We’re used to the legions of kids tagging along for “Take Our Kids to Work Day,” but now parents are being asked to follow suit.
The first Wednesday of November has been the official day for grade nine students in Canada to shadow their parents at work since 1994. Its purpose was to help students link what they learn in the classroom to where they may someday like to work.
Nov. 5, the first Thursday of November, will be the third annual “Bring in Your Parents Day,” which was started by LinkedIn in 2013. This rendition is more about thanking your parents and letting them get a better grasp on your career.
According to their “Lighthouse Parents Study,” 55 per cent of parents are “not very familiar with what their child does for a living.” In Canada specifically, 24 per cent of parents pretty much have no clue what their children do. While they may know their job titles, what exactly their kids do day-to-day goes over their heads.
The term “lighthouse parent” describes a parent who lets their children make their decisions independently, while remaining available to give advice, as opposed to the overbearing “helicopter parent.”
This could be leading to a disconnect, as 38 per cent of Canadians felt they didn’t receive enough career advice from their parents and two-fifths of all parents admit they have withheld their true feelings about their children’s profession.
But keeping quiet may not be the best tactic for parents to to employ all the time.
A 2010 study showed that parents can greatly influence their kids’ career path, particularly when it comes to math- and science-related fields. Forty-one per cent of students who pursued these fields were encouraged by their parents.
Still, parents shouldn’t force their children one way or another, but an active interest in their kids’ career and future is essential.
Workplaces worldwide are invited to take part in Bring in Your Parents Day, so parents can spend a little one-on-one time, and not have to guess at what their kid does when they’re bragging to their friends.
-----
The top 10 most misunderstood professions, according to the 2015 LinkedIn survey, were:
1. User-Interface (UI) Designer
2. Data Scientist
3. Actuary
4. Social-Media Manager
5. Public Relations Manager
6. Radio Producer
7. Sociologist
8. Sports Team Manager
9. Civil Servant
10. Engineer
Follow Angelyn Francis on Twitter at @angelynsayshi.
Also on HuffPost
