'Occupation' Talks with our Kids

Here is a good discussion starter for you and your high school student. The younger ones might roll their eyes, but once talking, I think you’ll pick up some momentum.  I suspect that we’ll all have to work extra hard at ‘occupation’ type talks since these kinds of choices are being delayed on the adolescent scene.

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A PROFESSION

Taken from Life on the Edge, by James Dobson

1. It must be something you genuinely like to do. This choice requires you to identify your own strengths, weaknesses and interests. (Some excellent psychometric tests are available to help with

this need.)

2. It must be something you have the ability to do. You might want to be an attorney but lack the talent to do the academic work and pass the bar examination.

3. It must be something you can earn a living by doing. You might want to be an artist, but if people don’t buy your paintings, you could starve while sitting at your easel.

4. It must be something you are permitted to do. You might make a wonderful physician and could handle the training but can’t gain entrance to medical school. I went through a PhD program in graduate school with a fellow student who was washed out after seven years of class work. He made it to the last big exam before his professors told him, “You’re out.”

5. It must be something that brings cultural affirmation. In other words, most people need people need to feel some measure of respect from their contemporaries for what they do. This is one reason women have found it difficult to stay home and raise their children.

6. Most importantly for the genuine believer, it must be something that you feel God approves of. How do you determine the will of God about so personal a decision? That is a critical matter we’ll discuss presently.