That Gap Year

Persuade the Parents That a Gap Year is a Great Idea
Mark Bottell
Whilst you may be one hundred per cent sure that a gap year is exactly what you need, you may need a little more time to persuade your parents of the same thing. It is always hard for them to let their children fly the nest, especially when that flight is likely to take them right across the globe. If you're armed with these arguments however, you may find it just that little bit easier to persuade your parents that a gap year is a great idea.

It'll Get Me Off Street Corners - Every parent fears that their kids are spending too much of their time hanging around on street corners, and many will jump at the opportunity to get them out and about and doing something productive. This gives you the perfect argument for taking a gap year as it will ensure that you swap those shopping centers with something much more exciting, and a whole lot more rewarding. Your folks will like nothing more than the idea that your days will be spent both out of trouble and out of doors enjoying everything that nature has to offer.

It'll Look Good on my C.V. - Our parents spend the early years of our lives involving us in as many activities, sports and hobbies as they can fit into the space of a week, all in the hope that we will grow up to be well-rounded and employable individuals with a C.V. to match. However, the real aim of a C.V. is to demonstrate your life experience as well as your workplace experience, and what better way to do that than to get out there and see some of the world. Many people would argue that you don't really grow up until you have travelled and stood on your own two feet. Taking a gap year is a great way of taking that first step on the road to the rest of your life. Hitting a few bumps along the way will give you something to talk about in job interviews for years to come.

It'll Help Me Learn the Value of Money - There is no disputing the fact that a gap year can cost a lot of money and this is a common concern that many parents raise when the subject is broached. However, whilst they are absolutely right in saying that that money to fund a year out must come from somewhere, they are perhaps not seeing the wood for the trees. Raising the money you need to go on a gap year not only gives you a perfect opportunity to appreciate what it is like to work full time, but also helps you to develop invaluable skills in budgeting and saving - both skills that you will appreciate later in life when your overheads suddenly shoot through the roof.

So, if your parents don't seem too psyched about the idea of you taking a gap year, try to present it to them from a slightly different perspective. Rather than seeing it as a fun way of putting off the rest of your life for a year or so, you will be able to persuade them that it is the perfect opportunity to develop skills that will be a great deal of use to you a few years down the line.

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Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Worldwide Experience, an online tour operator offering extended breaks on gap year and other adventurous holidays for adults.