Parents Don’t Want Son Working In Theater, Ask If Pushing Him Into Better-Paying Career Is “Evil”

Every parent wants to see their child succeed and live a life where they never have to worry about their finances. Although these kinds of dreams are wonderful to have, they could also be a bit stifling, as some parents might go to extreme lengths to make sure their kid is successful.

This is a dilemma one dad had been dealing with because he wanted his son to have a high-paying job, but knew it would be at the cost of his passion to be a theatre director. He couldn’t figure out what the right thing to do was.

More info: Mumsnet

Every child should be given the freedom to choose what they want to do with their life and what their future profession should be

Young man in a white shirt looking stressed at a kitchen table, reflecting on career challenges against dreams.

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The poster explained that even though he and his wife came from humble backgrounds, they worked hard, did well in their careers, and earned good money

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The man had high hopes for his son, who had always done well academically, and wanted the kid to pursue law or banking as a career

Passionate about theatre and directing, considering theatre directing as a potential career path against dreams.

Person feeling conflicted about steering son’s career away from dreams toward a more stable alternative path.

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The poster was worried because his son loved theatre and wanted to pursue directing in the future, which would probably not make him enough money

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The dad felt like the right thing to do would be to steer his son toward a better-paying career path, even though it could affect the boy’s happiness

As the poster shared, he and his wife had not come from wealthy families, and so they worked hard and built up their finances for themselves and their kids over time. That’s exactly why they really valued effort and choosing a stable career path, and they probably wanted their children to follow in their footsteps.

Many people share this mindset, and studies show that nearly 90% of parents want their kids to have a better financial status than they do. A big part of this hope comes from moms and dads wanting to protect their children from the difficulties and struggles they faced growing up, and not having enough money.

The OP also wanted success for his kids, but realized that his son’s passion to be a theatre director would probably not lead to a lot of wealth. Even though he could see that his son enjoyed the profession a lot and wanted to spend the summer exploring theatre production, the poster didn’t think it was a good idea.

Many middle-class parents push for stability over joy because they believe that safe and predictable careers will help their kids be financially secure in the future. This, coupled with the idea that getting a degree is more valuable than gaining skills, is what can stifle a child’s creativity and dreams. 

Woman in a blue blouse looking concerned, reflecting on steering her son's career against dreams at home.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The poster knew that if he tried to steer his son away from his passion, it could potentially affect the boy’s happiness, but he felt that the future benefits would outweigh his current discomfort. Even though he was more inclined toward controlling his son’s career path, he still worried whether it would be the wrong thing to do.

Parents might have good intentions when it comes to giving their kids advice or steering them toward the right path, but this can also negatively affect their children. Many artists struggle with their mental health due to their parents’ pushiness, but this can be remedied by taking a step back and trying to understand each other’s perspectives.

Every mom and dad might feel like their kid would do better by pursuing an academic career, but children also have the right to assert their independence. Experts state that kids should have multiple discussions with their parents about their passion so that they can answer any questions and clear doubts.

This isn’t a complete fix, but it might make parents feel better about their kid’s future. Ultimately, children should follow their dreams, even if it is a tougher path than expected. Eventually, their mom and dad might come around and be their biggest supporters.

What do you think about the dad’s dilemma, and do you think it’s justified for him to steer his son toward another profession? Let us know your honest opinion.

Most folks told the poster not to interfere with his son’s dreams and to let him live his life

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