My two year old has talked about growing up and becoming many things.
First, he was going to be Elmo when he was older.
After that, he said he would be a mailman, a firefighter, a construction worker, and a chef.
Now, he goes between that, a snow plow driver, a garbage collector and Blippi.
Next month it will probably be a different profession.
As parents, we often wonder what our children will grow up to be. Yes, I would be scared every single day of my life if he became a firefighter, a policeman, or anything that involves risking your life each day- but my goodness, I would be so proud.
To my child, I want you to know that you can be anything you would like to be, and I will support you while being proud of you. You can change your mind a billion times about which profession you have. That’s okay, too. I remember wanting to be a teacher, a journalist, a social worker…. it changed so many times and when it didn’t work out, I felt like I had failed. I became a Mom and I found one of the biggest passions of my life. In turn, I started to write again, and I found another one. Life brings you to places you never expected, and that’s all part of the ride.
Some people have their lives figured out right away, and others don’t. That doesn’t mean you are failing. It means you are TRYING. Continue to try new things until you find one or several of your passions. If one doesn’t work out, try something else, and don’t beat yourself up. I know you will work hard to achieve anything you desire.
As children, we often have dreams of what we will be when we’re older and for some of us, those dreams get put on the back burner for a variety of reasons. However, not enough of us dream of growing up to remain young at heart.
We forget the root of it all.
We forget:
- to laugh at things that are silly, or to laugh for no reason at all.
- that our overwhelming emotions are okay to feel.
- that life is not all about paying rent, other bills, and the “9-5” madness.
- what it feels like to breathe in Summer air without worrying about looking at the time.
- to just enjoy the feeling of the grass under our bare feet.
We forget that dreaming is a wonderful thing.
Dream of being an astronaut, a firefighter, a parent, an accountant, an architect, a writer, a chef, an artist… turn dreams into a reality if that’s what will make you happy.
Please, always keep your inner child alive, because the child you are now has made my life complete. You deserve to always have the laughter and love you provide kept in your heart as a reminder of what dreams are made of.
Dream on, little one. I can’t wait to see where life takes you.