US, June 11 -- A little girl wants to be a journalist, so she writes stories and looks for the truth; a boy has been learning music for years and visualizes performing before a large audience; another person draws and designs for hours every week and dreams of working in fashion.

However, for many young people, these dreams do not come true, as they may be pressured by their parents to take on safer, more accepted, or financially secure careers.

In India and elsewhere in the world, parental expectations have a strong influence on educational and career decisions. Most parents mean well, wanting their children to have stability. However, many experts question whether parental guidance crosses into parental pressure.

As jobs increase in...