JWSJ Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I try to have an open mind when my son talks about careers. I'd like to encourage him in whatever he chooses, but... When he mentions going into politics - I cringe. Am I the only one? Are there any occupations for your children that make you do the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizzyBee Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 My 7 yo wants to work at the McDonalds near her grandma's house. My 12 yo wants to feed the animals at a zoo. How are they going to take care of me in my old age with those jobs? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingmommy Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 My dd's dearest ambition at the age of six was to work at Taco Bell so she could bring back the Cheesy Gordita Crunch! This is a step up from her 4 yr old ambition to be a hula dancer. jeannie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamturner Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Just last week, my 7dd said she wanted to work as the person waving to us dressed as Lady Liberty, who was the advertisement on the street for a tax preparation company. Huuuuummmm.....:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccmom Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 My son wants to be in the movie industry. I encourage him because he is very artistic. I'm a little thankful he doesn't want to become a "movie star", but rather special effects engineer and behind-the-scenes guy. My younger son has talked about becoming President someday. Politics and entertainment... We will see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 My husband and I have a running list of our personal least favorite jobs, we like to compare them with other people's lists--it's kind of a fun game. I hate driving, so my personal least favorite job is a trucker. I can't imagine having to drive something that big for more than a block. It would only be a matter of time before I hit something driving a truck that big. The rest, we'll keep private so as to not offend anyone--God made all types of people for a reason--so that all the jobs needed could get done, if everyone liked the same thing, the world would be boring and certain jobs wouldn't get done or would get done poorly. Sometimes our personal least favorites have been other people's dream jobs! We only play the game among good friends who know it's in good fun and know that people are made differently to enjoy different things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 well when ds then 4 announced he was going to wear dresses (he was jealous dd3 got so much attention for her pretty dresses) and work at McDonald's when he grew up I did a lot of cringing lol Now he plans on joining the army, no more plans for dresses :lol: Over all though I have not cringed at many of their choices which have include fireman, horse breeder, vet, EMT, garbageman and librarian. Now if my dd announced when she was grown that she plans on being a stripper or something then we will have a serious issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I hate pushy salesmen. I don't buy something to get rid of them, but they make me (and I'll use the new favourite Board word) antsy. I am inclined to same something inappropriately rude (like a drug rep wondering what I thought of what he'd just said, and I replied that I really don't listen to reps, but that my nurses begged for some free pens), or inappropriately personal (like "oh, that product gives me flatulence"). My biggest screw up was when I stopped in to ask a perfectly innocent question at a knife store, and got the hard sell, including an extremely sharp knife begin put in my hands. I'm good with knives, but I got unnerved and waved it a bit and cut myself on the finger. Bled like stink. He kept pattering on and I needed a tissue or I would have fled. While I dripped blood on his counter and tried to interrupt, he kept his patter going! Finally I broke in with a comment that no one in my family ever has heart attacks or strokes because we have slippery platelets, but that a side effect of that was I was NOT going to stop bleeding without some compression here, buddy. I'm sure he vented about "the crazy public" after I left. As for cringing over politics, here is one of my favourite jokes (clean): A preacher wants to know what his boy is going to grow up and be, so he puts out a Bible, a silver dollar, and a bottle of whiskey and hides in the closet to see which his son will pick. He thinks, if he picks up the Bible, he'll be a preacher like me, praise the Lord. If he picks up the dollar, he'll be a business man, which would be okay, but if he picks up the liquor, he'll be a drunk, and that would be a crying shame. Boy comes in and looks over the items on his desk. He puts the dollar in his pocket, the Bible under his arm and takes a swig of the whiskey. "Lord save us" whispers his father, "he's going to be a politician." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUV2EDU Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Don't worry about it. Believe me when I say, "Your son will change career preference several times before he graduates from High school.":001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 At 7 my ds decided he wanted to fly fighter jets and land on aircraft carriers. I was all for that, I think I actually said you can do anything you want as long as it's not construction. :tongue_smilie: My dh is in construction, my ds will learn the art of construction I have no doubt. he already goes to work with dad once in a while. But I wouldn't wish the ups and downs we've had on anyone. The industry is great when it's great and really bad when when's it's down. There is a whole spousal rant in here, which I shall refrain, but it would not be the chosen profession for my son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I would be mortified if either of my kids wanted to join the military. Also, any type of career that involved raping and pillaging the planet more than it already is. E.G.open cut mining. I do cringe a little because my dd14 just has no ambition and wants to be an artist. I only cringe for her sake- I want her to be financially independent. Other than that, I would be thrilled if she could just paint. Ds13 is clear he just wants to make money, and thinks real estate might be a good idea. I just cringe for him altogether :) I hope some of the values I have taught him are rattling away in there somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 well when ds then 4 announced he was going to wear dresses (he was jealous dd3 got so much attention for her pretty dresses) and work at McDonald's when he grew up I did a lot of cringing lol Now he plans on joining the army, no more plans for dresses :lol: Lol, my son hates to be reminded that when he was four, he told us he was going to be a mummy when he grew up, and he was devastated- massive screaming tantrum and denial- when we told him that wasn't possible. :) Sigh, the kid has his moments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyP Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I'm a bit overweight, and when my son was four we were cuddled up on the couch reading a book. He looked up at me sweetly and said, "Mom, when I grow up I want to be a big fat woman, just like you!" He's six now, and wants to make pizzas when he grows up. Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Would it help if I told you that in 1982 I told my teacher I wanted to be a "Solid Gold Dancer" when I grow up? Come on, someone tell me they remember that TV show! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Very few things make me cringe - i'm actually happy when they are thinking about it. AND, at this point, planning on encouraging them on any interests they want - mainly because i never felt enough of a push to really do what *I* wanted to do. But, still, i do hope htey aim higher than some of the stuff they have mentioned. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I'm a bit overweight, and when my son was four we were cuddled up on the couch reading a book. He looked up at me sweetly and said, "Mom, when I grow up I want to be a big fat woman, just like you!" He's six now, and wants to make pizzas when he grows up. Amy That's sweet, in that weird kid way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 if I reminded him of his early childhood love of makeup. He seems to have changed his interests since then : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Just last week, my 7dd said she wanted to work as the person waving to us dressed as Lady Liberty, who was the advertisement on the street for a tax preparation company. Huuuuummmm.....:confused: Chances are it's a different tax preparer, but the one near us has stepped it up a notch in the last week. They've added another person to the Lady Liberty: this one is a Grim Reaper with a sign saying, "The End is Near!" (BTW, this is in far SE Arlington.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 My older sisters were on the local television show that came on in the mornings when they were little. My mom had everyone she knew watching. They asked my middle sister what she wanted to be when she grew up. She said, "A sewing machine." My mom was mortified. She grew up to be a nurse BTW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivetails Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Lol, my son hates to be reminded that when he was four, he told us he was going to be a mummy when he grew up, and he was devastated- massive screaming tantrum and denial- when we told him that wasn't possible. :)Sigh, the kid has his moments. When dd12 was 5, she was quite determined that she was going to be a swan when she grew up. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsrevmeg Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 My oldest son has said that he wants to be a NASA engineer since he was in the seven years old. Now, he wants to add being the president to that. (that part makes me cringe) My middle son wants to make Chinet paper plates for Huhtamaki. That is cringe worthy because even if there are still factories in America by the time he grows up they probably won't be there for long. My youngest says he wants to be a preacher, but he is not sure if he will like everyone's eyeballs being pointed at him. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-FL Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 When dd#2 was about 4, we lived near a small airport & could see the skydivers coming in. She said she wanted to be a skydiving, missionary's wife. Since she drank so much milk, we'd tease that she should marry a dairy farmer. Really made her mad.:tongue_smilie: As for now, dd#2 wants to be a writer (scary for the financial security part), dd#1 will probably major in English w/minor in Film Production (ditto above), ds rants that he'd be happy working in a boat yard doing fiberglass (UGH) or being a laborer. That was before dh took over checking his school daily so ds now sees that he CAN do the mental-work. Hopefully ds has higher ambitions now.:glare: I would cringe for their safety if they wanted to go into police/fire/military, but I'd also be proud they're putting others before themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Virginia Dawn Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I try to have an open mind when my son talks about careers. I'd like to encourage him in whatever he chooses, but... When he mentions going into politics - I cringe. Am I the only one? Are there any occupations for your children that make you do the same? Singing/acting star. My daughter was smitten with this occupation as a young teen. That made me cringe big time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I live in northwest Houston. