TRANSCRIPT
What You Can Learn from Your Teenager:
Lessons in Parenting and Personal Growth.
Today I'm answering the question
how much involvement should a stepparent have
when it comes to career choice advice?
Stepparents should have as much
involvement as the topic merits.
If the child is nearing graduation,
clearly the topic may become more pertinent.
However, if you're the one always bringing the topic up,
then it may not be of interest to the stepchild.
Find ways to encourage dialogue about it through
topics in school, subject matter, what interests them,
what they're doing after school or volunteering
or even a part-time job they may have.
Tie into observations that you see,
and you do this by observing and asking questions,
which I suggest you do before you
jump in and give your input.
So ask open-ended questions, questions that result
in answers that require some thought,
such as what type of work environment
do you see yourself in?
What skills can you use in a career down the road?
What interests you when it comes to a job?
These questions do not result in yes or no,
but they may result in an I don't know,
and this is when you can give your feedback,
your advice based upon observations, and make it relevant
and attach it to an observation you've made
or a prior discussion you've had.
This shows that you care, that you're aware
and you're concerned, and it also makes the feedback more
relevant, as opposed to you just coming off as the expert.
I hope these few tips helped in furthering this discussion
about what your stepchild would like to do in the future.
Thank you and bye-bye.
