Spinoff- What does/did your kids want to be, and what do they actually do?

[wishesuponastar]

DD28 - wanted to be a Fashion Merchandiser, went to college for it but dropped out because she didn't like it. Now she is a school secretary.

DD19 - wanted to be a music teacher since 7th grade and that is what she is at college studying now.

DD15-1/2 wants to be an Artist (sell her art in a gallery).

 

[catfan98]

My daughter (20) had no idea what she wanted to do until right before her senior year of high school. She volunteered at a local funeral home during the summer between her junior and senior year of high school and it really interested her. She continued volunteering/working there throughout her senior year of high school and the summer after. She is now in mortuary school and loving every minute of it. Throughout her childhood if anyone had asked me what I thought she would be when she grew up, I can definitely say I would not have said a Mortician and Funeral Director. But, she really likes it, it interests her, and according the owners of the local funeral home, she is a natural at it. So there ya go. I'm glad she has found something she likes. It's much easier to go to work everyday when you like your job.

My son (a teenager), says he is not going to college. He says he will consider a technical college, though. He is really good with computers and electronics, so I'm hoping he finds something in that field that interests him. But, he is only in middle school, so maybe like his big sister, it'll hit him right before senior year, lol.

 

[wenrob]

DD (18) High school senior. This is my all over the map child. She really wants to be a baker but has realized she will starve. She wants to be a liberal arts kid but admits she is a STEM kid. She is currently applying for colleges and the first few submitted were AstroPhysics as a major, now she is thinking Political Science as she has decided she IS going to be President in 2044. OK.........

Curious, how did she come to this conclusion? My daughter is a baker, makes great money and she's only just begun. Her mentor and the Chefs above her make REALLY great money. None of them have lives because they're always working but they're well paid for it. Added bonus, when you work in a kitchen you're always fed.

DD 20- Aside from a brief yearning to be a vet at about age 6 she's always wanted to be a Chef. About 7th grade that became a Baker. She was fortunate to go to a high school with a Culinary Arts program and qualified as a Jouneyman baker in her HS Junior year. My Dad and her godfather both tried to talk her out of it because it's back breaking work but she thrives on it. She's currently working as a Baker and will be getting her Pastry Arts degree and will move on to get a degree in Restaurant Management. Eventually she would like to teach in the type of high school she went to.

DD 11- Also wanted to be a vet until about 6. She's wavered between being an Archeologist and some type of scientist since then. With her personality I see her ruling the world some day.

DS 11- Wanted to be a Pirate until about 9. Now he goes back and forth between video game designer and Chef. I'm not sure what he really leans toward. I think whatever it is it will be more of a solitary type of job.

 

[Meriweather]

But what did they want to be when they were little?

Really little....DS wanted to be an ice cream maker, later always wanted to do computer work

DD never really said she wanted to do anything

 

[StephMK]

DD22 - did not have a totally set idea when she was younger and still doesn't. She is interested in medicine, maybe nursing, but can't decide if she should pursue more school. She just earned her BA in Family Studies but undecided on a direction and it's really bothering her. She is great at organizing, pretty shy, has a strong need to help people, and loves creating things if anyone wants to throw out a suggestion!

DD16 -wanted to be a wildlife photographer or ghost hunter. She still loves art and I have suggested graphic designer more than once. Her cousin is one, travels the world as she works. DD wants to make lots of money so I have suggested pursing her interest in Chemistry if she wants a money maker job. Her current plan is Interior Design at the state college and she is not at all interested in looking at choices or majors. She loves to be artistic so I can see her ending somewhere in a creative field.

DS14 - wanted to be a biologist from K until middle school. Then he changed to video game designer. That is still his plan and he has looked up the 50 best schools for video game animation. At one point, he wanted to run and own the next Blizzard Entertainment. I feel like there are lots of options for that major but he needs to build his portfolio to make it happen.

 

[xlsm]

My daughter (20) had no idea what she wanted to do until right before her senior year of high school. She volunteered at a local funeral home during the summer between her junior and senior year of high school and it really interested her. She continued volunteering/working there throughout her senior year of high school and the summer after. She is now in mortuary school and loving every minute of it. Throughout her childhood if anyone had asked me what I thought she would be when she grew up, I can definitely say I would not have said a Mortician and Funeral Director. But, she really likes it, it interests her, and according the owners of the local funeral home, she is a natural at it. So there ya go. I'm glad she has found something she likes. It's much easier to go to work everyday when you like your job.
.

