What did you want to be when you grew up?

A wife, mother, and teacher. I had several part time jobs until my daughter started school then I was an early childhood teacher for 30 years.

A journalist. And I am ..

I publish a flip book magazine since Christmas 2016 however, I have written for numerous international publications ..

A farmers wife.

Aged 8 I yearned to be a writer like Jo in Little Women and - I can still hardly believe it - my dream came true, though not rich and famous. For thirty plus years I wrote books for children then in 2019 I read an article saying ‘Too many books feature stereotypical older women who can’t use phones and don’t like sex. Gransnet and imprint HQ are looking for writers to change all that.’ It urged new writers to enter a competition to write a novel about older women challenging that stereotype. My entry was refused - because I was not a new writer though new to the women’s fiction genre - but I went on to find a publisher, and become a fan of Gransnet. I don’t post very often but I’ve gleaned such a lot from you all. All my characters are the product of my imagination - of course! - but some of you might find the occasional similarity. Wish I could urge you to read them -all writers want more readers- but that would mean breaking cover and might be seen as advertising. So I’ll just say ‘Thank you, Gransnet!’

Always wanted to work in a Library being book mad or be a Vet as I loved animals! Managed one of those & spent most of my working life in Libraries. The other just meant I would have lots of different animals. Still have lots of books but only one large beautiful boy cat & one left of many tortoises. Do spiders count as I am a bit upset today having found my fav Cellar spider caught in another spiders web. Too late to save her sadly! Hate all other spiders by the way!

I wanted to be a librarian - and I did! I stayed on for A Levels and went to Birmingham school of Librarianship to do a 4 year degree course. I worked in public libraries, a university library and ended up as a school librarian for 20 years. I loved it, it’s the best job in the world.

I told every one I was going to marry Prince Charles. I think i dodged that one! Lol

I was perhaps luckier than two of you.

I wanted to be an opera singer, got into the Academy of Music and studied there, then was told that no-one really wanted coloratura sopranos at the time (mid 1970s) only dramatic sopranos were likely to get any professional work.

But I did become a flamenco dancer.

A bus conductress as I thought I could travel a long way for free!
But my real dream was to be a teacher and I @achieved that!

I wanted to be a vet , but I fell pregnant when I was 17 so life took a different road.

A farmer living in the countryside, a sheepdog, dressing how I liked, feeding the chickens and so on. Had to find a farmer to marry though as despite the land girls in the war no one was hiring female farm workers and buying my own place was an impossible dream.

Ballerina ....

I always wanted to be a chiropodist. My careers advice consisted of “ all your exams point to teaching , dear . Next! “
And I taught for 100 years!!

A film make up artist so I could get close to Peter O'Toole.

Like GrandMac, when I was very small I wanted to be a bus conductor or conductress as I think they were called then. I probably hadn’t experienced many other women working outside the home, but there was also the glamour of working on the big red London double deckers and operating a ticket machine, with different coloured tickets for different fares.

On leaving school I went for an interview as a journalist with the Daily Mirror but was (quite kindly) rejected as I’m sure my interviewer recognised that I would never have been tough enough for that type of journalism.
I left school at sixteen without telling my parents beforehand and only found out when I was saying goodbye to one totally shocked teacher that, “ We all thought that you would stay on for A levels and go to University.” I can remember thinking why the hell didn’t anyone say that to me and encourage me then, but of course didn’t say anything. I drifted into working in a solicitor’s office for a couple of years which I thoroughly enjoyed and then left to work in one of the London banks. Unfortunately the weekend before I started I seriously injured my spine and by the time it was diagnosed and realised that the pain I was in was not just due to travelling in the rush hour, the damage was done.
I ended up not working for over two years although the bank paid me in full for six months and then I think a limited amount for the six months after that.
I went back into reception/ telelphonist work and eventually met and married DH.

I wanted to be a nurse and I ended up as one

A family doctor,a wife and a mum with a garden, dogs and chickens.
I'm very blessed as fulfilled all those hopes

I wanted to be a hairdresser but my sensible head said that if I got married and had children I wouldn’t be able to take it up after so I went to college and learned shorthand and typing and that’s where I ended up … in an office …. boring! In those days mobile hairdressing wasn’t heard of unfortunately.

After I stopped wanting to be a nun, lol, I wanted to write. For the longest time I wanted to be a journalist. I applied for an apprenticeship on a local paper but unfortunately was told I needed qualifications in English (which I had) and maths, which I didn’t. Sadly my dream didn’t come true and I ended up working in offices, then as a computer operator and finally as a partner in my now ex husbands business. I’ve never stopped wondering what kind of journalist I would have made.

I always wanted to join the police until an optician told me at 14 that my eyes were so bad I had no chance!

I wanted to be a mummy and have lots of children. I don’t think I realised that I’d have to get a job first.

Astronomer.

Became an accountant ☹️.

I always wanted to be a teacher….and I was,for 43 years, I loved every minute.

When my parents took me out and about, aged 4-5, all I saw everywhere was women busy at typewriters (circa 1959). If anyone asked me what I wanted to be, I always replied, “…a typewriter…”. Went to Uni, couldn’t find a job, ended up doing a secretarial course, where I finally learned to touch type 😊Still couldn’t really settle in work, ended up in primary teaching, where my typing skills did prove useful! Still at my happiest tapping away at a keyboard 😊

A messenger