Yes, if you expose them to different ideas and activities, they will figure out for themselves what they like and what they’re best at.
Parents can pressure a child into attending college, but they can’t make him do well or graduate, although I guess some are trying to keep that level of control over a child who is away at school. A recent article said around 50% of students who start college don’t get a degree ... but after even one year as a resident student somewhere, most already have debt. Why do that to *yourself*, if you know your child has other ideas that are reasonably sensible?
The article talked about “admitting to being a bad parent,” but I think that’s a wrong approach. It’s not bad parenting to let your child do things for himself, or NOT do some things he doesn’t want to do. It’s simply being realistic about what can or should try to accomplish as a parent.
well honestly - who is going to define “bad parent”?
By what standard?
My standard is that you just stay in the game - keep doing your best to assess how best to help someone.
This notion that we can completely mold someone is part of the problem.