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Main Page Site Index Getting Pregnant Pregnancy Parenting Pregnancy and Parenting Journals Fertility Nutrition Pregnant Moms Morning Sickness Women's Health Child Health	Great Expecations by Linda Sharp I was listening to my daughters, ages 6 & 5, discuss their career goals the other day. One wants to be an artist, one wants to be a ballerina. (The third wants to be a "BIDOOEY THWPPPPPPTZS", which may translate into something really cool, but since she is only 20 months and does not yet speak English, I'll have to hold judgement.) Have you ever noticed that children aspire to those jobs which are generally the most demanding, yet the least compensated in our society? Think about it....we'll start with my daughters.... ARTIST:      Words like "suffering" and "starving" seem to be perpetually linked to this title. I can only hope that should her dream persist, Disney will still be in the market of animating the classics that bored us to tears in high school. BALLERINA::      One of the most physically demanding of the arts, it is curious how all little girls want to be a ballerina when they are young...and how no one goes to view it when they are older. COWBOY:      With the exceptions of Roy Rogers, Gene Autrey and John Wayne, no one has ever gotten rich chasing a cow around on a horse. FIREFIGHTER:      What little boy has not wanted to be a fireman when he grows up? The snazzy red truck, the cool dog, the chance to die everytime the alarm bell rings... BARBIE:      Hell, I still want to be Barbie when I grow up! SPORTS HERO:      Great money if you are one in a million given the chance to turn your body into chipped beef on toast. TEACHER:      Children love to play teacher when they are young. Makes them feel in charge, smarter, nurturing......thank God some remain that idealistic as they grow up. They are ones brave enough to actually enter this profession. Personally, I wanted to be a stewardess when I was a child. (Yes, I know they are now referred to as Flight Attendants. I was a child a long time ago!!) It seemed very glamorous, I suppose. Flying all over the world, wearing a cool uniform, meeting cute pilots. I actually carried this dream through my early teen years until I learned that my handicap would keep my from entering their ranks. You see, I am,( to be politically correct) "vertically challenged". Okay, okay, I'm just plain short. I can't even REACH the overhead bin. Now that I'm an adult, I feel only compassion for the flight attendants of this world. They are underappreciated, on their feet, flying to exotic destinations such as Toledo. I suppose young children aspire to that which they are exposed. I mean, most 4 year olds think being a cashier at Seven-Eleven is a really cool job. As parents who have been subjected to the harsh realities of this world, our career goals/dreams for our children are always more materialistic. "Yessirree, Johnny is going to go to Harvard Law." "Just wait till Judy grows up to be a Doctor!" You know, some profession that guarantees they will be able to support both themselves and us. (That retirement home in Montego Bay doesn't come cheap you know!) I suggest that while they are young, we take a lesson from their innocent musings on career choices. They see the beauty, the romance. They have plenty of time to be corrupted into seeing the $ signs. As for mine, artist, ballerina, gypsie? Whatever makes them happiest will be fine with me. After all, I have a sneaking suspicion that "BIDOOEY THWPPPPPPTZS" means Investment Banker. (Rum Punch & shuffleboard, anyone?) About Linda Sharp Linda is an internationally published humorist, appearing in publications from Canada to New Zealand, as well as many websites. She is also co-creator of the totally irreverent and hilarious Sanity Central - A Time Out From Parenting, located at www.sanitycentral.com . As a mother of three children ( 4 if you count her husband ), she firmly believes that laughter IS the best medicine. While her own life provides endless inspiration for her writings, she welcomes input and story ideas from other parents! She may be reached at icingotc@msn.com . Linda and her family currently wallow in the endless sunshine of southern California.