From Helping to Empowering: A Parent’s Role in Their Child’s Career Journey

That’s what empowerment looks like. Not telling them what to do. Not solving it on their behalf. But equipping them with the tools, insight, and perspective they need to make decisions they can own — with support, with input, but ultimately with agency.

I don’t pretend to know what their futures hold. That’s precisely why I refuse to prescribe a path. Instead, I choose to walk alongside them — as a parent, a guide, and a sounding board — sharing what I know, offering what I can, and trusting them to grow into the responsibility of deciding for themselves.

Of course, knowing all of this conceptually is one thing. But consistently showing up in this way — with intention, self-awareness, and restraint — is something else entirely. Empowering ourselves to become empowering parents often requires us to unlearn familiar ways of being and re-learn new ones. And that can be uncomfortable, even confronting.

As a career guidance practitioner, I have the privilege of seeing the bigger picture. I get to witness both the unintentional missteps parents make and the powerful moments where parental support truly hits the mark. These experiences offer rich learning — not just for our clients, but for us, too. I often think about how valuable it would be if more parents had access to these insights: not just from their own families, but from the broader view we see across households, schools, and developmental journeys.

That’s why we at Career Thinking have decided to invest in our fellow parents by opening up the conversation. We want to share what we’ve come to know — the common questions we hear, the missteps we frequently observe, and the inspiring examples of parents who navigate this space with intention and grace.

To begin this journey, we’re excited to introduce our first workshop in the series. Instead of diving immediately into age-specific topics, we’ll start where the real shift begins — by focusing on the core things we wish every parent knew about their role in their child’s career development. This session will explore the mindset changes we believe are foundational, drawing directly from what we see every day in our work. Click HERE to register for in-person attendance or to receive the recording.

From there, we’ll invite you to share the questions and challenges you’re currently facing. Your input will help shape the more focused sessions to follow — whether you’re supporting a Grade 9 subject decision, a Grade 12 school-leaver, or a young adult transitioning into the workforce.

Together, we hope to create an informed, empowered community of parents who are equipped to show up in the ways their children need most.