CARIMAC Times 2016: The JREAM Edition Journalists Reviving Awareness of what Matters | Page 55

“I did not go home. And when they called, I did not
answer my phone. I did not care because I was not
happy about how things turned out,” he said.
Dr Gordon Stair said some children are able to cope
with the problems associated with trying to fulfil their
parents’ dreams, but there are those who do not cope.
“Some of them may become unhappy … and depressed.
Some children see it as ‘this is what my parents want
me to pursue, and as long as they have the power, I
am going to do it. But as soon as I am finished, I am
going to do what I want to do’, ” she said.
She mentioned a number of cases of which she is
aware: a student who completed medical school
but never practised a day of medicine, and another
student who completed two years of medical school,
got straight A’s but stopped because it was what
the parent wanted. It was not what they wanted for
themselves.
In addition, Dr. Richard Horowitz, founder of
Family Centered Parenting, located in Florida, said
in an article titled, ‘Some Parents Live Out Dreams
Through Their Children — Study Confirms’, that a
child’s accomplishments can serve as validation for
a mother or father’s parenting.
A recent survey he conducted on high school coaches
revealed that parents who wanted to become an
athlete were the most difficult to deal with. These
are the parents who are living through their children
to enhance their self-worth.
Currently, Salter is a postgraduate student at the UWI.
He graduated from the undergraduate programme
in October 2015 and is now pursuing his master’s
degree in accounting.

Salter said he performed better in his courses that
had nothing to do with accounting. He admitted that
he did not fail any of his courses, but his performance
did not reflect his full capabilities.
“Most of these children are extremely smart people
who can do we ll in any field. There are also those
who are extremely bright people who refuse to do
well because it is their way of rebellion,” said Dr.
Gordon Stair.
Salter said he is warming up to the idea of becoming
an accountant.
“We are in a society now where jobs are hard to find,
but most of the jobs available are accounting jobs
or business based jobs… I have come to accept that
even though I don’t love it and it’s not my passion, I
might have to do it for a period of time before I get
to do what I really want to do,” he said.
However, he said he has been searching for a job
in accounting, but he is yet to find one. He shared
that if he had done graphic designing he would not
be searching for a job because, upon leaving Edna
Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts,
he would be able to create a job for himself.
“There are many party promoters who want their
flyers to be done. Many businesses want to advertise
their products and services. Many people who have
online businesses want someone to monitor their
website for them. Many manufacturing companies
want someone to design their product [packaging].
And there are many real estate companies who want
someone to design houses for them,” he said. Graphic
designing does not mean documents only. It goes way
beyond that, he assured. It can be industrial design,
technical design, among other things.

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