Information for parents, family and whanau
Family traditions in work
A recent survey by the University of New South Wales in Australia found that students are more likely to select a course that is similar to their father or mother’s occupation. And a Canadian study found that one in four police officers had a relative in the police force, and that fishing and farming families were sixth and seventh-generation family businesses.
But it's not always easy to know how to advise your child about whether or not to follow in your footstops. Here are some common parental dilemmas.
Common dilemmas
- Your child may be able to learn great skills in other areas first
I would really love my child to take over the family business, but I can see they have talents in other areas.
- Leave the door open for them – you never know, they may change their mind about the family business over time.
- As they acquire skills in one area, they may find they transfer well to the business world. For example, a marketing degree can be applied to many different areas, and later on in the family business.
- Talk to them about your business and keep communication open; that way they are familiar with the current issues, should circumstances change.
- Show interest and support as much as you can in their own enterprises, just as you have probably had support in establishing yours.
What if I don’t want to influence my child, one way or the other?
- Expose them to experiences that could open a door to a different career.
- Encourage them to pursue a wide range of interests, not just those similar to yours.
They want to follow my career, but I know all the negative sides. I can’t help but warn them against doing my job.
- Think about the benefits of them following you. You can give them a head start in the industry, as the job has been modelled to them from a young age.
- Perhaps let them do work experience or work during the holidays so they can explore the ups and downs of the job.
- It was alright for you, but not alright for them? Talk to them more about why you don’t want them to do it, but in the end leave the choice up to them.
- Make an offer to leave the door open for them, as long as they go out and try something else or get qualified first. That way they have something to fall back on if following your career doesn’t work out.
What if my aspirations for my son or daughter are higher than what I’ve been able to achieve?
- Be realistic about your child’s abilities and strengths and how they differ from yours.
- Be careful you are not trying to live your dreams through your child.
- Remember success can be measured in many different ways.
- Be encouraging but remember too much pressure may damage your relationship with them.
- Provide incentives for them to do well.
Real-life stories
Read about real-life examples of children who have followed in their parents' footsteps.
Richard Hay comes from a family that trains horses
Richard grew up with horses and says that he was born to do this kind of work.
"My father and grandfather were both horse trainers, so I've been around horses and started working with them from a very young age. I really look up to my father and grandfather, and they influenced my decision to get into this work."
Richard Hay, Horse Trainer
Vic Hodgson was introduced to driving trains as a boy
Vic wanted to become a locomotive engineer straight after he finished school, but his father wanted him to learn a trade first. So he trained as a fitter and turner, then applied to locomotive engineer training school and was accepted.
"I grew up living next door to the railway and my father was a train driver. He used to take me for rides with him and I thought ‘This is the story’."
Vic Hodgson, Locomotive Engineer
Hans Scholz followed in his father’s footsteps
Hans Scholz occasionally helped his father in his optical instrument repair business. When a job came up he applied.
"The company was looking at hiring another service technician. I worked for a couple of months for free to learn the ropes, and because they needed another optical technician I got trained up."
Hans Scholz, Optical Instrument Technician
Lynell King left school to work with her mother in the seafood industry
Lynell King is now a trainer and assessor in the mussel factory where she first began working with her mother. The opportunity to work in the seafood industry arose when Lynell King’s mother, who was a supervisor at a mussel factory, offered her the chance to leave school and join the workforce.
"It got to the stage where I knew as much as the supervisors and I started doing the things they were doing when they weren't around. I did unit standards and once I had completed them they asked me to be a trainer and assessor."
Lynell King, Onshore Seafood Processor
