When you were 12 what did you see your adult self doing? Does it match what reality is?

[Ausmumof3]

I wanted to breed dogs, and have several different varieties. Now I am the one holding out on my family wanting a dog.

[luuknam]

I wanted to be single (fail), no kids (double fail), and be an epidemiologist (fail) researching viruses (fail) and work for the CDC (fail), which would have involved moving to the U.S. (I did do that). I also did take a class on computational epidemiology in college, although I ended up having to drop that because of my pregnancy with B proving to be too cumbersome. Oh, and I wanted to have a Ph.D. (fail - I don't even have a B.S.), and write books in my spare time (fail). My alternative plan was to be a medical examiner (fail), but I already realized back then that I didn't really want to put up with medical school for that, which I still think is just too much work for that (also, it's probably not as glamorous as Robin Cook makes it out to be, lol).

 

But, I'm 30, and I still don't know what I want to be if I grow up.

[EmilyGF]

I think at that age I was planning to either work for an electronics company in Japan or open up a boarding school in France. I planned the curricula and student schedules that the school would offer. 

 

(My dad went to boarding school in Europe, which is how I came up with the idea. Though he hated it and it nearly ruined his life.)

 

I still get to plan curricula and school schedules.

 

I haven't made much progress with either my French or Japanese. But I have managed to spend time abroad. And I took some pretty hard core electronics classes in college. 

[Scarlett]

Married, lots of kids, modest home. Zero career aspirations.

[Ellie]

I was sure that I would be a horse trainer, or professional rider, or something to do with horses.

 

:lol: :smilielol5: :rofl:

[Tsuga]

I didn't think it would be worthwhile to be an adult but I was trying to keep an open mind.

 

I never wanted kids or marriage but was convinced later, in my teens, that it was the only legitimate way to find love and acceptance with another human.

 

I definitely never thought I would be in debt or have money problems. I thought hard work plus intelligence plus low spending = a decent living.

 

I wanted to be an astronomer. I still wish I'd gone into that.

 

So basically my life is nothing like I hoped for.

[Lolly]

Pretty much exactly where I thought I would be. I always just wanted to be a mother and wife. I remember my grandmother hugging me and telling me that that was a wonderful answer and to never be ashamed to give it when I was about 5. I couldn't figure out why I would ever be ashamed of that. I did start giving the answer teacher when I was a little older because a wife and mother was not a socially acceptable answer for a life ambition. Teacher is the closest thing. Well, I am a wife. I am a mother, though I always envisioned 5. I figure between dh and the dog (and fil before he passed) that 5th one is in there somewhat. At 12, I would have included horses in the equation of happiness. I did finally get to own horses. Seems that part of my dream didn't quite workout like I envisioned. We only kept them a few years (boarded) before selling them. I think it would have worked better if I hadn't had 4 little ones at the time.

[Maus]

At twelve I planned to go to college (check), then become a truck driver (uh, nope) to see the world (B. J. and the Bear was popular, and I thought Greg Evigan was pretty cute). Then I would go to grad school (nope). Then I assumed I'd probably get married and have kids (check), because that's what people do, but I didn't see the appeal.

[MommaOfalotta]

My whole life I've wanted to move to Florida so my plan was... graduate high school and move there, go to school there, and work with sharks. I've always loved/studied sharks and wanted to spend my life doing that. No marriage, no kids.

 

WELL... I ended up married in high school, had a baby a month after graduating early, another one a few years later :) Love my life and so glad I ended up married with kids (and homeschooling!) but I'm still trying to talk the dh into moving to Florida!

[kiana]

I hated people other than my family. Loved animals. Wanted to be a vet because that involved dealing with more animals than people. Also wanted to find a guy and have a bunch of kids, starting young, because if I hated people other than my family clearly the solution was MOAR FAMILY.

 

Amusingly, now I teach math to a bunch of college students whom in general I like very much.

[mellifera33]

12 year old me would be so disappointed with 38 year old me. lol She wouldn't have worked so hard at school if she could see the future, that's for sure. 

[Ripley]

My dream job at age 12 became my reality at age 21, upon college graduation.

 

I married a year later.

My 12 year old self didn't think about a marrying age, but assumed marriage would happen.

 

I had my first child the next year.

My 12 year old self didn't think about having kids, but assumed they'd happen.

