If You’ve Ever Whispered ‘I hope I’m not messing this up’ You’re Not Alone

If you’ve ever tried to talk to your teen about their future and ended up met with silence, eye-rolls, or a quick exit from the room…you’re not doing anything wrong.
You’re bumping into one of the biggest pain points parents face today: trying to guide a young adult toward a career path without pushing them away.

Most parents feel stuck in the same spot…wanting to help, but not wanting to overstep.
And the more your teen avoids the topic, the more you start questioning yourself.

Why Parents Feel So Unsure (and Why It’s Normal)

Today’s young adults are facing far more career pressure than previous generations:

• More choices than ever before (and every path looks shiny online)
  
  

• More competition for internships, jobs, and even college programs
  
  

• More expectations from schools, employers, and society
  
  

• More AI and technology changing career paths faster than anyone can keep up

Meanwhile, parents are trying to support them using the very outdated tools we had growing up, “Pick a major and hope it works out.”

Parents want to help…they just don’t know how.
You’re asking yourself: “How much do I guide? How much do I let them figure out?”

Your teen is thinking: “I’m supposed to know what I want…but I don’t.”

That’s the tension. And no, you’re not imagining it.

What You Can Do: Strengths Change the Entire Conversation

If there’s one thing parents need to know, it’s this:

Career clarity starts with self-awareness.

Not with “picking a job.”
Not with choosing a major.
Not with “figuring everything out.”

When teens understand their strengths, what energizes and drains them, and how they naturally operate, their choices get smarter and their conversations get easier.

Strengths do three things:
1️⃣ Give teens a starting point (the one thing that changes everything).
2️⃣ Shift the conversation from “pressure” to “possibility.”
3️⃣ Help parents guide with confidence instead of guessing.

When you focus on strengths first, everything else becomes more clear: majors, career paths, opportunities, even part-time jobs.

You’re Not Expected to Know How to Do This

No one trained parents to help teens plan a career path.
Schools don’t teach it.
Most adults never had this support from their parents.

You’re being asked to play career coach, strategist, and therapist all at once…and you’re doing your best with what you have.

This is exactly why Parent Lab exists.

What Parent Lab Actually Helps You Do

In Parent Lab, parents learn how to:
• Start career conversations that actually work
• Ask questions that build curiosity—not conflict
• Connect strengths to real-world possibilities
• Support independence while still offering structure
• Reduce overwhelm (yours and theirs)

It’s practical, straightforward, and you’re surrounded by parents facing the same challenges.
No jargon. No judgment. Just clarity.

You Don’t Have to Navigate This Alone

If you’ve been feeling unsure, second-guessing yourself, or wishing you had a roadmap—this is your invitation to get support.

👉 Book a free 15-minute call: https://www.kristinclark.com/parent-lab

You’re not doing it wrong.
You just need better tools, and that’s where the clarity begins.