When did your dc know what they wanted to be (when they grow up)?

[johnandtinagilbert]

I have a 13yo son who loves math and geography. He also loves kids and recognizes he is great with them (they really do gravitate to him) After talking I told him that teaching would be something that could encompass both of these things. He *thinks* he agrees and has started talking in terms of, "When I get my teaching degree..."

 

Funny story about dd11. This year for legal requirments we simply did notebook evaluations. In all honesty, it was a $20/kid option and money is tight! DD is a thoughtful child, so when she realized the end result of our morning (simply flipping thorough notebooks for an hour or so, then receiving $100) she said, "Momma. I want to stay home and home school my children, but I know getting my college degree is important, so I think I know what I want to do. I should get my teaching certificate so I can get paid a hundred bucks to flip through notebooks." She was quiet and serious in that response! She cracked me up. I kinda agree with her!

 

Finally ds12 says he wants to be a herpetologist. He loves the area of study and has done a tremendous amount of self-study in the area. He's even quit complaining about math b/c I told him in order to succeed in college and get the degree he desires, he has a lot of math and science in his future, which he does not love :)

 

When did your dc know? and how many things did they go through b4 they actually got there in their college path?

[Chris in VA]

My 19yo is off to college tomorrow to study cinema--wants to be a director.

When he was young, he was fascinated by The Titanic, wanted to be an underwater archeologist, and actually got to meet Robert Ballard (dh booked him to speak at SMU and got ds to come). That lasted until he was about 13. Then he realized we didn't have much $ for college, so he thought he'd try the Navy. Some time last year, he decided he really wanted to go into film. So, to answer your question, about 17-18 years old.

 

Ds 17 is interested in physics and astrophysics and wants to find a unifying theory of the universe. This is much better than his previous plan of selling drugs in Amsterdam. (Really--he had a plan...) He still is thinking of living overseas, perhaps in Ireland, and working on the computer.

 

Dd is just 9. She loves animals, is good in math--she'd like to be a vet and also stay home.

 

I've heard the typical person (whatever that means) changes careers something like 5 times in a lifetime. I don't think that counts part-time jobs as a teen! Anyway, I have no problem with my kids going to college and just getting a broad education, then going for more specialized training after.

[Vicki]

My oldest ds has always wanted to be a scientist since he was 5 or 6. He is now working on a triple doctorate, one of them in Biochemistry. He does research on tumor suppression.

My oldest dd didn't really know until after her first year of college. She will graduate this year with a degree in elementary ed. She has always loved children and did all her volunteer work at a special needs school.

My middle ds still doesn't know what he wants to do. He has tried college and worked several jobs. He is also ADHD. He is 20 and works 40 hours a week and does love his job, but it really isn't a career.

My youngest dd is 17 and doesn't know what she wants to do. She will go to our community college next year, it is free for 2 years if you do 40 hours of volunteer work a year and graduate from a school in our county, includes homeschool. She has already completed her volunteer hours.

My youngest ds is 13 and is just like his oldest brother. He loves science. He plans to follow in his oldest brothers footsteps. He excells in math and science. I'm always finding some kind of experiment in the sink or freezer.

I know God has a plan for each of my children and that is my goal for them.

God bless,

Vicki

Edited August 14, 2009 by Vicki

[johnandtinagilbert]

This is much better than his previous plan of selling drugs in Amsterdam. (Really--he had a plan...)

 

:lol::lol: much better!

[Janet in WA]

My sons "knew" what they wanted to do for their careers when they were very young. But they were mistaken. Very few children, or even teens, really know what they'll do for their careers. And most who say they "know" are actually just responding to coaching from a parent, teacher or other adult mentor who also really has no idea what the student's career path will eventually be. Actually, very few college students really know either.

[Carol in Cal.]

I think that in 8th I wanted to be a social worker, in 9th a singer, in high school I really didn't know but I assumed I would figure it out in college but definitely not anything associated with medicine or secretarial work. Then I didn't want to take physics so I took AP Chem my senior year instead--someone gave me a hard time about it and I told him that I planned to become a chemist. This was actually news to me--I said it for the sake of the argument, and was startled to realize that it was pretty much true. In the spring they announced a competition for chemical engineering scholarships, so I changed my major from chemistry to chemical engineering, won the scholarship, and went on to major in that.

