How much should parental approval matter when it comes to career choice?

Almost everybody wants their parents to be proud of them on some level, and the most tried-and-true method of doing that is by achieving the milestones of success that are pre-approved by society. Getting a good education, a good job, finding a nice partner, and starting a family are usually the kind of things that mom and dad hope for with their kids.

Of course, we all know that life doesn’t always work out that way. Not everybody wants the same things, and not everybody has the opportunity to achieve that conventional dream even if they want it. On top of that, progress is not always linear. Sometimes it is a case of one step forward, and two steps back. Despite the fact that they should understand this experience, not every parent is going to be sympathetic to their children being on a journey that has some bumps in the road. Considering that the hard times are the times when somebody is most likely to need that extra support, this can be upsetting. It is yet another life lesson that comes from growing up for those unlucky enough to experience it.