I have two children, and my daughter, Taylor, was the ‘experiment’ in our post-high school planning journey. I had no idea what I was doing, and looking back, I wish I had known then what I know now.
During her senior year, Taylor decided she wanted to be a professional athletic trainer with the NFL. This seemed reasonable, as she had been a football manager and part-time trainer for her high school team. We researched colleges, and she chose the University of Missouri (Mizzou) for its athletic training program. The catch? Mizzou’s program required that a competitive application process after the first year. Taylor missed the cut-off by two points.
Instead of reapplying or transferring, Taylor, determined to graduate on time, switched to a Health Sciences major, the only option that fit her timeline. By graduation, she hated it and wanted nothing to do with any related careers. After months of soul-searching, she enrolled in cosmetology school. Today, she’s a successful stylist and happy with her career, but her path was far from smooth.
Here are the key mistakes I made:
Mistake #1: I Took Over the Process
When Taylor became overwhelmed by post-high school planning, I stepped in and took control. It felt like the right move at the time because it lowered her stress, but it only increased mine. Instead of guiding her to think critically about her future, I was the one researching potential careers. I’d suggest ideas, and she would say yes or no. This left her passively going along with my choices, and when she picked athletic training, it was based on my suggestion, not her own research or real interest. In hindsight, Taylor should have been the one driving the process.
Mistake #2: We Focused on College, Not Career
I had always told Taylor that college was a given, so when it came time to plan for life after high school, her first instinct was to pick a college rather than focus on what career she truly wanted. Since she didn’t enjoy school and struggled academically, her main goal was finding a major that would allow her to finish as quickly as possible. Instead of taking the time to think about a fulfilling career, we narrowed options based on her high school experience and hobbies. Athletic training seemed like a fit because of her time managing the football team, but we didn’t consider whether it aligned with her long-term goals or passions.
Mistake #3: We Didn’t Explore Other Options
Once Taylor settled on becoming an athletic trainer, we stopped considering other possibilities. She didn’t explore different career paths or take the time to discover what else might suit her interests. I failed to encourage her to look beyond what she knew. Her decision was based on limited high school experience, not a thorough understanding of the industry or herself. I wish I had encouraged her to explore a wider range of career options before locking into one path.
What I Wish I Had Known
Looking back, I wish I had helped Taylor identify her values, passions, and natural talents. I wish I’d known about the 16 career clusters and guided her to explore them, letting her choose the ones that resonated with her. We should have developed career pathways for each option, considering what it would take to succeed. And I wish I had encouraged her to look beyond the traditional four-year college route to find education and training programs that matched her chosen careers.
That said, I’m incredibly proud of Taylor for her resilience. Despite detours, she persevered and found a career that makes her happy. Her background in anatomy and physiology even helps her as a stylist. In the end, what matters most is that she’s found a career she loves—and that’s what every parent wants for their child.
I hope that by sharing these lessons with you today you can work with your teen to create a pathway they are excited to pursue! If you need additional support, why not checkout these resources?
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