TOPIC TODAY: Is on Parents Policing Dreams: Determining what course or career for their kids, neglecting talent and passion?
The ceiling fan at Ola’s house is whirring, but it’s not cooling the room. Tobi, Ola’s eldest son, is staring at a chemistry textbook as if it’s a death warrant.
"Medicine is the only path for a first son in this family," Ola says, his voice booming with the weight of "tradition." "Doctors are respected. Doctors have money. I didn't work this hard for you to become a... what did you call it? A 'Content Journalist'?"
Jide leans forward, looking at the boy’s sketchbooks filled with stories and observations of the neighbourhood. "Ola, you’re looking at a 1980s map while your son is trying to navigate 2026. You’re not giving him a career; you’re giving him a cage."
Play Summary: The "Project" Child vs. The Purposeful Person
Is it ever appropriate to force a career? The short answer: No. When parents "police" dreams, they often do it out of love and a fear of poverty, but the results are frequently disastrous. We are witnessing a generational collision where parents view their children as "vessels" for their own unfulfilled ambitions or as "social security" that requires a high-prestige title. In today's economy, a title (such as Doctor/Lawyer) no longer guarantees success - value does. If a child’s heart is in journalism but their body is in a lab, you aren't raising a doctor; you’re raising a future case of clinical depression.
Title vs. Talent: Why Forcing a Career is a Losing Game
Character Key:
• Ola: The "Traditionalist"; believes prestige equals safety.
• Jide: The "Modernist"; understands that the skills economy has changed everything.
• Jennifer (Psychologist): Explaining the "Silenced Dream" and mental health.
• Nne: The "Advocate"; focusing on the "First Son" pressure.
• Elder Ephraim: The "Wiseman"; on the danger of living through your children.
JIDE:
Ola, in your day, being a Doctor meant you were "the man." Today, we have self-taught UI/UX designers and digital storytellers earning more than consultants at LUTH. The "Big Three" (Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer) are still great, but they aren't the only paths to a good life anymore.
OLA:
But who will respect a "blogger"?
JIDE:
The world doesn't pay for "titles" anymore; it pays for solutions. If Tobi can tell stories that change policy or build brands, he will be more "powerful" than a doctor who hates his job and makes mistakes because his mind is elsewhere.
JENNIFER:
Many parents force careers because they are trying to "fix" their own past. They see their children as a "Version 2.0" of themselves.
The Career Conflict: Dreams vs. Dictation
NNE:
We put so much weight on the "First Son." He has to be the doctor, the pillar, the provider. But by forcing him into a "safe" box, you might be delaying his actual destiny.
JENNIFER:
We see so many "silent" students. They pass the exams, but they are "burning inside." This is how you lose your child's trust. When they finally qualify and hand you the degree, they might never speak to you again because that degree was for you, not for them.
The Inquiry: Guidance, Not Guilt
The Group concludes that a parent’s job is to be the "Consultant," not the "CEO" of their child's life.
• Expose, Don't Impose: Show them the world. Let them see what a journalist does, what a coder does, and yes, what a doctor does.
• Follow the "Spark": What subjects make them come alive? If they spend their free time writing, that is a clue. Don't bury the clue under a stethoscope.
• School's Role: Schools must start career orientation early - not just as a talk after WAEC, but as a path to discovery.
"Medicine is the only path for a first son in this family," Ola says, his voice booming with the weight of "tradition." "Doctors are respected. Doctors have money. I didn't work this hard for you to become a... what did you call it? A 'Content Journalist'?"
Jide leans forward, looking at the boy’s sketchbooks filled with stories and observations of the neighbourhood. "Ola, you’re looking at a 1980s map while your son is trying to navigate 2026. You’re not giving him a career; you’re giving him a cage."
Play Summary: The "Project" Child vs. The Purposeful Person
Is it ever appropriate to force a career? The short answer: No. When parents "police" dreams, they often do it out of love and a fear of poverty, but the results are frequently disastrous. We are witnessing a generational collision where parents view their children as "vessels" for their own unfulfilled ambitions or as "social security" that requires a high-prestige title. In today's economy, a title (such as Doctor/Lawyer) no longer guarantees success - value does. If a child’s heart is in journalism but their body is in a lab, you aren't raising a doctor; you’re raising a future case of clinical depression.
Title vs. Talent: Why Forcing a Career is a Losing Game
Character Key:
• Ola: The "Traditionalist"; believes prestige equals safety.
• Jide: The "Modernist"; understands that the skills economy has changed everything.
• Jennifer (Psychologist): Explaining the "Silenced Dream" and mental health.
• Nne: The "Advocate"; focusing on the "First Son" pressure.
• Elder Ephraim: The "Wiseman"; on the danger of living through your children.
JIDE:
Ola, in your day, being a Doctor meant you were "the man." Today, we have self-taught UI/UX designers and digital storytellers earning more than consultants at LUTH. The "Big Three" (Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer) are still great, but they aren't the only paths to a good life anymore.
OLA:
But who will respect a "blogger"?
JIDE:
The world doesn't pay for "titles" anymore; it pays for solutions. If Tobi can tell stories that change policy or build brands, he will be more "powerful" than a doctor who hates his job and makes mistakes because his mind is elsewhere.
JENNIFER:
Many parents force careers because they are trying to "fix" their own past. They see their children as a "Version 2.0" of themselves.
The Career Conflict: Dreams vs. Dictation
NNE:
We put so much weight on the "First Son." He has to be the doctor, the pillar, the provider. But by forcing him into a "safe" box, you might be delaying his actual destiny.
JENNIFER:
We see so many "silent" students. They pass the exams, but they are "burning inside." This is how you lose your child's trust. When they finally qualify and hand you the degree, they might never speak to you again because that degree was for you, not for them.
The Inquiry: Guidance, Not Guilt
The Group concludes that a parent’s job is to be the "Consultant," not the "CEO" of their child's life.
• Expose, Don't Impose: Show them the world. Let them see what a journalist does, what a coder does, and yes, what a doctor does.
• Follow the "Spark": What subjects make them come alive? If they spend their free time writing, that is a clue. Don't bury the clue under a stethoscope.
• School's Role: Schools must start career orientation early - not just as a talk after WAEC, but as a path to discovery.
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