some reason to be a History teacher .

Fast forward some 23 years since I left University and I have had no Professional Career at all . Consequently I have not worked at all since DD1 was born some 16 years ago.

The reason my mum wanted me in teaching, was because as she put it I was not bright enough for law (that was my reserved for my sister). I think the History teacher suggestion must of come about because my English grammar and comprehension, were not of a higher enough standard for me to be an English teacher ! Or maybe it was my B grade at GCSE that convinced her English teaching was not for me. Alternatively maybe it was the B grade at A Level for History that gave me half a chance of teaching History.

This being referenced by other posters on another thread I started

They didn't have any preference of career for me. As long as I had a job and paid my way in life.

I'm a train driver now. I did 8 years in admin type jobs straight from school first.

@GreatPotato

I don't remember them ever having any specific wants for my career, just that I should do "well".

My dad particularly was determined that I would be financially independent, to the extent that he was my childminder when DC were small so I could carry on working..

This sounds like the kind of support all girls and women should get to create a more equitable setup

As long as I was gainfully employed and happy, and didn't waste my education, they weren't specific about their hopes for my career. The only bit where they put their foot down was my GCSEs, I wanted to do Home Ec but they made me do Computer Science (because computers are the future and you will need to know how to use one). Thanks parents. I spent two years learning programming language that was obsolete by the time I finished sixth form and did awfully in the exam, where I would have probably got an A in Home Ec (one of my best subjects before GCSE years).

No preference or pressure what so ever

My mum's ideal job for me is part time in a chemist or bakery! She was not happy when I did my first degree as she didn't think I'd make a success.of uni. I have worked as an IT consultant for 20 years + now. She still doesn't think its suitable!

My dad wanted me to be a teacher because of the pension. This was in the mid 70s when what 18 year old gave a stuff about pensions? I just roled my eyes and continued to dream about doing something fun.

I became a teacher anyway, for different reasons. And now I'm retired and realise that his advice was actually great!

My parents vaguely wanted me to do something with foreign languages because I was good at them. I did start a degree in European Studies but then realised I hated all the political stuff, so gave it up as a bad idea.

Then spent years working in various healthcare roles and am only now (in my 40's) training to be a doctor.

I do hope my children find their vocation a bit earlier though; I feel like I wasted so much time

My mum's career advice (late 80s):

1. You like food and you like photography.... become a food photographer!
2. Don't be a policewoman.... all that walking when you have your period

Great advice! I would be retired by now if I had gone into the police like I wanted!

Mine wanted me to give up A levels (to be fair I did hate them, especially Maths) and go and work in a bank. To be fair to them they were really proud when I did go to Uni, though I do remember them asking me whether I would 'ever leave university and get a proper job', thirty years later and looks like the answer is nope! Think they ended up being proud of me.

I’m the first person in my family to finish school. My parents encouraged me to go into a profession with a high cut-off mark for entry - they had an idea that it would be a ‘waste’ of marks to do something other than law/medicine/engineering etc. I understood what they were thinking - they were amazed that anyone from our background had those options and wanted me to take them.

I’m a doctor.

Parents are doctors - I rebelled and did an English degree! Rebellion only lasted a short while though; I'm now a director of a biotech company.

My Mum wanted me to be an air hostess.
I am a nurse.

They never expressed any preference. Mum left school without qualifications, dad left with some (not very good ones) and then started working in an office. He is still there 40 years later.

I do find their attitude to work (you should enjoy it but not be consumed by it) a helpful antidote to a lot of the workaholics who work in my sector.

My dad always wanted to be a journalist and I think he always secretly hoped for the same for me as I shared his love for writing. He never became a journalist.

I work in PR and marketing. I think my parents are proud of me, although they aren't 100% sure of what I do despite explaining multiple times!

My mother couldn't have cared less. My father ideally would have liked me to be a hairdresser (elder sister did this) or secretary because that was a job that paid a lot of money then. Anything he thought I could or should do he would try to push me into.
He bought me a piano when I was about 3 and made me go to weekly lessons and practice it for at least an hour every day until I was about 12.
At about 8/9 he bought me a small swimming pool then made me use it every day, tried to get me try out for local swimming club at 11. He bought me a ventriloquist dummy as I had laughed at a programme we had watched, he then bought me a sodding soft emu thing that was like a strange puppet (anyone old enough think Rod Hull). He thought I should be artist as I could draw ? He also thought I should be able to do anything that he saw on the telly. Impressionist, singing, writing funny poems. (I did this one, had loads published, even did a book. Unfortunately he had died by the time this happened.) He was pleased that got a job straight from school (shop). Thrilled when Dd arrived. Stopped trying to push me into things for a couple of years. Was amazed when I started a care job and told me he would give me a week. Cheers dad. 👍

Parents encouraged either pharmacology or law for university and discouraged medicine.
I did medicine.

I love being a doctor, but I think it is hard for a 16-18yr old to understand what going to medical school ACTUALLY is setting you up for …5-6 yrs medical school then 8-12 years training beyond that (if full time, longer PT - quicker is 5 yrs to be a gp) and pay has not changed with time so not the lifestyle it used to be. Not to mention night shifts, weekends, childcare nightmares etc etc indefinitely!

I will encourage trying for best grades each child can get, going to reputable university to do reputable subject and trying to get a 2:1, that seems to set up people for most options later on.

My Mum wanted me to be barrister, or at-least just not a teacher as she retrained as one and was a lot more work then it seems.

My Dad wanted me to be an artist and ‘do something’ which means put things on, run things, be in charge etc.

I went into the creative industries and had a ‘proper career’, was transitioning into university lecturing before covid hit.

Why did were they not keen on medicine?

I would discourage medicine. While obviously it's an interesting, challenging, (eventually) well paid and meaningful career the work-life balance is shit for most specialisms.

My parents decided I wasn’t very bright so suggested a range of ‘lower level’ in their perception jobs I could train for after A levels. They were very aspiring middle class

I did undergrad, PGCE, 2 masters & have almost finished my PhD…. I know I have overcompensated for being told I’m not so bright as a teenager.

I taught for a while before going back to full time studies (fully funded with a stipend). They weren't proud of my teaching and don’t have a clue what I do now 🤷‍♀️

My Mum wanted me to be a researcher for the BBC, I suspect because she wished she'd done that.

My Dad wanted me to do something he could brag about, ideally be a doctor or barrister.

I'm a teacher although am just about to start a degree in a completely different subject.

No professional career at all despite having a degree and you haven’t worked for 16 years!!! Bet you wish you’d listened to your mum.