Quarterlife Crisis - 5 Ways Parents Can Help

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Starting a new life as a 20-something is bound to cause some angst. Everything’s so new, friends are going their separate ways, and adult responsibilities – rent, groceries and student loans – weigh heavy. No wonder so many 20-somethings end up in a quarter life funk. But parents can help their kids avoid some of that anxiety down the road, if they encourage their college-aged offspring to avoid some common mistakes.

1. Ask Questions. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" The last time you asked your child that, the answer was probably “a superhero.” At some point we all forgot that college wasn’t the ultimate goal. It’s important for college kids to explore fields, but by the end of sophomore year, they need to be thinking about real world applications for that major. That’s not an indictment of archeology or Italian lit majors, by any means. There actually are many jobs where those skill sets are useful, but your child needs to start thinking about them.
   
   
2. Test Drive the Field. Encourage your child to explore internships or look for part-time or summer jobs in his field. Working in an architect’s office is considerably different than sitting in a classroom.
   
   
3. Get a Mentor. Encourage your child to find someone in his field who can chat about the realities, help him find an internship and clue him in to alternative avenues. There are a multitude of music-related career paths for music majors, for example, that do not involve performing on stage.
   
   
4. Be Deliberate About Grad School. Some professions require graduate study. But grad school is too expensive and time-consuming to be a default option for 20-somethings who aren’t sure what they want to do.
   
   
5. Put a Little Faith in Fate. Understand that some kids just take longer to discover their true passion.