Aspirational grandson

Where there's muck, there's brass?
Not stupid, your DGS!
Mine, aged 4 1/2 solemnly assured me he is "going to be a princess" when he grows up.

Eldest GD is going to be an artist and youngest is going to be a princess of course.

It is a noble calling, ga. How would we manage without them?

My dad, who was an educational philosopher,, always used to say: "I don't care what you do, sweep streets if you want, so long as you can think".

DD1 wanted to work in the 'paying place' at the petrol station - mainly because it was full of sweets, I suspect.

In the wee Scottish town where I was brought up there was a cobbler, called John Guthrie who actually made shoes as well as mended them (properly, not just sticking soles etc on) and he was one of the most well read, intelligent, dare I intellectual men you could have met. Leaving the High School at14 and then apprenticed to his father, he was also self educated and reading widely, extremely knowledgeable and wise. My father and he would have long philosophical discussions

In those days when education was highly prized but the money to go to university thin on the ground I believe he was what is called a "man o' pairts "
So yes, he mended shoes, but never stopped thinking
His only son became a professor.

Our DD1 always wanted to be a maths teacher, a waitress or a trapeze artist.
We all went to a circus show recently which was predominantly acrobatics including, of course, trapeze artists. At the interval I asked what she thought of them. She said "the old pull is still there. . . " she's now a solicitor and has her own practice?

I wanted to be a cobbler.

My ex boss spent a small fortune on his children 's education .Tutors as well as a private schools. We thought it was a bit sad really as they should have been able to just be children. He camehere from Uganda as a child & wantedthe best for his children.
When his little boy was about 6 we were chatting in surgery & the lad told me he knew what he wanted to do when he grew up. He wanted to work in New York- Dad loved very pleased- in McDonald's!! Dad was mortified. We teased him about it for weeks!

My. DGS wants to drive the dustcart. GA. His twin sister wants to be an artist so that she can get messy. However , he did say the other day that he would like to marry Princess Charlotte so that he could become part of the Royal Family

Please don't worry. My son wanted to be a footballer or a pirate. He is now a Primary school teacher . Life has gone full circle. His grandfather wanted to be a teacher but had to leave school at 14 when is father died and become a tailor in order to keep his mother and three sisters.

DGD aged 4 when asked a while ago said she wanted to make pizzas in a restaurant. I asked her yesterday if she still wanted to do that. "Oh no" she said, " I am going to be Mary Poppins"

My DGS when he was about 6 announced he was going to be a slacker ! He us actually doing an engineering PhD, but he gave us weeks of amusement when he made the announcement.

I think he is much more in touch with reality than the others ga. When you are 3 the bin lorry and the men collecting the bins are so fascinating. The rest had been coached. He knew what he was talking about. MY GD and GS aged 3 and 1 love watching the bin men- and most of them wave. I can understand your GS thinking that's the best job ever!

When my DS was three he announced that he was going to be a pensioner like his nan and go to the post office for his money!
It's looking increasingly unlikely that there will be any such thing as state pension by the time he's old enough to retire

DGS, when aged 9, wanted to be a stand-up comedian. He still has a quirky - dare I say scatological - sense of humour, but, now 11, has decided to be a designer of computer games. He certainly does lots of research.

My son works for a law firm, but recently he said that being a postman would be his dream job. He thinks the fresh air, the walking, and no stress would be wonderful.

My son wanted to work at the tip..these places and jobs are fascinating for the young..and as said before..very important jobs..he is now a doctor..but still loves the tip.

DGS (7) vacillates between aspiring to inventing things (unspecified) and research into dragons. I have tried to point out, casually, that the latter might not have a lot to work on.

Life would be very unpleasant, not to mention risky, without bin men doing their job, so good for grannyactivist's GS.

When my son was five he wanted to be a TV archeologist but that changed to TV chef when he was six.

My 24 year old daughter suggested that if I was bored with being at home after 34 years of teaching I might consider getting a job at Costa's.

My husband who has been a journalist, editor, manager, publisher etc. has only ever really wanted to be a train driver.

My grandson wanted to be a train driver until he was thirteen. He then realised that there would be too much noise for him to cope with it.
He now wants to be a postman, and every house we pass he looks for the letterbox to make sure he knows where to put them.

When my grandson was about nine some friends visited with their son, the same age. Someone asked, as someone always does, "What are you going to be when you grow up?"

The little visitor said he was going to be an astronaut but he hadn't yet decided which university, he told us his short list, that science and maths were his favourite subjects. His knowledge on the subject was impressive.

Then it was my grandson's turn. "I'm going to be the man that holds the Stop and Go sign on the roadworks." he replied firmly and confidently.

He is a six foot four grownup now and works in IT at County Hall. I wonder sometimes if he has a secret regret that he never got to hold the Stop Go sign.

My DGS wanted to be a mermaid. At a similar age I just wanted to get married in an ice cream shop. My aspirations came to nothing and I have a feeling that his won't either !

When he was about 3, my DS told us he wanted to be Father Christmas when he grew up. While searching online for gift ideas for my DGD yesterday, i came across this advice:"A pirate ship always makes a good present for a 4 year old plus it focuses him on future career choices." Pirates are very popular at the moment so be prepared for an alarming increase in maritime crime in a few years from now!