How I long for the simple childhood days when everything seemed possible. As we get older, our options just seem to get narrower, or at least it feels that way when I listen to Snubnose earnestly pondering about what she’ll do when she’s an adult.
Every year (and I am quite impressed that her ambitions even last a year), Snubnose changes her mind about her future career, and I love how varied her choices have been so far.
It all started when she turned four years old. During our trip to Hong Kong and Thailand, we went through a number of airports and Snubnose was star-struck at the security checks everywhere. She immediately and on the spot decided that she wanted to be an airport security checker.
At first, it was mildly amusing…and then it became infuriating as once she got home, she used her plastic shovel and security checked everyone who entered the house.
This phase lasted until mid next year when IPL cricket season started. I knew we were in trouble as soon as she saw the cheerleaders with their pompoms. She was dead set on being a cheerleader throughout 2 IPL seasons.
Here’s a rather blurry shot of snubnose trying out the steps:
Once Piglet came into our lives, and she saw me taking care of him, she decided that what she really, really wanted to be was a mother.
I explained to her that she could be a mother and have a career at the same time if she wanted. But no, she was adamant. She only wanted to be a mother. So, I told her she could practice mothering skills on the Piglet. And very quickly that ambition bit the dust :D.
After that, one day she woke up saying she dreamt that she owned a bow shop. A bow shop? What’s that, snubnose? I asked. She went into a long, incoherent explanation of how she and her friend were selling bows in a shop. So, I ask, only bows? Yup, according to snubnose, their shop will sell only bows.
I explained that there may not be enough shoppers to buy the bows, to which she promptly replied that all her friends would buy. Dubious mom accepted this explanation to keep the peace. Snubnose then went into a mad bow phase after that and it still sort of persists today, as evidenced by her posing in this new dress I got for her…
These days, she has ambitions of becoming a fashion designer. From the rough drawings that she has done, I think there may be some scope for her in this field.
I confess that I rather like the idea of snubnose turning fashion designer, and if snubnose eventually does join the ranks of 9-5 desk job workers, a small part of me will be a bit sad :(.
What ambitions did you have as a child? Do you still have the same interests? Did you eventually make a career of it?
I always wanted to be a writer, and well…here I am…I write technical docs (not novels like I dreamed of), and write this blog to satisfy my creative writing urges.
Awww. This is an adorable set of ambitions for the snubnose to have had. I never wanted to be anything cool when I was a kid. When people would ask what I wanted to be when I grew up, I was always like, Yeah, I don’t know, we’ll see what life brings me. :p
@Jenny: You know, I think that’s the best way to go….ambitions and high expectations as kids can sometimes set you up for a fall 🙂
I have never heard of a child aspiring to be a security checker…that’s a good one. I also like the bow shop and I definitely think there’s a market for it.
I wanted to be a journalist, writer, and briefly a lawyer. I tried law and hated it. I was a journalist for several years and I now edit and write corporate communications stuff so year. I guess we are privileged to be able to fulfill our dreams. Or maybe we had realistic dreams to start with.
@The Bride: Thanks for visiting and commenting. The law sounds dull, good you didn’t go through with it :). I wanted to be a journalist for some time too, but I was turned off by the low entry salaries that were offered at the time.
As far as i can remember, I always wanted to be a doctor but could not become one. Right now, I am in a 9-5 job which i both enjoy and hate, depending upon the situations i face. But the best thing I enjoy about my job is the financial independence it brings me. So at the end of the day, I am happy. 🙂
@dreamzandclouds: Oh, yes, financial independence is one of the best things a job can provide 🙂