 

The second quarter I was a college, I realized that for the first time in my life I had an actual passion for a subject, and that was history. I wanted to change my major and become a history professor, but my parents told me that if I did that I could darn well go to a cheap local college instead of my medium-priced one, so I stuck with chemical engineering.

 

Bottom line--no idea what I would want. Very much a generalist, with talents but no real passions until freshman year in college. Very limited exposure to various job options even in college.

 

It is this experience that makes me hate it when kids are encouraged to specialize at an early age. Around here we have science magnets for elementary school! Crazy!

 

This is also one of the reasons that I love the WTM concept of a rigorous, well-rounded education.

[kate in seattle]

hmm,

oldest ds was an 'average' student in high school, did not want to go to college, started working at a job (not a career). Was interested in car audio, got a business license and installed car stereo systmes for a year. worked for a mini-blind repair place, when it went out of business, he took the major contract and ran his own shop for a year. Eventually got to boeing, which i guess could be considered more of a career. Still interested in audio engineering so boeing paid for an AAS degree at the local Art Institute in Audio Engineering. Worked 3 years (during boeing layoff) at his church being the sound/video guy. Now back at Boeing. He's 35 and just sunk about 7k into a near professional digital camera and lenses and is learning photography. Is thinking of going back to school (while working) this fall for an EE degree.

 

Second ds has wanted to go to the Air Force Academy and fly planes since he was 10. Has been at the Air Force Academy since June 25 and is pretty much liking it, even being a lowly 'doolie'.

 

Oldest dd has wanted to act/sing since she was 9. Seriously derailed last year by major depression. Sort of back on track now. Might get sign language interpreter certification as a 'day' job.

 

Next dd, 14, says she wants to do something 'science-y'. However, she has also written 50 pages on a novel, reads constantly. who knows

 

Youngest dd, 11, wants to be a gymnast, but we didn't have time or money to start her when she was little. best she can hope for now is to be a reasonable high school athlete. molly can't think much more than about 6 hours ahead right now, so no plans for the future from her.

[Moni]

When did your dc know what they wanted to be (when they grow up)?

 

Every year ;)

With a new and improved version every year..... :lol:

 

:seeya:

[Peela]

Mine still don't, and they are 13 and 15.

Ds13 is interested in perhaps business, perhaps real estate, perhaps veterinary science.

Dd15 is artistic, but although she was interested in being a doctor a couple of years ago...she has no actual ambition to do anything any more. SHe just wants to have fun and be a 15yo.

 

So no, at no age so far have they really known what they want to do.

I think a lot of full grown adults feel the same, though.

[LoriM]

At 8, she wanted to be a marine biologist. (Does every young girl go through a dolphins-craze?)

At 13, she was a writer.

At 16, she realized what she really loved about those biology books was the pictures...and she wanted to be an artist. She thought animation and all things Pixar was the perfect path for her.

At 18, she met the man of her dreams. (She marries him in January.) Suddenly, her path was about efficiency, and financial security. So, she became a math major, with a minor in art.

At 20, she realized that she loves college, and wants to stay in an academic environment, but she's disdainful of the Math Education majors that she shares classes with (LOL), so she's thinking a PhD in mathematics.

 

Honestly, I just hope the biochemist she marries makes a terrific living so she can homeschool my grandchildren. How traditional of me. But she is a true academian, and excellent in all things, across all subjects. It would be lovely if five years of Latin and four years of Spanish and classical training in history and science and math all translated down to 2.4 grandchildren. GRIN. Perhaps she will be all things to all people, and manage a nice teaching career at the university *while* homeschooling my grandchildren. Maybe I'll live close enough to help. Oh, what a nice image.

 

On the other hand, my 16 year old has NO idea what she wants to do, other than serve with some organization in Africa for a year. And possibly India. I think she imagines herself Mother Teresa, in goth clothing. ROFL! Our pastor's daughter was recently accepted into the Peace Corps, and I believe my younger dd would follow a similar path if things open up for her to do so.

