EPISODE · Mar 31, 2023 · 26 MIN
Talking to your Teen about Taking a Gap Year
from The Gap Year Podcast · host Michelle Dittmer
Most parents would think that if they offered their teenager an opportunity to take a gap year, they would say yes in a heartbeat! Imagine all of the exciting adventures, learning opportunities and the ability to earn some extra money - what's not to love! Well, to your surprise, some teenagers are actually reluctant to take a gap year, even if they may not be 100% ready for higher education. Today’s episode is jam packed with tons of great advice from Michelle! We dive straight into the top 3 reasons why your teen may be opposed to taking a gap year, what post-secondary readiness looks like, plus a walkthrough of how you can approach this conversation to get your teen on board! Take a listen! Topics Discussed What are parents reaching out and talking to CanGap about? The top 3 reasons why teenagers are hesitant to take a gap year (some of these may surprise you!) How to have productive conversations with your young person that will encourage them to think about pursuing a gap year. The 6 factors of post-secondary readiness - and having your teen use this as a benchmark to assess whether they are ready for higher education. Action steps to take to make them feel confident about pursuing a gap year. Resources Mentioned In This Episode Post-Secondary Readiness Watch our amazing Ambassadors! Parents Support Get support to light up your gap year! Book a free 30-min call: https://www.cangap.ca/call Connect With The Canadian Gap Year Association Join “Gapper Connect” on Discord to connect with students thinking about a gap year, current Gappers, and alum all in one place! https://www.cangap.ca/gapperconnect Find more resources at the Can Gap website https://www.cangap.ca/ Follow on Instagram http://www.instagram.com/cangapassociation Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ucangap Follow on Twitter https://twitter.com/ucangap Follow on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuBit8gLXEOxaBggoGmykjQ
What this episode covers
Most parents would think that if they offered their teenager an opportunity to take a gap year, they would say yes in a heartbeat! Imagine all of the exciting adventures, learning opportunities and the ability to earn some extra money - what's not to love! Well, to your surprise, some teenagers are actually reluctant to take a gap year, even if they may not be 100% ready for higher education. Today’s episode is jam packed with tons of great advice from Michelle! We dive straight into the top 3 reasons why your teen may be opposed to taking a gap year, what post-secondary readiness looks like, plus a walkthrough of how you can approach this conversation to get your teen on board! Take a listen! Topics Discussed What are parents reaching out and talking to CanGap about? The top 3 reasons why teenagers are hesitant to take a gap year (some of these may surprise you!) How to have productive conversations with your young person that will encourage them to think about pursuing a gap year. The 6 factors of post-secondary readiness - and having your teen use this as a benchmark to assess whether they are ready for higher education. Action steps to take to make them feel confident about pursuing a gap year. Resources Mentioned In This Episode Post-Secondary Readiness Watch our amazing Ambassadors! Parents Support Get support to light up your gap year! Book a free 30-min call: https://www.cangap.ca/call Connect With The Canadian Gap Year Association Join “Gapper Connect” on Discord to connect with students thinking about a gap year, current Gappers, and alum all in one place! https://www.cangap.ca/gapperconnect Find more resources at the Can Gap website https://www.cangap.ca/ Follow on Instagram http://www.instagram.com/cangapassociation Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ucangap Follow on Twitter https://twitter.com/ucangap Follow on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuBit8gLXEOxaBggoGmykjQ
NOW PLAYING
Talking to your Teen about Taking a Gap Year
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Mar 26, 2026 ·1m
Mar 19, 2026 ·34m
Feb 18, 2026 ·11m
Feb 11, 2026 ·45m