Off to College
August 5, 2016
Julia graduated high school this past June and based on her academic achievements she is off to a four year university out of state. She received a scholarship and she has been assigned on campus housing. We have spent much of the summer shopping for items for her dorm and she has been working a part time job to earn some spending money for college. Julia didn't really enjoy her part time job working at the grocery store. She did not find the work challenging enough for her. The frustrations with her part time job lead us into a conversation reinforcing her decision to attend college. I told Julia that a lack of higher education usually leads to people spending many year working in low paying and basic skill jobs. She agreed and is enthusiastic about attending college out of state.
Having deeper discussions about career choices and college has allowed me to see that Julia has entered into a stage as defined by Piaget as formal operations. Julia is able to relate to many types of people including her co-workers at the supermarket and see things from many perspectives. Seeing Julia think on this level and understand the views of others will help her socially as she goes off to college. Likely in college she will be meeting people from many different cultures and will be forced to interact with peers that have not shared the same experiences. Thinking on this level will also be beneficial after college as she enters the workforce.
Julia has managed to maintain a good relationship with me and her father. She looks to us for advice on subjects that are beyond her experience. We are noticing a shift into the development of a deep friendship with Julia which I find to be reassuring that we did our job as parents even through a divorce to foster a healthy parent-child relationship.
Julia graduated high school this past June and based on her academic achievements she is off to a four year university out of state. She received a scholarship and she has been assigned on campus housing. We have spent much of the summer shopping for items for her dorm and she has been working a part time job to earn some spending money for college. Julia didn't really enjoy her part time job working at the grocery store. She did not find the work challenging enough for her. The frustrations with her part time job lead us into a conversation reinforcing her decision to attend college. I told Julia that a lack of higher education usually leads to people spending many year working in low paying and basic skill jobs. She agreed and is enthusiastic about attending college out of state.
Having deeper discussions about career choices and college has allowed me to see that Julia has entered into a stage as defined by Piaget as formal operations. Julia is able to relate to many types of people including her co-workers at the supermarket and see things from many perspectives. Seeing Julia think on this level and understand the views of others will help her socially as she goes off to college. Likely in college she will be meeting people from many different cultures and will be forced to interact with peers that have not shared the same experiences. Thinking on this level will also be beneficial after college as she enters the workforce.
Julia has managed to maintain a good relationship with me and her father. She looks to us for advice on subjects that are beyond her experience. We are noticing a shift into the development of a deep friendship with Julia which I find to be reassuring that we did our job as parents even through a divorce to foster a healthy parent-child relationship.
Comments
Post a Comment