[Jane Elliot]

20yodd knew at 11yo she wanted to be a midwife. She takes her certification exam this week.

 

18yos (almost 19yo) started thinking about dentistry at 15/16 at my prompting. Actually I told all my boys to go into dentistry, which I consider the perfect career (no hospital call, good pay, good hours, and you get to do all the talking.) :) He's the only one who took me up on it. For the last year he's been volunteering a day a week in a dental office just to make sure he liked it and he does love it. (I strongly recommend this use of time if a child can find the opportunity.) He leaves this week for college to major in biology/pre-dentistry.

 

Other 18yos decided this year to major in Aeronautical Science and will have a commercial pilot license and be able to work the plane's mechanical systems. He struggled a lot to make a decision about a major. We just kept showing him stuff and talking. It finally boiled down to wanting to do something he could use on the mission field that was hands-on and not a desk job.

 

16yos is looking at computer science for a B.S. and then possible Bible translation (SIL's masters program). He really is too quiet to be a dentist.:) We will send him to Wycliffe's week-long introductory program sometime in the next few years so he can explore Bible translation further.

 

15yos used to want to be the president of the United States. I told him I wouldn't hold him to that. :D

 

And I tell all the kids I won't hold them to the dreams and career plans they form when they're young. I think most kids need a lot of help, guidance, and discussion in this area. Most don't just automatically know what they want to do as our oldest dd did.

Edited August 16, 2009 by Luann in ID

[Jane in NC]

Through the years when anyone asked me what I thought my son would eventually do, I inevitably answered that he was going to be a biologist. He has been living and breathing biology since he was a young child. He, on the other hand, had decided to become a paleontologist around age 3. He held onto that idea until middle school when the idea of being an historian struck him.

 

The kid that I (and others) consider the natural biologist also likes technology. He teaches electrical workshops for 4-H and has assisted with a robotics course in a summer science program. But engineering? No way.

 

Finally it occurred to him. He wants to be outside. He wants to study the past but use technology. He is interested in the natural world and how man has used it. This is the kid who at age 12 could look down at Roman remains from Hadrian's Wall and see what facilities were where in the rubble of a former fort. Archaeology. Makes sense.

 

And it will not surprise me at all if he finds a way to pull microbiology or paleobotany into his studies. I still think he is the natural biologist who has a rich appreciation for the past.

 

Jane

[gingersmom]

My daughter wants to be a skating instructor (she is on a skating team and competes and obsessively skates).

 

I pointed out to her this is all well and good but you get no vacation days, no sick days, no health insurance, no benefits at all (all the instructors are not "employees" of the rink). That she would need a backup plan.

 

I have always told her she would make an amazing teacher as she adores children and just has the temperment for the job. Plus I think it pays well enough and has amazing benefits and is more family friendly than other jobs.

 

Either that or a pediatric nurse but she has no interest in that.

 

We were just discussing this again and she said she is going to marry a lawyer (okay then ), become a teacher and teach skating at night/weekends/summers off from teaching. And when she has kids she will take off till they are about to start school and then go back to teaching.

[AnitaMcC]

For 14yr old Ds.... he has known for many years that he wants to be an astrophysicist. He hasn't waivered in his career goal.

 

For 14yr old Dd... she has been more fluctuating in her future career desires. For the past year she has wanted to be a professional musician (rock star-LOL). She also has an interest in psychology. So for college she plans to major in music, maybe also in psychology. She also showed interest in being a professional athlete, P.E. teacher, music teacher.

 

22 yr old niece... she wanted to be a veterinarian when she was young, then on to marine biologist, then on to professional athlete. 1st semester of college she wanted to be a physical therapist, and then she quickly changed her mind and decided to be a elementary education teacher. She graduated college in May and is now looking for a teaching position in a public elementary school.

 

20 yr old nephew... he still doesn't know what he wants to do. He is very very bright but no focus or desire to do anything but to play. He went off to college to major in engineering of some sort but that didn't work out. Now he plans to try college again but he still doesn't really know what he wants to do. He considered the military, architecture, culinary arts, engineering, computers. So still no idea what he wants to be.

