As I'm on holiday I've only just caught up with this thread. 
My eldest son wanted to be a carrot and the younger one wanted to live in a shed on a smallholding. There's no hope for the older one who's an accountant, but the younger one may yet accomplish his ambition.
I should point out that my grandson has a friend at school who wants to be a tiger.
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Aspirational grandson
(58 Posts) My three year old grandson has a privileged education - he is in a fairly expensive private school. Recently the school did a promotional video in which the children (of all ages) were asked, one at a time, what they would like to be when they grow up: an architect, a spy, a footballer, a lawyer and, from my grandson.........a bin man!!! 
My 8 yr old DGD announced that she is going to be a jockey. She is a very confident rider. My DDiL told her that she would have to go away to jockey school (thinking it might put her off) but she answered "yes I know and I can't wait" Her sister (10) also a very good rider, wants to be a horse producer (I didn't know there was such a thing) and their little brother (6) says he is going to play for Barcelona.
My DGS wants to be a spy!
Wanting to be a Dr reminds me of a tale from the other side.
One of my friends has an extremely high flying DIL. She travels the world while her H is a house husband. My friend took me to their home and I must admit to being intimidated by the young woman, she was not easy to get on friendly terms with.
The 4 year old GD had an electronic till with coins etc and a microphone which the child loved and would say" can I have the price of a tin of beans etc.
My friend said " oh you are good at that,perhaps you can work in a shop when you grow up" to which the mother retorted, very haughtily " we are actually expecting her to be a Dr". Rather awkward rest of my visit.
DD at about age 5 wanted to be a doctor or a vet. Unfortunately she couldn't cope with the sight of blood and is terrified of dogs so quickly realised her ambitions were rather unrealistic. She got a degree in music and went to work for an orchestra in their planning department.
Meanwhile DS claimed he wanted to be a builder but is currently studying for a PhD in maths. Mind you he is pretty handy at DIY and often does jobs for me around the house when he visits. He learnt a lot working at B&Q for a summer before university and seems to really enjoy using his practical skills so maybe he knew more than we thought at the time.
My son always said that he wanted to grow up and have one of those cards that you put in the machine in the wall and get money out, just like Daddy. There didn't seem to be any thoughts about how the money got there...
I remember being asked this question when I was very small and my answer was "I want to be a lady with a baby". I was quite offended when everyone laughed heartily, I couldn't see anything funny in that response at all! Ambitions were fulfilled (2 of) and are now being fulfilled over again as a gran (4 of) - except I am not sure if I am a "lady" 
My younger son also wanted to be a bin man - because they only work in the early morning and have the rest of the day off. Now 40 I have to say he is now a really successful graphic designer
Once, discussing jobs they wanted to do with a group of infants, one boy cheerfully said he wanted to be a burglar. Into the ensuing silence the boy sitting next to him said he wanted to be a policeman. All agreed that he could catch the other one! Sorted!
GS2 (aged 5) says he wants to be someone who works with potions.... I'm hoping he means something like a chemist and not a poisoner. His sister (7) wants to travel the world and write about people in other countries. They are so funny, aren't they? I love the bin man story 
DS1 wanted to be a coach driver when he was small. I can see the attraction of driving to the tourist spot, enjoying it for the day and driving back in the evening. He is now an heating engineer travelling all over the country and abroad.
He will likely run his own waste processing plant and be extremely well off.
I imagine that at 3,he is fascinated by the bin lorry .
Sounds like a very individual little soul.
My GS has wanted to be a zookeeper for several years now. I'm getting worried it will happen. I hate zoos. Don't understand how anyone who loves animals would want to put them in cages/enclosures.
DD2 couldn't decide between clothes design, dancer or teacher. Enjoyed singing, dancing and eventually did some fashion/textile work, so maybe the best of all possible worlds for her!
When DD was 6 she told her godmother (very respectable JP) that she wanted to be a bank robber or a stripper.
. Never voiced that one before or since. Glad to report she is now a high powered program manager. (Phew emoticon)
When my middle DS was about 12 and was asked what he wanted to do when he left school he said he wanted to be a book maker. We were quite impressed with this until he made it perfectly clear he meant a bookie. Tbf you rarely see a poor bookie. Having said that he never did become one but he still likes a bet on the horses! 
When I worked in a bookshop I commented to an elderly man that he had made an excellent selection of children's classics. He told me that his father, a South Wales coal miner, had ensured that he read those book when young and now he wanted his own son to be able to do the same. I asked him what he did in life after such a good start fromhis father, he was Professor of Theology at a Welsh University.
A few years ago a very bright, very small (3?) girl joined Mensa, the high IQ society. She had various media interviews and on one tv channel was happily answering various questions.
Then she was asked what she would liked to be when she grew up - 'A mermaid' was the reply!!
When my dear sister's elder son was about 5 he said he was going to be a soldier. Sister said he would have to leave the village then-he was horrified but sister said well have you ever seen any soldiers in our village? He hadn't so that was the end of that career choice! He's something v successful (don't ask me what!) in computers in the City-so he did leave the village
DH has ALWAYS wanted to be a bricklayer. He worked as an art teacher for 40 years instead. . . .
For the past two years my DGS has been adamant he is going to be a racing car driver. Nothing will distract him, and he is in seventh heaven on the go carting track where Lewis Hamilton started out. Who knows.....!
My 8 year old GS has been adamant for approx. the last 18 months that he wants to make you tube videos about Minecraft and Terraria, like Stampy. Since Stampy seems to be making a very successful life for himself, I suppose it's not a bad life plan.
In an exasperated unguarded moment, I once told him I was going to get Stampy to come to school to teach him his times tables as he might have more success that I was having!! His little face lit up and I had to explain it was a bad Nana joke.
When he was about four my youngest DGS wanted to be a ballroom dancer, then a couple of years later he wanted to be a karate instructor. I can't wait to hear the next aspiration if discipline, movement and rhythm are key ingredients.
When my children were very young my daughter wanted to be a pilot or a doctor and my son wanted to dig holes in the road.
Am I wrong to worry that my GD wants to be a police dog? We thought she meant dog handler but she was adamant she wants to be the dog!
My youngest GS now 8 has always wanted to work in a dump. He is fascinated by rubbish and recycling. A favourite book of his when he was four is step by step guide on how recycling happens which he used to spend hours looking at and being read all the different sections. Another book he was given included funny pictures of rubbish dumps, one picture showed a dead rat stuck upside down in the dump which GS loved looking at. Now at 8 GS still wants to work in a rubbish dump and loves to sort the recycling and put it in the recycling bin which is one of his jobs at home. When his dad goes to the dump to get rid of branches GS always goes along to help. Recently he saved up some cans so his father took him to the recycling centre where he was given money for his cans. That was a happy day for him, money for recycling. 
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