Tuesday, December 13, 2011

O is for...

Occupation

I touched on the subject of career paths in yesterdays post.  Every parent wonders and occasionally worries about whether their child will find a suitable occupation.  In the case of children with challenges, it may be of more concern.  What if my child is unable or unwilling to further his or her education?  What if my child can’t compete in the job market with neurotypical people?  What if my child just doesn’t show any inclination or skill that points toward a specific occupation?

There aren’t going to be any answers in this post, because we don’t have any, yet.  I thought it might be helpful for someone else out there to hear me express my doubts and know – you’re not alone.  Our two kids are high-functioning enough that it’s unlikely they’ll qualify for much, if any, help via some type of school-to-work transition program.  At this point, in sixth and seventh grades, I remind myself there is still time.  Do we feel a career has to be settled by the time the kids are finished with school?  That would be an emphatic ‘No’… in fact, I didn’t have my own career goals sorted until fairly recently.  We will let them know that although the goal is to someday work one’s dream job, the necessity is to buy groceries, and there will be a lot of valuable experience in whatever job is performed conscientiously and with one’s best effort.

We live in a high-stakes situation when it comes to competition for employment, even for skilled and educated people – but adding to the pressure and stress for our kiddos will do more harm than good.  In the meantime, we advise the kids to do their best at whatever they attempt.  To get the highest grades they can manage and keep as many options available as possible.  To read, have ideas, and imagine their future. 

As much as I love knitting, and can happily knit for many hours at a time, I could never make it an occupation.  It would be like putting an obligation on meditation and comfort, and a dollar figure on my peace and relaxation.  Can’t be done – these things are priceless.
Grandpa Jack's cat pillow

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