Guiding A Teenager Who Doesn’t Know What They Want From The Future

Guiding A Teenager Who Doesn't Know What They Want From The Future

There are a lot of teenagers out there who are reaching early adulthood and have absolutely no idea what they’re going to do next. Once high school is all over and done with, they might have little to no clue where they’re going to go or how they’re going to get there. And as their mom or dad, you can’t help but feel a little worried for them right now. 

That’s where a bit of parental intervention comes in handy. While they’re still a teen and it’s up to you to care for their welfare, weighing in with a few handy options could be just the thing to help. Their future is up to them and anything could happen, but if they seem a little aimless right now, it won’t hurt to have a word. 

Of course, you’ll need to make sure the conversation is all about supporting them and helping them find something they want to do next. Teens can very quickly feel judged when an adult comes in with a lot of opinions about their future! 

Don’t Pressure Them

The last thing you want to do here is make your teenager feel like they’re running out of time. They probably already feel a sense of anxiety around that, and if you come in asking what they’re planning and when they’re going to get to it already, it might be the final straw! 

They may also be panicked about the fact that they don’t know if college is the right choice for them, but seeing as all of their friends are going, they’re afraid they’ll miss out if they don’t also attend. 

But if they have no passion for higher education, being pushed into getting a degree might feel like a total waste of time and money as well.

Figure Out What’s Holding Them Back

When a teenager seemingly has no plan for their future, in a lot of cases, they’re usually just a bit hesitant to talk about what it is they want to do. 

That’s why you’ve got to pull it out of them with a bit of love and reassurance. Tell them no one will judge – they’ve just got to be honest! 

Explore a Career Path Stemming From Every One of Their Passions

Career paths have more variation to them than we’ve ever known, with hundreds of thousands of things to do that can both bring in a good income and still be enjoyable in 20 years time. 

That’s why it’s worth it to explore every one of their passions. Don’t discount one in favor of another based on how beneficial you believe the career path may be. Give them the time and space to explore the things they love and what a career in it could look like for them. 

And even within just one potential career path, there’s going to be a lot of variance! Say they love music, either listening or making or both, they don’t just have to get up on stage and perform. 

They can be the person running the stage, or the label boss that signed them, akin to figures like Clive Davis. All they need to do now is a bit of research into what programs are available, whether at a traditional college or not, and the music scene can open up before them. 

Remind Them it’s OK Not to Know What You Want

Deciding on what they want to do for the rest of their life is probably quite the daunting thing. If you remember what it was like when you were their age, you can probably sympathize with this feeling. 

Maybe they just need a bit more time to figure out what it is they want to do? Maybe they’ve got some half baked ideas but nothing that feels all that concrete? Either way, if they’re not sure what the next step is, make sure they know you’re there to support them. 

Talk to Your Teen About Their Future

If your teen could do with a bit of guidance, sit them down and have a chat about what their future might look like. Sometimes it might be the thing they were crying out for but didn’t know how to ask! 

Just make sure you listen to what they’re worried about and what they think could be good for them. From here you could build a plan together, or at least a basic roadmap that’ll help them get from point A to point B.