So much of our role as parents is focused on setting our kids up for success. That's a huge undertaking! I'm right there with you, just trying to do my best. And ultimately, that's why I feel like this program was a gift to our family. Instead of asking our son, "What do you think you want to do?" for the 100th time, we were finally able to use these tools (based in both science and counseling) to facilitate this important conversation. In the process, we saw how our son lit up talking about different subjects that he hadn't considered before, and we seemed to watch as the pressure lifted off his shoulders. He realized he didn't need to have everything figured out right now, but this gave him a good place to start in learning, exploring, and taking those steps forward. Sincerely, this whole process was like a giant sigh of relief for all of us.

So, that's my honest perspective as a mom. As a psychologist, I also find value in the research focusing on vocational interests. Overwhelmingly, the research shows tremendous benefits to people (adolescents and adults) who have an understanding of themselves and their career interests. To read about that, you can find my brief summary of that massive research here. Overall, as I gathered the research on vocational identity and looked at the list of beneficial outcomes, I was struck by a clear pattern. It seemed to become a list of all those "success" factors that, as parents, I think we hope and strive for in the lives of our kids. So, it's my sincere hope that this program is a resource that offers your family the same support and starting place it offered ours.