 

10 yr old son... he wants to be a father. That is his primary goal. He just loves kids (babies and toddlers especially). He also loves computer games. He is full of energy and is like the energizer bunny... keeps going and going and going and going and going.... I expect he will end up doing something that will fit for him, whatever that ends up being is up to him.

 

8yr old son... he has no idea what he wants to be and at this time he can't plan a future beyond the current day. His only interest is in video games. Dh and I joke that youngest ds will be a professional gamer.

Edited August 16, 2009 by AnitaMcC

[AnitaMcC]

My sons "knew" what they wanted to do for their careers when they were very young. But they were mistaken. Very few children, or even teens, really know what they'll do for their careers. And most who say they "know" are actually just responding to coaching from a parent, teacher or other adult mentor who also really has no idea what the student's career path will eventually be. Actually, very few college students really know either.

 

 

My 14yr old Ds has been saying he wants to be an astrophysicist since... well I can't even say when, but it has been since sometime in elementary school. We often question him about his decision and we keep encouraging him to explore all his interests and then some. For him to give everything a try (even what he "thinks" he doesn't like). But he is adament and we expect that he will major in astrophysics. He has an interest in astronomy, physics, chemistry, and geology. I figure he will study any and all these areas and that is how he has decided on astrophsyics.

[Rosie_0801]

On the other hand, my 16 year old has NO idea what she wants to do, other than serve with some organization in Africa for a year. And possibly India. I think she imagines herself Mother Teresa, in goth clothing.

 

My sister wanted to be an anthropologist and has just moved to Kenya to see if she wants to marry her boyfriend, who she met on a volunteer trip earlier in the year. She's now helping him develop an aid organisation with a safari business on the side. She was researching soil types, a couple of months ago.

 

Funny where life can lead you. Learning a song in Signed English when I was 8 set off a chain of events which led me to my half deaf hubby :)

 

Rosie

[Hockey Mom]

My 17y/o wants to be a vet. She wanted to be that when she was little, then around 13 she veered toward Political Science/Journalism. Now she's back to wanting to be a vet.

 

My 6y/o wants to be an astronaut. He is obsessed with all things 'space', and has been since he was 3y/o and watched the Shuttle go up on tv. He knows all kinds of things about the Shuttle, the planets, the sun, etc. We have two family members who work for NASA, so I think it's definitely something he could do if he chooses to pursue this path. He definitely has that "A" type of personality.

 

My 5y/o wants to live at home forever. LOL His other option is to "hunt dinosaurs" (even thought he knows they're extinct). DS is the baby of the family and the most laid back child I have ever seen. My goal is to make sure his plan isn't to sell drugs in Amsterdam. LOL

[PeterPan]

I wouldn't try to "decide" something like that for a kid at 13. A rare kid, like my dh, will be very focused and know exactly what he wants. Most flounder a bit, and I think the average in college is 3 major changes. That says it all. Don't label them with something at a young age and hold them to it, because it may NOT work out.

 

The Elijah Company had a book ages ago I wanted to read and never got. It was on something to that effect of seeing the state in the marble of our kids. In any case, looking back at my own life, where I WASN'T given helpful guidance, I would say that it was obvious all along and know one showed me. The way one prof in college explained it was you know what the army wants you to do, because they put the bazooka in your hands. Might sound trite, but what is he doing? What do others see in him and call on him to do? His gifts make room for him.

 

Kids should study widely, experience widely, and let their choices and the things they are called to do naturally whittle it down. I too wonder what my dd will study in college. I wonder if I should be teaching her to those things in order to give her a leg up. My dh suggests though that it's wise to study BROADLY now and experience broadly. We may mislabel them and steer them the wrong way by putting a certain name or peg on them too soon, or we miss out on the chance for them to study the things they WON'T study later.

 

My personal suggestion on how to chose a major? Pick up the course catalog and mark everything you'd like to study. Then see what major fits those courses. At the very least, it will reveal to you more about yourself.