By Kathleen Boucher
My youngest brother researches sonar for submarines. Do you know anyone who does that? Neither do I. He loves it, excels at it, and has made a living from it.
So, if your child has an idea to do something that no one else has done, ask them the following questions to put your mind at ease.
- Do you love what you are doing? Are you passionate about its success?
- Can you see yourself pursuing it as a career, even if you face opposition?
- Can you make enough money doing it to live comfortably?
- Do you love the people you work with, and do they have your back? In other words, is your support system strong?
If your child has a solution to a problem that no one else has solved, it is fantastic. Support and encourage them.
I am going to propose an idea that I have never seen before, but it is much needed.
Why aren’t there 24-hour daycare facilities seven days a week for shift workers? How many times does a shift worker need to stay home because they don’t have or can’t afford daycare?
What if these 24-hour daycare facilities were government-run and subsidized because, right now, daycare can cost as much as a mortgage? Imagine if these daycares were in the same buildings where staff works. The world’s philosophy is a 9-5 workforce. What would happen if this problem was solved and the worldview shifted?
What are some of the things that your child wants to do that are unique?
a) find a solution for the excess plastic on the planet
b) find a reusable solution for discarded tires
c) find a solution for converting dirty water to clean water
d) find a solution for affordable housing
e) find a solution to the global nursing crisis
f) invent a better irrigation system in drought areas
g) travel to Mars and set up a colony
h) live to be 105 years old
The list can be endless. Talk to your child and help them identify a need that they are passionate about, then assist them in troubleshooting solutions.
The simple truth is that they all possess unique skills that are meant to help one another.
