Young Dreams – What Did You Want To Be When You Grew Up

I can remember when I was young and my dad asked me what I wanted to be.  I looked up at him and said a nurse because I want to help somebody.  My dad (who worked shift work for over thirty years) said, ” You don’t want to be a nurse and work nights, be a teacher.  They still help people and you don’t have to work the nightshift.” 

Low and behold, fifteen years later (ok I don’t really remember) I was sent off to college for my dream of becoming a teacher (clearly not for grammer).  I wanted to be an elementary teacher because I loved the way they still had a desire and willingness to learn.  
I was lucky that my parents had been setting aside money for my education and that my brother didn’t use his, so I only had to work during the summers.  I did, however, work during the summers and put my time in doing shiftwork in a coal mine.  While I didn’t think it was too bad, it wasn’t a career for me and I had a count down.  Knowing when they will end makes 12 hour night shifts easier I am sure.
 

As my last year of college fell upon me and I headed off to student teaching, I was placed in a second grade classroom.  This was fortunate because of the pressure associated with CSAP’s, I don’t want to work with students above second grade (this is the last year that they don’t take them).  While I was placed with a teacher who I had conflicting personalities with, I still thoroughly enjoyed my year.  With a classroom of 29 packed into a space made for 20, we learned about the solar system, cursive, multiplication, and – my personal favorite –  a whole unit on oceanography which I designed.

This was my dream growing up and I have met that dream head on…until I became a mother.  Now I have dreams of possibly having a classroom, maybe not soon and maybe not ever.  I love my place at home, most days, and I am sure that I will love being able to take an active role in my children’s lives and hopefully not have to worry about vacation time.  I feel truly blessed that I have a husband who works so hard to provide me with this opportunity.

While I have attained one dream another has formed and I will continue to meet that one head one as well.  What about you?  What were your dreams growing up?  Did your dream ever change? And of course what did you want to be when you grew up?