Discovering occupations

By Kristen Pind

We've been talking a lot lately about jobs at my house. With school starting a few weeks ago, there has been a lot of discussion of what the kids want to be when they grow up. When Max, my husband, and I were kids we remember discussing the usual suspects -- teacher, firefighter, airplane pilot, policeman and so on.

Our kids already are discussing things Max and I never even thought about as occupations. Felicity of course already has decided she is going to be the Pink Wiggle when she grows up, because it is just a shame those dancing Aussies don't have a pink friend on their show.

Cooper on the other hand is discovering a new occupation each day. One day we discussed his love of video games on the way to school. I told him it was someone's job to make those games, and he jumped for joy. "That is my new job," he said. The next day we went to a program at the Nature Center. I informed him that telling people all about animals that live in Missouri is a job, and boom, that's his new job. We were at the library and saw a magician performing magic and making balloon animals. Catching on to the fact the guy could be getting paid to make balloon animals was another revelation. Bam! Coop has found a new job for when he grows up.

I love seeing his eyes light up when he discovers new things, which is all the time. He is a sponge, always soaking up information at every opportunity. His options are limitless, and I love seeing him discover this. He has now realized everyone has a job, from the gentlemen who pick up our trash to his teachers to our pastor.

I can't wait to see what each of my children decide to be, and I love that if they were to be adults today I would have a shiny Pink Wiggle and a video-game designing, conservationist magician. Ages 3 and 7 are great years; I can't wait to see what 4 and 8 bring.