Rest

Make sure that you are rested. If you are not rested, or if other issues or problems distress you at the time, then consider postponing this discussion until your mind is more free.

Set a deadline

If you cannot get free time within a week or two, then just do it now.

Do some preliminary brainstorming

Think about the issues by yourself on three separate occasions, each occasion being separated by about two days. In this way everyone will be prepared for a productive joint discussion. Write down your ideas.

Do research

Ask your child to talk to people who might be able to help him form ideas about your future. You may need to help him search the library or the Internet, but it is best if he does it himself.

For example, if you are discussing possibilities for employment then you might want to evaluate what employment possibilities are available or will be available in your region in the future or in your target region. It won't do too much good to prepare for a position in which you won't be able to find a job when you are through with your studies.

Clarify

You might also want to discuss the employment possibilities with several people who are already doing that type of work to find out what it is actually like and maybe your child might want to visit a factory, school, institution, or other place of work in which these people are employed in order to determine whether it is for you. If he asks you to join him in this episode, you should be flattered and take him up on his offer.

If your discussion leads in the direction of a certain job and you are discussing this early enough in life, then you might want to spend a part of a vacation doing some apprenticeship, even without getting paid, if such is the case, so that you can see if it really is for you.

Making decisions

The same would hold true with any decision that is made. Test it out. Make sure that the decision you make which sounds good when you are discussing it, will work out as well when you actually work towards it and when you're doing it in practice.

Thus, if your plan is to make aliyah then it would be wise to make a pilot trip and to spend some time in Israel. No, this article does not suggest that you try out Israel to determine whether it is good for you. However, once you have made a decision, you should test out how to put it into practice.