The One Amazing Thing You Can Do For Your High School Graduate

Maybe your kid is going to college and really knows why. Or maybe they’re going and are clueless. Perhaps they’re struggling to chart a different path.

Photo by Soundtrap on Unsplash

Be who you needed when you were young.

Help them.

Most of us had one of two types of parents. There’s the parent who didn’t help or couldn’t help because they didn’t know how. Then there’s the parent who helicoptered the entire game plan, leaving you with little room for input. Find the middle ground.

Help them by listening. Really listening. Shut off your desire to tell them how to succeed according to the hopes and dreams you have for them. Just listen to what they think they want for a life. They may not be able to articulate it but if you give them the space and time, you could be surprised.

Once you’ve listened, then you get to talk. But only a little. Ask questions. Do they have a vague plan? If not, suggest. Suggest ideas to get to where they want to go.

At some point, the goal will be revealed and you can help form the plan. Help, not dictate.

Be who you needed when you were young.

What would life look like if we could actually listen to young people before sending them off with our own agenda?

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