I just wanted to say that I think this is awesome, and good for your daughter! I'm from a "funeral home family". My grandpa managed a funeral home for years, and was a mortician and funeral director. They lived upstairs above the funeral home, and it's always been a part of our lives. (He is also a minister)
It takes a special person to be able to handle the stress and time requirments of the job, to have the empathy and strength to help the grieving families/friends, and to have the kindness of spirit and compassion to care for the dead.

 

[xlsm]

My two boys are 11 and 13...

The 11 year old has been set on owning a breakfast food truck for the past year or so. That changed over from pastry chef. Personally, I think he'd really enjoy teaching history at the college level. He doesn't have a lot of patience for kids his own age, lol, I can't see him seeking out that age group to teach EVER. And he loves learning about ancient civilizations, and how governments worked centuries ago. It fascinates him.

The 13 year old wants to play video games on the side, but have a "real job" to pay the bills, LOL! The thing he goes back to most is wanting to be an elementary school teacher, and he'd be GREAT at it. He is so good with little kids, and they all adore him. He excels at public speaking and group leadership, and when he was little, people said he should be a politician or preacher. He is incredibly empathetic and generous, I could see him as a CEO or running a non-profit.

Both boys are very smart and creative, I'm so curious to see what they will do with their lives.

 

[disney is my life]

As a kid I always wanted to be an actress or professional dancer. In late high school I had no idea. I ended up majoring in hospitality and tourism for a year but during that year found out that the thing I really wanted to do was promote travel/tourist destinations not necessarily manage a hotel or restaurant. I ended up switching my major to marketing and am currently pursuing that. I hope to one day work in the marketing department of a major theme park company (Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Cedar Fair, etc.). I don't think my family would have been able to predict that I'd end up in marketing as a kid.

 

[dotfurio]

I've got a ways to wait to find out how it all turns out.

ODD (15) wants to be a physical or occupational therapist. She's wanted to be this for about 3 years now. We've even started looking at universities with accredited programs.

YDD (8) has wanted to be a pop star for 4 years now. She's constantly singing. I don't expect this career will work out for her.

 

[Feralpeg]

DD wanted to be an actor. She decided she likes the other side of the camera. She is a digital media specialist (film editing, motion graphics, digital media).

 

[disykat]

My kids didn't really have specific career goals once they got beyond preschool so mine are kind of silly. DS #1 wanted to be Santa Claus or a fireman and is now an electrical engineer. DS#2 wanted to be a cat and is now headed for a career in law enforcement.

 

[low-key]

My daughter is 24, she is in her first year as a school teacher, she wants to be not a school teacher lol

 

[Disney_traveler]

Growing up it was always some type of teacher....first science, then band director, then theatre, then decided on agriculture (horticulture, floriculture and speech are my focus areas). This year is the first year out of the 10 I have been working that I have said I want out. Kids are getting horrible, admin is not disciplining ( if they curse st me or yell at me, I'm sending them for a reason), and they have created tons of paperwork (not state mandated, just want to "put online for publicity" and it's MY curriculum, I created!)

Would REALLY like to switch to becoming s travel agent and working out of a home office.

 

[lizabu]

My eldest son used to say he wanted to be a police officer or a pro wrestler. He is a welder. My younger son used to want to be Bob the builder and he is s welder too. My older daughter used to say she wanted to be a teacher. She is in grade 12 and enrolled in a social worker program which starts next year. My youngest daughter always said she wanted to be a writer. Now she says she doesn't know what she wants to do. She just wants to take what interests her in university and see where it leads her. She's 15.

 

[lizabu]

Curious, how did she come to this conclusion? My daughter is a baker, makes great money and she's only just begun. Her mentor and the Chefs above her make REALLY great money. None of them have lives because they're always working but they're well paid for it. Added bonus, when you work in a kitchen you're always fed.

DD 20- Aside from a brief yearning to be a vet at about age 6 she's always wanted to be a Chef. About 7th grade that became a Baker. She was fortunate to go to a high school with a Culinary Arts program and qualified as a Jouneyman baker in her HS Junior year. My Dad and her godfather both tried to talk her out of it because it's back breaking work but she thrives on it. She's currently working as a Baker and will be getting her Pastry Arts degree and will move on to get a degree in Restaurant Management. Eventually she would like to teach in the type of high school she went to.

DD 11- Also wanted to be a vet until about 6. She's wavered between being an Archeologist and some type of scientist since then. With her personality I see her ruling the world some day.

DS 11- Wanted to be a Pirate until about 9. Now he goes back and forth between video game designer and Chef. I'm not sure what he really leans toward. I think whatever it is it will be more of a solitary type of job.

So true. I went to culinary school and there were a few people after graduation who started their own businesses baking and they have been very successful. Just check to see what the going rate for a wedding cake is. I wouldn't write off baking either.

