Parents’ interference with their children’s choice of an occupation has been the topic of discussions on the “Towards the Solution” program of Azerbaijan Television. It was noted that it is important to discuss children’s choices with them, give them recommendations, however, putting pressure on them is unacceptable.
MP Javid Osmanov highlighted that families, parents interfere with young people’s occupation choice. According to the scientific research, this number is over 65%: “Occupations are renewed every 5-8 years. At the same time, if knowledge and abilities are not used, they decrease to 20-30% during a year. It means that if any specialist does not use his knowledge and abilities throughout 5 years, he or she loses the big part of his or her knowledge. If a parent intervenes in a child’s occupation choice, he traumatizes him”.
Expert in the work with youth Yelena Sidorenko stressed that a big responsibility falls on young people in the reforms carried out by our state: “Are our young people ready for these new challenges? While working with parents, I see how many problems there are. I have asked one of my 11-year-old students what he wanted to be. He said, “My father and mother said that I should not tell this to anybody, people would objurgate me”. I said, “What is that job?” He said that he wanted to become an MP. However, it seems that his parents may stop him from fulfilling this dream. Sometimes, we parents want to see in our children what we have not done ourselves”.
“It is prohibited by law to forward children to the occupation which damages their health and prosperity,” said lawyer Shamil Pashayev. He said that it is not right to confuse parents’ interference with recommendations: “For instance, in the case Mrs. Yelena has mentioned, we have to look at whether it is a recommendation or an interference? Recommendations for wealthy and poor families are also different from each other. There are families that do not want to see their children in some professions”.
Head of the Social Enlightenment and Education Institute Elchin Hasan stressed that the research shows that 75% of the youth are not satisfied with their occupations: “A person, who does not like his occupation, will not be productive in his field. Secondly, a person will not be at peace and will not feel happy”.