Stories of helping teens figure out life after high school
Written with Matthew Green.
High school students have a lot on their plate. Between the pressure of assignments and exams, meeting mum and dad’s expectations, changing friendships, romances, and wondering about gap years, uni, TAFE, or vocational training, it can be a rough time for a teenager. Sitting atop this list is the problem of finding a job and establishing a career. Will they get a job that pays enough for them to do the things they want to do such as buying a house, raising children, taking a holiday, and just living life in general? Will they find a job they actually like?
Here are some stories of families helping their teens navigate the transition from high school to adulthood, including their best tips for communicating with your teenager about their future.
Matthew on helping his teen find his path
'My wife and I are both university graduates, so naturally we expected our children to follow in our footsteps,' says Matthew. 'Our firstborn finished Year 12 with excellent results and we began pushing for him to choose a career path that would set up him for success.'
Matthew's son was doing a double degree in computers and biomedical science and hating every second of it. However, when he expressed a desire to drop out of university to pursue an electrical apprenticeship offered by a company he already worked with on weekends, his parents listened. After drawing up a list of pros and cons and asking him to commit to a gap year to test the waters, they fully supported his choice. Today, he is a successful electrical engineer with his own business.
'When your conversations about this have finished, and the decision has been made, get behind it 100%. No second-guessing, no revisiting old arguments. You have empowered your child to be a critical thinker and problem solver. You have taught them negotiation skills and how to organise their reasoning. Regardless of what happens next, just be there for them.'
Matthew
Calypso and Maria on navigating high expectations
For some teenagers, the pressure of Year 12 can get overwhelming. Calypso had incredibly high expectations for herself, which led to anxiety and stress about exam results and how they'd affect her future. Maria tried to keep the pressure off, support Calypso when she needed it, and escalated to professionals when the stress got to be too much.
Philip and Peter on deciding to take a gap year
After spending more than a decade at school, a gap year is a rite of passage for some teenagers. Philip and Peter spoke a lot about what he would do after school, and with the added factor of a disability, Philip thought a gap year would be his best bet at figuring things out.
Christo and Pru on taking time to figure it out
Not every kid has it sorted by the time they reach the end of school. Christo had absolutely no idea what he wanted to do, but he knew that the academic side of things wasn't for him. Pru really wanted him to go straight into something, but as they worked together, Christo found that taking time to explore his options was really helpful.
Amy and David on finding alternative pathways
Uni isn't the answer for every teenager. Amy knew she wanted to be a teacher but wasn't sure how. David helped her explore the options and despite some hesitation, TAFE ended up the best option for Amy.
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