 

Life in my 30s is pretty much what my 12 year old self imagined it would be, but with more gray hairs.

Oh, and early retirement. My 12 year old self thought I'd work that dream job until forced retirement in my 60s.

 

[Jen in NY]

My 12 year old self had just fallen in love with trumpet and classical music and hanging out with amazing musicians for the first time at music camp -- so I was convinced that music was the direction I was going to take. My 12 year old self would probably wonder why I spent so much of my time doing the things that I have done ... homeschooling.... or maybe having kids at all??... but my 44 year old self is pretty happy with the way things have turned out. :) I still play trumpet almost every day, too.

[Ottakee]

I love hearing all of these stories.

 

Today I went horseback riding with a friend which my 12 year old self would have only dreamed of doing.  We rode more this morning than I ever did combined until I bought a horse 8 years ago.  Then I took the kids kayaking..........which my 12 year old self would have never dreamed about because a) I don't think I even knew what a kayak was at that age and b) I was NOT an outdoor person at all (unless it was my horse dream).

[Lady Florida.]

At twelve I already had known for years I wanted to be a teacher. Did that for 15 years.

Wanted to marry. Check.

I also wanted to be a stay at home mom. Did/doing that.

 

I don't think twelve year old me ever thought adult me would be living in Florida. It would be another year before my mother gave us the news that we were moving here (from NJ). Twelve year old me expected marry younger than I actually did and expected to have more than one child. Other than that I can't say my life is very far from what I envisioned at that age.

[6packofun]

My 12yo self assumed I'd be a veterinarian until I had children--4 boys and no husband, LOL! ?  Apparently living off of my wealth.  :P

[OnTheBrink]

Well, I thought I'd be finished with college, married by 25, two children and a have a job as a high school band director. I'd be living with my dark, handsome husband in the "Leave it to Beaver" house with two Volvos in the drive. 

 

All a fantasy, none of which happened (well, I did have two children, but only one was here by the time I hit 25). 

[Bensmom]

I was going to design super cool houses that included features like indoor slides, fireman poles, elevators, mini water parks etc. This lucrative career would allow me to live in an estate of my design complete with maid's cottage, and a personal chef....and maybe a Jetson's-like robot to act as personal assistant.

 

I also envisioned having a large family with multiple sets of twins. I can't remember their names.

[Amy in NH]

My plan was to get a university degree, have a professional career where I made good money, and then get married.  My husband would also have a good job, and we would bank one income while we saved the other until we had children, at which point I'd be able to stay home to take care of the kids and we would be able to live comfortably on the one income plus savings.

 

I think I was 13 when I lost sight of those goals, and I've been struggling to get back on that path since I was 20.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I was going to design super cool houses that included features like indoor slides, fireman poles, elevators, mini water parks etc. This lucrative career would allow me to live in an estate of my design complete with maid's cottage, and a personal chef....and maybe a Jetson's-like robot to act as personal assistant.

 

I also envisioned having a large family with multiple sets of twins. I can't remember their names.

I want to hire you to design my house just like yours (as you imagined it anyway)!  

[Jean in Newcastle]

My plan was to get a university degree, have a professional career where I made good money, and then get married.  My husband would also have a good job, and we would bank one income while we saved the other until we had children, at which point I'd be able to stay home to take care of the kids and we would be able to live comfortably on the one income plus savings.

 

I think I was 13 when I lost sight of those goals, and I've been struggling to get back on that path since I was 20.

You were very financially savvy for a 12 year old.  

[Amy in NH]

You were very financially savvy for a 12 year old.  

 

I lived with my broke single mother.  I had my first job when I was 12 because she couldn't afford to give me any spending money.  She sat down with me and showed me the income and expenses of our household so that I would understand our situation.

 

I really wish I had stuck with those dreams I had, but instead I ended up making many of the same mistakes she did. 

[MistyMountain]

I wanted to be a veterinarian who lived on a farm with farm animals and cats and dogs and have a dozen children. I wanted to live in a big house and also envisioned fireman poles and slides. Lol

 

I have 3 children and could not picture myself as a vet or on a farm with lots of farm animals. I wish I had gotten a science degree. I would have loved more children and still long for more but it is not meant to be for various reasons. I prefer smaller houses now for environmental and simplicity reasons. I do garden and have a cat and a dog.