What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
go.ncsu.edu/readext?1017072
en Español / em Português
El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.
Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.
Português
Inglês é o idioma de controle desta página. Na medida que haja algum conflito entre o texto original em Inglês e a tradução, o Inglês prevalece.
Ao clicar no link de tradução, um serviço gratuito de tradução será ativado para converter a página para o Português. Como em qualquer tradução pela internet, a conversão não é sensivel ao contexto e pode não ocorrer a tradução para o significado orginal. O serviço de Extensão da Carolina do Norte (NC State Extension) não garante a exatidão do texto traduzido. Por favor, observe que algumas funções ou serviços podem não funcionar como esperado após a tradução.
English
English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.
Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.
Collapse ▲We have all heard children tell us what they want to be. I kept a running list of my oldest daughter’s aspirations for a while as she moved from dancer to horse trainer with several ideas in between. The standard careers that make a child’s imagined future, like firefighter or YouTuber, are fun to hear and essential to a child’s development. Career exploration begins at birth, occurring when the object of a story is doing something interesting, such as “I want to be a train engineer.” As they age, conversations about work over the dinner table will spark a child’s interest, “I want to be a teacher like Dad.” Helping your child recognize career options early can show him or her that work can be fun if it is in an area of interest.
By elementary school age, your child may have had many iterations of their aspirations, which is encouraging. The more exposure they have to different career choices, the better. Discuss what the adults they know do for a living, like relatives, the parents of their friends, or neighbors. Read various books that will expose your child to different types of careers. Use your home as an object lesson and determine all the careers that contributed to its existence, including furniture, plumbing, television, and all the conveniences you utilize.
An encouraging activity with your child is identifying their skills, abilities, and interests. Brainstorming together will help them feel accomplished and give you both ideas for activities that will enhance those skills. Do they do well in school? Which subjects? Do they get along well with their peers? Artists might make good architects or graphic designers. Mathematicians could find encouragement in a STEM club. If you are creative and resourceful, you can find inexpensive outlets for these skills in our area: school, the community recreation center, and especially 4-H, which offer many opportunities to explore and uncover talents.
Once your child is in his or her teens, they ask themselves, “Who am I?” and “Where do I fit in?” whether they say it out loud or not. The pressure to answer the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” begins to weigh even heavier. As a parent or guardian, it becomes vital to keep the communication channels open to ideas and discussions that could lead to positive defining experiences. Colleges like NC State, NC A&T, and CCCC offer summer camps and programs that can give your teen immersive exposure. Once again, help them identify their skills, abilities, and interests and make sure they know you support their efforts to define personal career goals.
It is good when children and teens are aware of careers or occupations available to them. When teens choose careers that fit their interests, abilities, and personalities, they will have greater life satisfaction. This awareness cannot come too early. I wonder, what did you want to be when you grew up?
If you want resources for your career exploration or opportunities for camps, groups, and clubs in Lee County, contact Pam Kerley. Pam is the 4-H Program Assistant for North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Lee County Center. 4-H is a positive youth development program offering programs that suit a variety of backgrounds, interests, budgets, and schedules. From in-school to after-school, clubs to camps, 4-H programs are available in Lee County, and we welcome children who want to have fun, learn, and grow. In North Carolina, 4-H is brought to you by the NC State Cooperative Extension. N.C. Cooperative Extension’s experts and educators share university knowledge, information, and tools you can use daily to improve your life.