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Lee Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 (edited) I would cringe for their safety if they wanted to go into police/fire/military, but I'd also be proud they're putting others before themselves. :iagree:and my closest relatives are those 3 things! Perhaps it's b/c I know (first-hand, for some of it) the stress and time away from family involved. I will be mortified if either of my sons actually becomes a NASCAR driver. That scares me just b/c of the sheer danger. I don't know how to do multiple quotes, but Virginia Dawn said "Singing/acting star. My daughter was smitten with this occupation as a young teen. That made me cringe big time." Yep, that's where my dd is right now. Absolutely convinced that singing is her destiny. :glare: I don't want to discourage her so I allow her to dream, but... let's just say she won't believe that winning American Idol "someday" isn't a real career. RRRrrrrgh! Edited April 9, 2009 by Annabel Lee tired... made lots of sp errors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Heather Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Would it help if I told you that in 1982 I told my teacher I wanted to be a "Solid Gold Dancer" when I grow up? Come on, someone tell me they remember that TV show! :D Watched it every week with my parents!:D:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Are there any occupations for your children that make you do the same? Lawyer. Military. Schoolteacher. Ministry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Mine wanted to move to Amsterdam and be a drug dealer. Really. Thank God that's changed. He now wants to be a physicist, as he has a couple of undeveloped but promising "unity" theories of the universe. Can't wait to see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 who is 9, either wants to be an astronaut or a pizza man. :tongue_smilie: He's leaning heavily to being a pizza man. He thinks there can be nothing better than making pizza all day long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula in PA Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Would it help if I told you that in 1982 I told my teacher I wanted to be a "Solid Gold Dancer" when I grow up? Come on, someone tell me they remember that TV show! :D :D:lol:Yep! I watched it every week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula in PA Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Race car driving. It's the one thing I told dd she is absolutely forbidden to do. :D Thankfully, she has no interest. Right now, her ambition is to be a veterinarian, which is just fine by me. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Military. Not because there's anything wrong with it; but with my son's personality and temperament, it would crush him. For my daughter, pole dancer would definitely make me cringe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Rock star! My 11yods wants to play the electric guitar. I told him that he needs to learn classical guitar first, and that we'd consider electric guitar in a couple years or so. I really don't want him to play electric guitar. My "little" brother was passionate about guitar, and was quite good. He got into the whole rock scene (including the drugs and alcohol), and died very young (in a one car accident). While I'd love for my son, who shows the same passion and talent for guitar as his uncle did, to be a great musician, and even though I love good ol' rock-and-roll, I just hate the thought of him living a rock musician lifestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 (edited) My oldest daughter wants to be an archaeologist. The only thing that makes me cringe about that is the cost of college. :lol: My 5 year old dd wants to be a plumber. I don't know where that came from but dh is all for it if it means he wouldn't have to do the plumbing in our house any more. Also, not all children change their minds. I was 10 when I knew that I wanted to be an actor and that is exactly where I went. Of course, as an adult my priorities changed and now I am a work from home medical transcriptionist that homeschools my children which is about as far away from acting as I can get but in my heart, that is what I will always be and that is where my passion lies. I long for the day to be able to get back to it. Edited April 9, 2009 by littlebug42 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Oldest, 12, wants to work at a Gamestop and design computer games. :glare: He loves numbers and logic. I encourage him to consider a fall-back career as a CPA or businessman. No cringing here. Youngest, soon to be 11, wants to be a p/t blackjack dealer and a p/t magician/entertainer in Las Vegas. He says he will marry a showgirl (dad gave him the idea!) and buy us a penthouse apartment in Vegas. However, I encourage him to be a college physics professor or a traveling "Bill Nye the Science Guy" educator. He just loves to talk about science concepts and teach people tricks. He's currently making instructional videos for Youtube and it pretty darn good at it. I think a desk job would drive him bananas - he still stands when he does school work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Military terrifies me. I've seen too many "Saving Private Ryan" type movies to be okay with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 My 6 year old wanted to be a hot dog until this year. He wanted his friends to be able to snack when they came to play. Now he wants to be a cowboy doctor. I'm not sure if that is a split-time job or some serious specialization! