How to Launch a Teen: From Goals to Plans

I haven't transferred the actions from yesterday's brainstorming session on to index cards, but I have chunked them into some categories.  There are ongoing areas of impact, particularly around career development and relationships...ours, your relationship with your dad, your career-related network.  Some of the things I put in the Ongoing category are ideas that I have that may be different from yours, and I have to remember that my goal is to provide whatever assistance I can.  The choice to accept that assistance is yours.

• Be alert for and intervene when the goal is obstructed by inflexible thinking
• Be alert for and intervene when the goal is obstructed by relationship issues
• Be alert for and respectful of honest differences of opinion
• Career development
• Looking for a job
• Identifying desirable work environments
• Expand skill set and experience
• Narrow career focus
• Volunteer work
• Internships
• Have discussions about
• Interdependence
• Making the most of your university experience

There will be ample opportunities for Research in the pursuit of this goal.  I am quite sure that this is a superficial list and we will add to it often. 

• Identify online career tests
• Info on top career choices
• Identify and interview people working in these jobs
• Info on university programs
• Visit universities
• How much will it cost?
• How many hours will you be able to work and keep up your studies?
• How much financial support will you need?
• How much financial support can we provide?
• Identify scholarships

Another category of actions relate to the guidelines and suggestions I can provide you for your own self-reflective activities.  This is a period in your life when you have to make a lot of decisions.  Like your goals, there are reasons to change your mind, so be gentle with yourself if you do.  The anxiety associated with making decisions can be managed.  I can help you with that as well.  Here are some items I have included in the Self-Reflection category:

• Take career tests
• Decision making:  degree
• Decision making:  university
• Examine working environments, fit with personality, changes you are willing to make to pursue a particular career
• Decision making:  career options (to be ruled out through networking, PT work, volunteering, and internships)

And there are the immediate concerns in the College-to-University Transition:

• Level 2 exams
• 2012 enrollment as dual student
• Identify referees
• Write entrance essays
• Submit university applications
• Submit scholarship applications
• Get you moved

There is a lot of overlap.  The look of this will change a bit, and it will become even more organized, as I put this in the format of a Five Year Plan.

Feedback and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated.

Love,
Mom