Parent who discourage their kids from majoring in English and History

[Anonymous]

A must-read from today's Washington Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/09/02/meet-the-parents-who-wont-let-their-children-study-literature/?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.840c6a68555b

I'm trying not to be that parent who forbids his children to major in liberal arts, and this column helped make it that much easier.

[Anonymous]

I find it easy not to be *that* parent. I'm treating my kid the same way my parents treated me when I was in college: Like a young adult.

My kid knows that he can't stay at his school unless he keeps his scholarship. So, he is strongly motivated to keep his grades up. As long as he does, he stays. If he doesn't, he comes home. Unless he asks for my advice or assistance, I leave it to him to handle.

My kid also knows that we have enough money to help finance 4 years in college, not more. So he is strongly motivated to make sure he graduates on time. As long as he does, great. If he doesn't, he will have to come home without a degree or figure out something else. Again, unless he asks for my advice ora assistance, I leave it to him to handle.

My kids knows that he will be pretty much on his own financially after college. It is up to him to decide what path to pursue in his life. What he majors in is up to him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it easy not to be *that* parent. I'm treating my kid the same way my parents treated me when I was in college: Like a young adult.

My kid knows that he can't stay at his school unless he keeps his scholarship. So, he is strongly motivated to keep his grades up. As long as he does, he stays. If he doesn't, he comes home. Unless he asks for my advice or assistance, I leave it to him to handle.

My kid also knows that we have enough money to help finance 4 years in college, not more. So he is strongly motivated to make sure he graduates on time. As long as he does, great. If he doesn't, he will have to come home without a degree or figure out something else. Again, unless he asks for my advice ora assistance, I leave it to him to handle.

My kids knows that he will be pretty much on his own financially after college. It is up to him to decide what path to pursue in his life. What he majors in is up to him.

Meant to add: His father double majored in English and Classics and his mother majored in poly sci with a minor in English. We both are strongly supportive of a liberal arts education. But if he decides to major in accounting, that's up to him.

[Anonymous]

Well since English is both of my chldren's worst subject and math and science are their best subjects, we did not have to discourage them. Nature did it on its own. They like history, but not as a major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well since English is both of my chldren's worst subject and math and science are their best subjects, we did not have to discourage them. Nature did it on its own. They like history, but not as a major.

I will also add that they will be fourth generation STEM career people. It is what our gene pool produces.

[Anonymous]

I think there's another thread on this topic.

[Anonymous]

I double majored in history and poli sci at a top liberal arts college. Of course my children will choose their own path, but I strongly encourage them to study science and engineering. It's not just the employment prospects...it's the type of employment. Most of the people that I know that majored in liberal arts became lawyers, investment bankers, PR folks--none of us at really making any positive contribution to society, in my opinion. I'd so much rather my kids be the ones to figure out a solution to climate change, or save an endangered species, or cure a childhood disease....I think a lot of us were attracted to liberal arts because we like to think about humanity and its problems, but it's really hard to change those problems without solid skills, and critically dissecting a text is only the first step in acquiring those skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well since English is both of my chldren's worst subject and math and science are their best subjects, we did not have to discourage them. Nature did it on its own. They like history, but not as a major.

I hope they take some English classes to help with their writing skills and at least a few humanities courses. They will have better job prospects with a better potential for promotion over time if they can write well and have a working knowledge of at least some history and literature.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I double majored in history and poli sci at a top liberal arts college. Of course my children will choose their own path, but I strongly encourage them to study science and engineering. It's not just the employment prospects...it's the type of employment. Most of the people that I know that majored in liberal arts became lawyers, investment bankers, PR folks--none of us at really making any positive contribution to society, in my opinion. I'd so much rather my kids be the ones to figure out a solution to climate change, or save an endangered species, or cure a childhood disease....I think a lot of us were attracted to liberal arts because we like to think about humanity and its problems, but it's really hard to change those problems without solid skills, and critically dissecting a text is only the first step in acquiring those skills.

This is very muddled. It is a matter of personal taste, not of skills. You can be a liberal arts major and become a teacher, aid worker, or a public defender. And, most STEM people I know work for defense contractors of for large corporations. Not that most people see anything wrong with that. Moreover, all of the concerns you cite have a social and political component that is at least as intractable as the science. Getting the incentives right is arguably a bigger deal than throwing one more body into the lab.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I double majored in history and poli sci at a top liberal arts college. Of course my children will choose their own path, but I strongly encourage them to study science and engineering. It's not just the employment prospects...it's the type of employment. Most of the people that I know that majored in liberal arts became lawyers, investment bankers, PR folks--none of us at really making any positive contribution to society, in my opinion. I'd so much rather my kids be the ones to figure out a solution to climate change, or save an endangered species, or cure a childhood disease....I think a lot of us were attracted to liberal arts because we like to think about humanity and its problems, but it's really hard to change those problems without solid skills, and critically dissecting a text is only the first step in acquiring those skills.

This is very muddled. It is a matter of personal taste, not of skills. You can be a liberal arts major and become a teacher, aid worker, or a public defender. And, most STEM people I know work for defense contractors of for large corporations. Not that most people see anything wrong with that. Moreover, all of the concerns you cite have a social and political component that is at least as intractable as the science. Getting the incentives right is arguably a bigger deal than throwing one more body into the lab.

I'm the PP you responded to. I am in one of those fields and I feel like I can't really make much of a difference. The only way to really solve the problems of low income folks is going to be through science. The rest is just rearranging deck chairs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well since English is both of my chldren's worst subject and math and science are their best subjects, we did not have to discourage them. Nature did it on its own. They like history, but not as a major.

I hope they take some English classes to help with their writing skills and at least a few humanities courses. They will have better job prospects with a better potential for promotion over time if they can write well and have a working knowledge of at least some history and literature.

Of course they will, they just will not be majoring in it.

[Anonymous]

Nothing more than the Ivory Tower machine sensing a shift away from their high-margin WORTHLESS departments. Unless you're at an elite college, a liberal arts degrees opens ZERO doors. Maybe 20 years ago when college could be paid via part-time job it was cool to explore and study whatever you want. But at $120K for UVA or $260K for an elite private? Nope!

[Anonymous]

Writer teaches at a diploma mill. The average student will major in something easy unless there is social and parental pressure to challenge themselves. Liberals arts are frequently guts - classes are nearly impossible to fail. A stem on the other hand. . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there's another thread on this topic.

Really? Because the article came out today.

Face it, there are topics that will be discussed more than once. Try to unclench.

[Anonymous]

I think the biggest take away from this article should be that college isn't vocational in nature but teaches critical thinking, problem solving, communication skills, etc. These skills mean graduates can hopefully navigate the workplace with some acumen even if they are green. If you want your child to have a job when they graduate and that is your sole obsession, then have your child be a plumber--their job can never be outsourced and they make great money. I say this as an English major, who surprisingly enough has never had an issue getting a job and works in a field that betters society.