If your kids are getting older and starting to reach the teenage years, the unavoidable image of change is probably starting to fill your household. Everything’s changing, from their voices and facial features to their hobbies and behavior. With change happening all around you, you’re probably also thinking about ways to initiate change in your own life and create a better home environment that’s more ideal for your aging adolescent(s).
If you’ve been considering a career upgrade that will let you spend more time with your teenage kids before they head off to college in a few years, make a higher salary so you can give them bigger allowances, or teach you new skills that will make you a better parent, consider the following list of the top 10 career options for parents with teenagers:
1. Family Nurse Practitioner
This is a particularly ideal option for anyone who is already a nurse, as you can earn your BSN to FNP online in just 32 months and have a new specialization that increases your income and employability in the medical field. The title of this job position alone lets you know that it’s great for anyone with a growing family. Plus, since teens often get into mischief and can be injury-prone as a result, it’s good to have extensive nursing skills that you can leverage at home.
2. Phone Support Representative
Telecommunications is another optimal field for parents to look into because it gives you the freedom of working from home. This wouldn’t necessarily be a perfect fit for a parent with younger children, as toddlers would require more hands-on care that might not be easy to deal with when you’re supposed to be providing professional phone support. However, just being in the next room from your teenager with a headset ensures that you’re at least around to take care of emergencies and make sure everyone is alright.
3. Dietitian
Understanding diet and nutrition as a parent is incredibly important, especially during the teenage years when your kids will be encountering their most significant growth spurts both physically and mentally. Becoming a dietician will certify you with the skills needed to not only pay the bills and have plenty of spending money but also optimize your teens’ diet and teach them dietary concepts that they can use to stay healthy as an adult.
4. Physician’s Assistant
Similar to a nursing practitioner, a physician’s assistant is a great job for parents of teenagers because it gives you a broad knowledge of providing emergency medical care. Of course, the great starting pay, maximum salary potential, and generous career benefits also make this an appealing career path for parents with big families.
5. Freelance Writer
This is another stay-at-home job that will provide flexibility in terms of the hours you work and where you work from. When your teenagers are on spring or summer break, they’re probably going to want to do some traveling. Being a freelance writer will put you in a position to accompany them on family trips without having to sacrifice your income.
6. Delivery Driver
With so many ridesharing and delivery apps available nowadays, becoming a delivery driver or rideshare cab is a quick and simple career option for anyone who wants to have control over their own hours. Plus, your teen will think you’re great for offering up occasional free rides to their friends. This is another geographically untethered option that could let you take your teen on road trips while financing the journey along the way through driving in major cities.
7. Personal Trainer
Studies show that people who are in great shape during their teenage years experience lower rates of disease, obesity, depression, and other physical and mental ailments. As a personal trainer, you’ll be optimally equipped to teach your kids how to be the best versions of themselves, and they’ll thank you for it later on.
8. Web or Game Developer
Of course, since most teens love the internet and gaming, becoming a developer of websites or video games is a sure-fire way to have a career that your kid will be interested in and proud to brag about. You could also turn to them for feedback on your latest projects for bonding opportunities that also help you come up with new development ideas from the creative and socially in-tune mind of a teenager.
9. Accountant or Financial Advisor
Money management is a topic that every teenager should be taught, yet much of the more advanced topics related to finances and entrepreneurship are not taught in high schools. As an accountant or financial advisor, you can teach your teen concepts that will give them a head start when it comes to preserving and improving their credit, saving money for goals, and avoiding tax filing or accounting issues in their first business endeavors.
10. Motivational Speaker, Life Coach, or Therapist
As the parent of a teenager, you might often feel like you’re already playing the role of a motivational speaker or life coach. So, why not sharpen those skills and put them to good use in your career? That way, your teen might actually be inspired to listen to your lengthy lectures.
Being a Teenager’s Parent Can Be a Full-Time Job in Itself
In closing, while all of the above career paths will certainly come with challenges of their own, you shouldn’t really be intimidated by any professional task because the job you have at home is probably already much more demanding. With that in mind, it’s important to consider the childcare and parental supervision dynamics of having a career that requires you to work away from home.
In such a scenario, it’s best to plan ahead and have multiple backup babysitters. Luckily, many of the above jobs provide flexible hours and generous salaries that will make covering the cost of childcare less burdensome. Plus, depending on their maturity, beyond the ages of 14-17, your teen can start to babysit themselves.
