After a long period of successful employment, my son decided to leave his job. As a traditional father, my alarms went off. Being aware of how most of the hiring managers perceive the unemployed, I was worried, very worried. Please, think it over. Why not stay employed while looking for a new opportunity? You are making a mistake. He looked at me and said: I don’t want the quality of my work to be affected by the consequences of my decision to leave. Mentally, I’m not here, and moving on at this point in time, is the right thing to do. Don’t worry, I will be fine, trust me dad.
Don’t get me wrong, I‘m very proud of my son. He has a heart of a pure gold, very intelligent and has matured into a responsible young adult who thinks things through, but when he makes up his mind, it’s a done deal. I wonder where he gets it from… A hint: it’s not from my wife.
Fast forwarding, within two months, without any help, he found and was offered a great opportunity to join a leading organization in his field.
So, what is my take away from this life parenting lesson? Let go and allow them to take control of their future. You don’t have a monopoly over knowing what is the best road for them to reach a happy and healthy life – you could be wrong.
Be proud of their decisiveness and courage to make tough decisions. Don’t project your issues on to them (it’s a big one for me). Never hesitate encouraging them to reach their potential and voicing your concerns yet don’t push it to the point of being negative and judgmental. Always be supportive and don’t take for granted the great relationships you have with your children.
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