Parents often reminisce about their childhood, filled with carefree days spent outdoors, watching TV, and going to sleepovers on weekends. In those days, kids didn’t need to think much about the future. Times have changed, however, and it’s now widely believed that it’s never too early for children to start planning for college and start thinking about a career.

According to the International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, students should begin contemplating college and career as early as kindergarten. Additionally, LinkedIn, in an article entitled From Crayons to Careers, says, “Children’s natural curiosity about the world makes kindergarten and elementary school an ideal time to introduce career-related concepts.” 

Many parents and educators agree that it seems cruel to add even more anxiety and stress to children who already have full schedules. Besides homework, young students often have sports, music, or language learning to fill most of their non-school time. Perhaps expecting elementary school students to also analyze their college or career options may be asking too much. 

According to Forbes, however, the reason for the early emphasis on college and career in early childhood is that only 9% of students from low-income families earn a bachelor’s degree, which is a mere three percentage points increase since 1970. In contrast, the completion rates for affluent students skyrocketed during the same period, from 40% to 77%. Regrettably, this college completion gap is widening. 

Even among children of higher income parents, competition has made it increasingly challenging for children from affluent families to secure college admissions. Unfortunately, it’s becoming increasingly unlikely that children from low-income families will ever attend college or university. Happily, parents play a crucial role in changing these odds significantly by providing their students with a path to success from a young age.  

The National Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) provides the following worrisome statistics: 

• In a recent study, only 39% of ACT-tested graduates met three or more of the four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks in English, math, reading, and science. This means that one out of three students—34%—did not meet any of the benchmarks, indicating that they are ill-prepared in all four core subject areas.

• Every year in the United States, numerous college students discover that, despite being fully eligible to attend college, they are not ready for postsecondary studies. As a result, millions of dollars are spent on remediation coursework, which are not credit-bearing but cost the same.

• It is estimated that nearly half of young Americans are unable to join the armed forces. A significant contributing factor to this is poor educational achievement; nearly one-fourth of the students who attempt to join the military fail to pass the entrance exam.

• Businesses across the country depend on a highly qualified workforce prepared for jobs in the 21st century. Today’s workplace requires employees to be able to think on their feet, make decisions, and solve problems.

Children need to develop the skills that will make it easier for them to make good choices about their future. While schools focus on teaching and improving students’ skills in subjects like math, science, and reading, parents can play a crucial role by teaching their children interpersonal skills. To that end, Edmentum, Inc. provides five contributions that parents can make which will help their children develop the following important skills: 

Self-Management

As students progress through school, the structure of their learning environment decreases, while the responsibilities they face increase. At college, the structure is almost nonexistent, and the entire burden of completing coursework rests solely on the student’s shoulders. It’s crucial that even young children in the earliest grades learn to manage their time effectively. 

Communication

Good communication skills are essential for success throughout life. Parents play a crucial role in helping children develop the ability to express their thoughts, ideas, feelings, and challenges effectively in both verbal and written forms. Additionally, parents can help children recognize the appropriate tone and style when communicating with people they encounter like teachers, friends, or strangers. 

Collaboration

Working with others is a crucial skill that will be essential throughout life. Numerous projects in both school and career involve teamwork, and students should be prepared to interact with individuals from diverse backgrounds and worldviews. It’s important to embrace and accept these differences. Additionally, working in groups requires occasional conflict resolution and the ability to turn disagreements into productive discussions. 

Personal Goal Setting

Whenever we venture anywhere, we meticulously plan our route and select a path to reach our destination. College and career planning are no different. Assist your student in setting personal goals and identifying a path that can lead them to achieve those goals. Students will encounter an abundance of options and possibilities, many of which can divert them from their intended path. They must learn how to resist distractions and remain steadfast on the course they’ve set to reach their objectives. 

Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking

Learning to solve problems is a crucial skill that students will need daily in both college and career. It’s important for students to not only recognize their mistakes but also use that experience to improve their future problem-solving abilities. Students should also always be asking questions and moving beyond simply learning facts to understanding the “how” and “why” behind those facts. 

Children may not realize it, but they start making life choices at a young age. Parents are in a better position than anyone to help ensure those choices are the right ones. Helping a child discover their passion—whether it’s becoming a fireman, a biologist, a dentist, a teacher, a medical researcher, or an electrician—gives them the opportunity to spend their lives doing something they love, and that could be one of the greatest gifts a parent can give.