To tell my son he should do something that earns more than teaching

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My son is good at everything. Parent's evening yesterday and all the teachers said he could easily get 9s at almost all his GCSEs but he's a bit lazy as he finds things quite easy.

He plays 2 instruments to grade 6+ standard. He learns fast. He's great at sciences, maths, computing.

He wants to be a PE teacher.

AIBU to tell him to think about doing something else? He could literally do anything and has chosen this. I am a bit disappointed I suppose, thought he might go Barrister/Actuary/Doctor or something.

Sorry, I completely understand where you coming from. I didn’t intend to mislead anyone or be disingenuous. You are entirely right that the salary situation isn’t the same in most of the UK and that is not ok. In fact is something that I am acutely aware of as I am relocating to the midlands for personal (unavoidable) reasons and will have to take a substantial pay cut, at least £20000. I know London weighting exists for a reason but it doesn’t account for the salary I am receiving or the one I am likely to receive. Experienced and proven inner London teachers are generally paid very well (but can expect to put up with almost anything- I have been assaulted twice in the last three years by year 11 students).

Well it depends. Does he want to earn a lot of money? Or is he happen with an average salary?

Having said that, it's easy to say that he isnt interested in money now. In 20 years time he may feel differently.

The best thing you can do is be very clear about the earning potential of teaching compared to other jobs he could train for. He's very young - plenty of time to change his mind.

I've always said to my kids that their choice of how to earn their living, is theirs, and theirs alone. However, their choices, their actions, their consequences, and they need to choose something that will support the lifestyle they wish.

I don't care about the kudos or otherwise, of their career choices. Whatever they choose to do, if they do it well, it fulfills them, and enables them to support themselves - perfect.

It is very early for a final decision, but I would take a positive attitude to his opinions, and let him make up his mind in his own good time.
I once mentored a young lady doing work experience who, I felt, had all the makings of an excellent teacher; the pupils thought she was wonderful, but she was rather taken aback by the reality of all the other bits that went with the job.
It's an old cliche, but truer than ever that the actual teaching can be the best job in the world, but so much else is involved nowadays.
I wanted to apologise to her work experience mentor, but he was fine about it, saying it was better to have a reality check before committing herself to study and training!
Encourage your DS to consider carefully what other subject he could specialise in alongside PE, and draw his attention to other paths he could follow with these qualifications.

Teachers earn well, can be head of departments, get to go on school trips inc skiing, DofE etc.

get holidays off so when they have their own families have a good work life balence.

teaching is not all perfect like the media would have you think; but overall being a Secondary School teacher esp PE can be good fun.

My mum is a primary teacher and basically told me I wasn’t allowed to be one because it is a shit job with shit pay. I’m a lawyer and I hate it. It’s also a shit job with shit pay. I often wish I’d been a teacher or wonder what it would be like and think I’d probably be happier.

An ex’s best mate at uni became a primary school teacher (degree subject was maths so literally walked into a job). He enjoyed it for a while I think, but a few years later he switched to finance and is now on telephone number salaries as an actuary.

I’d warn him it’s hard to get a job as a OE teacher but easier to get a job teaching another subject.

He would be well advised to think what the job entails, how would he about teaching a pupil who can’t play sports, or can but hates it

Its his life and his choice. As a doctor myself, please don't push him into this field unless it's absolutely his vocation . The pay isn't so great, the training is long and expensive and the NHS is dying a death as we know it. Likewise, any of the other vocations you list should only be something he does if he wants to.

Being a teacher is a good job, it's a profession, a vacation and not so badly paid these days but at the end of the day, the most important thing is he does something that makes him happy and fulfilled. Having said that, he's 16 which is very young to know for certain and he may change his mind. By supporting his choice and being encouraging, you'll foster a more open discussion about things.

Personally speaking, I just want my.kods to be happy in their choswn jobs (it's a long way off with an almost 6 yr old and a 15month old) but I certainly wouldn't be trying to influence beyond their wishes. If you do push against him on this, you may alienate him. Don't.

