Parental and peer influences.

That's a good question. When I see the kids today and their parents' over enthusiasm in everything they do and will do, I wonder about my childhood which was quite different. My parents had been there to guide us in every move but was not overbearing. I was not allowed to play in my study time but have complete freedom about what to study and how to. We always had the freedom to choose our subjects, our books and our creative ideas. Restrictions came when we wanted to go out and do it in large scale. They would take us but considering many worldly factors that we as kids couldn't perceive. We I grew up and time came to go to college and select subject streams, I was never imposed on. My father being an Engineer, wanted me to sit for JEE for Medical r Engineering streams but I denied and they had no issues with it. I chose English which they greeted the way I would have wanted them to. I never took serious tutorial lessons and they has no issues with it as well. Later in lives, we all had our say as the last. We have been fortunate to have had the freedom that most would love to have as children and teenagers. Having said this, sometimes I think, they could have been little stricter in the sense that I did some irreversible errors in life. But then, my other two sisters didn't! So, that could be more to do with my personality, the way I am and the way I think. Coming to peer pressure, I am hardly bothered except for a few well wisher who can motivate me but very rarely.I think I am more of an independent person who prefer to suffer the consequences of her own decision than to pass the blame on to others. Thanks.

To be frank my parents have no influence on determining my life's goal Alok as both of them are not educated.My father is a business man who was running a jewelery in Sri Lanka from whom I just learned the art of living within my means.My mother was a perfectionist who taught me to be neat, well groomed and presentable always. May be I liked these traits and stick to them. But I have determined my life's path myself after education choosing my career and I am a self made man with the blessings of my parents.And God too has been kind to me always.

In terms of my overall life goals, career decisions and other serious areas like these, my Parents and Peers have played quite a limited role I feel. I've always been somewhat of a black sheep for one; and headstrong also! Based on these characteristics I have, an absolute majority of the decisions I have made for myself tend to be decided autonomously and then I fill in everyone later! lol. Peer pressure placed on me has always been more in relation to day-to-day actions and decisions, not the life defining ones. Parental pressure did exist when I was growing up as well, but my stubborn streak caused me to ignore most of it and rebel quite heavily against it. I've been this way for as long as I can remember. Looking back on it all though, does make me realise that there were just as many positive intentions as I personally perceived there to be negative ones. Ain't hindsight a wonderful thing!

HI! Alok! In my case there was probably no pressure as such from my parents. They allowed me a free hand. I feel when I decided to opt for a career I got influenced by my peers and dearest friends. It is another matter I could not succeed in my efforts and could not get what I desired. I shifted to other choice and landed in my present job. I do agree with you that in our younger years we do get influenced by our peers in the matter of choosing our careers.

My parents have a big influence in my life. I think instilling in me and my siblings the values of respect and hard work were the biggest things they have taught us. There were times, though, that I had to go against their wishes, like choosing which course I will take in college. They wanted me to take up Law, but I refused. Looking back, I would say there was a different kind of pressure: the pressure to do better than they expected just to prove them that I'm not made to be a lawyer. Hehe! In the end, I think my parents are happy of the outcome. Even if I'm not a lawyer, I can say (and they can see) that I excel in my profession. As for friends, there were positive and negative influences. I learned to drink and smoke because of them, but these were also the same people who made me realize that I have more to offer and that I have talents I could still nurture. Would I call it pressure? Probably just because I wanted to belong, but it was more of a decision I made for myself.