 

[wishesuponastar]

DD28 - wanted to be a Fashion Merchandiser, went to college for it but dropped out because she didn't like it. Now she is a school secretary.

DD19 - wanted to be a music teacher since 7th grade and that is what she is at college studying now.

DD15-1/2 wants to be an Artist (sell her art in a gallery).

When my middle daughter was little she wanted to be an Olympic figure skater. Youngest daughter wanted to be an astronaut.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

My kids didn't really have specific career goals once they got beyond preschool so mine are kind of silly. DS #1 wanted to be Santa Claus or a fireman and is now an electrical engineer. DS#2 wanted to be a cat and is now headed for a career in law enforcement.

As the mom of a DD who used to wear a kitty ears headband and tuck scarves into the back of her waistband so she could be a cat when she was a preschooler, I wish there was a "like x1000000" button!

 

[indimom]

DD19 went through a range of ideas over the years: chef, babysitter, FBI agent, crime scene investigator, doctor, finally settled on Medical Technology and she's in her first year at college now. She's loving all her science courses, so it seems she's in the right area even if she ends up merging into another similar field.

DS16 has always wanted to play football. Only play football. He lives and breathes football, past, present, shoot even future. But he wasn't blessed with the genes for this game beyond high school, he's just not big enough. So, he's been trying to find something else he's passionate about, with very little luck. He's considered park services, meteorologist, crime scene investigation. But nothing has really caught his interest. At this point, he's really thinking he'll go to college "undecided" and let the experts help him find his niche.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

DD19 went through a range of ideas over the years: chef, babysitter, FBI agent, crime scene investigator, doctor, finally settled on Medical Technology and she's in her first year at college now. She's loving all her science courses, so it seems she's in the right area even if she ends up merging into another similar field.

DS16 has always wanted to play football. Only play football. He lives and breathes football, past, present, shoot even future. But he wasn't blessed with the genes for this game beyond high school, he's just not big enough. So, he's been trying to find something else he's passionate about, with very little luck. He's considered park services, meteorologist, crime scene investigation. But nothing has really caught his interest. At this point, he's really thinking he'll go to college "undecided" and let the experts help him find his niche.

Same with my DS16 - has been playing as a lineman since he was 7. He was a head taller and 20 lbs heavier than any kid his age until he was in 8th grade. He slowed down, they caught up, and now he will most likely not get past 6 feet, (210 lbs currently) with unstable shoulders - already had surgery on the right side this past year. Not the best stats for a defensive lineman. His only likely chance for college play is D3, especially since he missed his whole sophomore year and 1/2 of his Junior year with the shoulder, and he and I were just talking last night about whether college-level play is worth it at D3 - we've always told him to play until the powers to be tell him he can't play anymore, and he will, but honestly, he needs his body for the rest of his life and football is only the next 5 years.

However, he LOVES, LOVES LOVES the game itself, and he loves to coach. He is a Junior Coach for the 8th grade youth feeder team in our town as a volunteer and he will be actively pursuing high school and eventually (he hopes) college level coaching as a career. His head coach works closely with us in the feeder league and sees DS coaching - he has already told him that if he stays local for college, to come back and coach for the HS after he graduates. He thinks he will major in Physical Therapy (the PT's he has worked with the past year have been amazing with him and they made quite an impression) but wants to start building his resume in the coaching world at the same time.

So, you never know....a career in the football world is possible - there are so many positions/people needed than just players! Good luck to your DS!

 

[mamacatnv]

Curious, how did she come to this conclusion? My daughter is a baker, makes great money and she's only just begun. Her mentor and the Chefs above her make REALLY great money. None of them have lives because they're always working but they're well paid for it. Added bonus, when you work in a kitchen you're always fed.

DD started by looking at 4 year culinary schools with a bachelors degree, then she looked at 2 year culinary or pastry degrees - the cost was $60-200K depending - she refused to even look at the community college route and there was no option in high school plus she was completely academic/science focused in high school (She is a Senior this year). When she started looking at the 4 year culinary educations I started looking at the statistics of employment etc. The schools themselves post the stats as part of their federal funding requirements. The employment rates are not the best.

Then we started researching salaries, employment options etc. The average "chef" starts out at the bottom at approx $10 per hour regardless of education (DD currently works in a restaurant as a prep cook, she makes $9 per hour) the average wage increase is about $1.00 a year - add that wage to the staggering amount of debt and DD would "starve". She would be better to just skip the schooling and intern and work her way up. She knows people who have gone to culinary school and those who haven't but work in the industry. They have all suggested that she work in her industry and get herself a sell-able degree (business, hospitality etc). She bakes in the summer for the local girl scout camp - after room and board she makes peanuts but she loves it.