Being a doctor is a shit job in modern Britain, poorly paid, disrespected, horrific working conditions and hours.

Absolutely nothing to aspire to unless planning to then work as a doctor abroad .

Why are you encouraging or discouraging any particular career? Your son is the one who has to do it, including long after you’re gone, probably, and he’s perfectly capable of understanding salary, the nature of a career path etc by the time he has to make solid choices.

Did your parents do this to you?

Teaching in general is a very tough job. As an escaped teacher, I know this and wouldn't encourage my child to become a teacher.

That said, I do have the impression PE teachers enjoy their jobs more than average and (at the risk of offending any PE teachers reading) theirs is one of the subjects where the workload seems less frantic. Some PE teachers in schools I worked in seemed to spend more time drinking coffee and nattering in the staffroom that was typical for their colleagues. Every school also had PE staff in senior pastoral and leadership roles. This probably wasn't coincidental: it's easier to progress your career if you have capacity to take on extra responsibilities.

If your son is really set on teaching, PE could be a relatively good choice in terms of workload and career prospects.

The downside of PE is that there is a lot of competition for jobs. He might fare better than some if he has good exam results and the capability to teach other subjects - especially an in-demand subject like science, at least to lower school pupils.

he’s perfectly capable of understanding salary, the nature of a career path etc by the time he has to make solid choices.

I don't think this is necessarily true.

There seem to be many, many people who get established in careers and only then seem to realise the earning potential isn't fantastic.

Or what they thought was a good salary at 20 turns out to be not so rosy at 40 with a few kids and a house in the south east.

Wow! You have a lot of anger there! Arw you a doctor? I love my job but it's hard, unappreciated and poorly paid. It is very much a vocation though and you'd be stuck if everybody had your attitude!!

Whilst I understand people saying that it is his life, it doesn't change the fact that it is your job to guide him to make better life choices. He might think PE teachers have the easiest job and that is why he wants to do it. Has he been exposed to other career paths? I would recommend him to reach out to people in different professions and ask to shadow them during school holidays. Once he has a bit more exposure, he might change his mind. And yes shadowing a PE teacher will not be a bad idea either but don't know how he will do that during school term.

Ime pe teachers at secondaries often become head teachers or take on leadership role so earning potential is high if he went down that route.

my bil is a deputy head in a primary and loves it. There was a point he hated it but changed schools and I’d much happier now.

You sound like a snob.

he may or may not choose to become a PE teacher at the end of the day. There are loads of jobs he hasn’t even heard of yet, but if he does and he’s happy, then he’s doing well in life and what parent doesn’t want that

Male teachers disproportionately get slt roles and I know loads of pe teacher young heads, it's a big thing at the moment, can relate to the naughty boys etc. So if he's bright he could surpass ups3 quite easily over time, and leadership is a different job.

I kind of get where you're coming from op but at the same time you have to let them carve their own path...if he goes into teaching and then decides it's not for him many many people change career paths in middle age. We always want the best for our children. I would love all of mine to go for careers that pay very well as although it doesn't bring complete happiness, there would still be problems in life, money does actually give you options and choices to change your circumstances when you are not happy. for eg if you find yourself living in an area which has become high crime or dangerous you can get yourself out of there if you can afford to move or if you hate your job you can afford to retrain as something else, if a partner dies or ups and leaves you can support yourself etc etc. However, you need to relax and begin to trust your child and allow them to start making their own decisions about their own life. People often slate teaching, particularly P.E teachers but that subject and career is actually very valuable and could even take him around the world!

What on earth has the fact he is male got to do with ?!

What on earth has the fact he is male got to do with ?!
Because despite being a female dominated profession in the classroom, men are disproportionately dominate in leadership roles within education.

I would ask him to consider the lifestyle he wants when thinking of a career not just what he's good at. I think too often with careers advice people only focus on what someone is good at when really it's an intersection between skill, what you enjoy and how you want to live.

The second you tell him not to go in to teaching though, is the second it'll become the most attractive career prospect for him.