Why There’s a Major For Everything, Except the Most Important Job We Face
There are almost 300 college majors listed on the ACT’s website. Everything from Public Speaking to Medical Records is offered.
I majored in Art History, which means I spent four years reflecting on the importance of things like a rotting banana or giant bowling pins.
It was excellent preparation for navigating corporate bureaucracy.
But I’ve found that universities overlook the most impactful lessons in career development and life. Core skills like leadership and patience often get little attention.
These skills are crucial for the role adults are most likely to take — becoming a parent.
And while parenthood is a life-long position, this and this satirical commercial remind us it’s also challenging, vital, and doesn’t come with a training manual.
Why don’t colleges train parents?
One reason is that becoming a parent is seen as a medical event.
The baby may stay in the hospital a day after birth; parents are left to figure out this responsibility. Doctor visits are the primary check-ups.
Parents are usually left to Google, groupthink, or gut instincts to navigate. Not a reassuring way to get through any complex, long-term journey.
Another reason is economic.
Great parents’ contribution to society and GDP is hard to measure.
And as Rory Sutherland points out in his book Alchemy: the Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life, we tend to assign value to what we can quantify.
Being a rock star parent isn’t going to bring money or status. But this shouldn’t be confused with what’s meaningful.
A third reason is that college students are young.
Most 19-year-old undergrads aren’t thinking much about parenthood — enrollment could be lacking.
However, the median age of first-time moms is 25, and dads is 30. About the age of those who tend to pursue an advanced degree - this degree should be one.
What would a parenting degree cover?
This differs from home economics or family science.
While home economics covers some practical elements — like child development — it also goes on tangents with things like sewing and home design. And it misses critical leadership skills.
Family science is closer. But it’s geared toward research, policy, or counseling roles.
What I’m proposing is elite training for today’s high-performance parents.
A program that covers practical and strategic parenting elements, mixing management, social sciences, education, and medicine.
Here’s a sample course list:
- Complex Project Management
- Time Prioritization & Delegation
- Conflict & Mediation Training
- Art of Persuasion
- Developmental Psychology
- Emergency Medical Response
- Educational Training Techniques
- Building Organizational Cultures
While degrees like Art History tangentially relate to business, this education would provide directly valuable skills — a strong foundation for any leader.
The program’s name probably needs a rebrand from parenting to sound more assertive, unintuitive, and valuable — something you’d need to study.
Perhaps an Executive Certificate in Brood Command. Or a Master’s in Young People Management.
Why did I write this?
I interviewed hundreds of new parents and realized how ill-equipped many felt when taking their newborns home.
The status quo today is illogical.
When I had my baby, I was flooded with ad-hoc or contradictory advice. And who has the time or energy to sift through it?
This pressure doesn’t stop as kids get older. Parenting can become more ambiguous and challenging as kids become teenagers.
Today’s parents deserve a relevant roadmap.
While most fathers and mothers now also have careers, parents lack training and preparation for this demanding life stage. There is no reason they should be caught flat-footed.
Parents also lack a benchmark for what’s great. This contrasts with school and the office, where standards are pretty straightforward. Parents should have guidelines on what’s a great versus okay approach.
Key message: Like any job, parenting takes effort and thought to do well. If it had a Master’s, maybe this would get more recognition.
I’m an analyst, consultant, and mom, and I’ve found using management frameworks can help new parents navigate. Learn more in my 4th Mom Memos newsletter.