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie in Oh Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 At 7 my ds decided he wanted to fly fighter jets and land on aircraft carriers. I was all for that, I think I actually said you can do anything you want as long as it's not construction. :tongue_smilie: and it makes me cringe. I don't really want him in the military and I don't really want him to be a fighter pilot. This is coming from a military wife who's dh used to fly. Ds was a baby when dh was on flying status so he doesn't remember the stress of it all. He just thinks it sounds cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 ;D Oh, Heather, I had the same ambition! Denny Terrio was so smooth! Okay, and my other greatest ambition was to be a hair stylist. I cut all my Barbie's hair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccmom Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 They asked my middle sister what she wanted to be when she grew up. She said, "A sewing machine." My mom was mortified. I love that! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Pole dancing... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 The one that makes me cringe is from my 7 yr old dd. She wants to be an NFL cheerleader. Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 When ds was 3-4, he announced that he knew what he wanted to be when he grows up. I asked, of course, but wasn't prepared for his answer... "God." Yikes. Where is that lightening rod smiley? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 The one that makes me cringe is from my 7 yr old dd. She wants to be an NFL cheerleader. Kelly I want to be an NFL cheerleader and I am 37!:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I'm surprised at the number of posts about not wanting children to serve in the military. I would be thrilled if my boys chose to serve, for life or even for a time. (But I think that we should be like Israel and everyone has to serve.) My oldest wants to be Travis Pastrana. I am not thrilled with the idea because of the risk of injury, but he loves and I am not ready to crush his dreams. I don't think he is going to outgrow it, so I just make it as safe as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phathui5 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 My kids haven't wanted to be anything that's bothered me so far. Right now my oldest wants to be an engineer and dd wants to be a mom. My three year old wants to be a "football guy." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqr Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I would be mortified if either of my kids wanted to join the military. Fortunately, some 70 years ago, more than a few parents were not "mortified" or you just might be speaking Japanese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Some of these are hilarious! Pole dancer, NFL Cheerleader, Sewing Machine. Recently my 5 yr old asked me what he should be when he grew up. I did the standard "you can be anything you want." He replied in that parents are so stupid voice "I know that, but what should I be." I went through a long list of possibilities: engineer (what I could see him being), marine biologist, zookeeper, scientist, architect (dh is an architect), doctor (like me). To each one he shook his head and said "Too hard." Finally he said "I KNOW. I'll be a Capitol Guy." Took me a few minutes to figure it out but a Capitol Guy is a politician. Why does he want to be that? "It would be really easy." :) And what will he do as a Capitol Guy? "Turn all the NO U-Turn signs into YES U-turn signs." I told him that was a pretty good platform. He said "Yes, I think a lot of people WANT to U-turn." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Finally he said "I KNOW. I'll be a Capitol Guy." Took me a few minutes to figure it out but a Capitol Guy is a politician. Why does he want to be that? "It would be really easy." :) And what will he do as a Capitol Guy? "Turn all the NO U-Turn signs into YES U-turn signs." I told him that was a pretty good platform. He said "Yes, I think a lot of people WANT to U-turn." :lol::lol::lol: Yes one of those signs would be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Would it help if I told you that in 1982 I told my teacher I wanted to be a "Solid Gold Dancer" when I grow up? Come on, someone tell me they remember that TV show! :D Hey-you found a profession that can combine the cringe factor of pole dancer, cheerleader, and Vegas showgirl all in one! :lol: (Yes, I remember watching...and for the record the "Fly Girls" tried but could never surpass those gals.) And on the other topic--I would be proud to have my children serve their country. I might worry and fret but I would be proud! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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