What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

What do you want to be when you grow up?

It’s a question that’s getting asked a lot at our place at the moment as Year 11 & 12 subjects are being selected and University courses are being thought about. Tonight we’re off to an information evening at school where everything from OP scores to traineeships will be discussed.

It’s a relief to know that there are pathways for everyone but the whole notion of picking a career at the age of 15 seems so outdated, don’t you think?

I mean if someone told me when I was 15 that my job at the age of 43 would involve sharing stories on the internet for people I don’t know to read, I would’ve thought

1. what’s the internet and
2. don’t be ridiculous!  I’m going to be a teacher, thanks very much.

I think it’s much easier to get yourself through Year 11 & 12 and head off to uni when you know exactly what you want to be.  When a career is calling you, there’s a finish line. There’s something to work towards and a reason for all of that hard work to take place.

But what if you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up? 

Making that decision at 15 must be overwhelming and one that we certainly don’t expect our son to do. For starters the career path he eventually decides on probably doesn’t even exist yet!

Then there’s the whole concept of only ever having one job or profession.  That’s a very old school way of thinking and even though I’m very much for University study, it does make me question what the point of it is if you don’t really know what you want to be when you grow up.

So far in my working life I’ve been a

• sales assistant at Myer 
• receptionist
• early childhood teacher
• Body Shop At Home consultant
• children’s birthday party planner
• full-time mum
• part-time student
• graphic designer
• blogger

That’s quite the list for someone who only ever wanted to be a teacher!  

Imagine what it must feel like for a teenager who isn’t really sure of what they want to be or do. Stressful, to say the least.

But it doesn’t have to be.  As we keep saying to Bailey, the right thing will find you eventually.

Even though I spent years teaching children how to read and write I never knew I had the ability to write stories too. Turns out I do and it’s something I absolutely love.

Blogging has also shown me that I have a few other skills that I didn’t know I had.  For instance, I can also take reasonably good photos, throw an outfit together that doesn’t look entirely repulsive and occasionally make people laugh.  Who knew?!

Maybe you’ve got a list of jobs to your name that’s quite lengthy or perhaps you’ve stayed in the same role for most of your working life. Either way, I’d love to know.

So tell me, what do you want to be when you grow up?  Have you decided or are you too busy trying to help your kids work out their career path?