"Be curious" - Shark Tank's Mark Cuban opposes pressuring kids to choose careers early

Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban revealed that he does not believe in pressuring his children into knowing their goals and what they have to do in their lives at an early age. He wants them to figure it out naturally.

Recently, he appeared on the Your Mom's House Podcast and talked about parenting and his kids growing up under a super-rich and famous dad. His expectations of his kids prioritize curiosity and self-discovery over rigid rules.

The Shark Tank investor shared his thoughts on how he raises his children and guides them. He allows them to explore their paths rather than forcing them to have everything figured out at a young age.

Given the fact that he has made a name for himself, Cuban understands the challenge that his kids might face when they are trying to carve out their own identities. He believes that the traditional expectations of knowing exactly what a kid wants to do at 18 or even after college are outdated and unrealistic in today's day and age.

He expressed,

"And everything's changing so rapidly—from a technology perspective, just the world in general. So just, you know, be curious. That's what I try to get them to do, right? Be curious so that you always want to learn something, and figure things out. The more knowledge you have, the more—not power, but the more capabilities you have, and the more options are available to you."

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Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban shares his parenting guide when it comes to his kids deciding their future

Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban shared that he tries to foster a perspective that comes in handy with the current situation of an evolving job market that is brought about by technology.

As a father and a guy in tech, he realizes that the world is changing right now and thus, young people need to develop adaptability rather than locking themselves in a rigid career path too soon. He said,

"I was talking to one of my kids about college the other day, and it's like, you don't have to know what you're going to be when you grow up. Even put aside our financial situation, I don't think any kid should be under the pressure at 18 or 22, when they graduate from college, to know exactly what they're going to do."

Rather than pushing them towards a certain career trajectory, Cuban says that he tries to develop a mindset of continuous learning and advocates for being curious. He trusts that knowledge opens up possibilities and empowers people to create their own paths rather than walking on one that is laid out for them.

Mark says that he and his wife take an active role in making sure that their children have the freedom to discover their interests. This approach stands in contrast to the high-pressure parenting styles that push kids forward in predefined notions of success.

Even though he tries to give his three children space, the Shark Tank investor agrees that his public persona and celebrity status cause issues. His two young sons often prefer to not have him at their basketball games because of the distractions his presence would cause.

Even though he finds these moments "brutal," Cuban tries to understand where his kids are coming from. Thus, he has found a new way of coming in from the "back door" and being part of his kids' lives.

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Shark Tank season 16 episodes are released weekly on ABC at 8 PM Eastern Time on Fridays. They are later available to watch on Hulu.