What do you want to be when you grow up?

The dreaded question gets asked over and over again

As Kindergarteners we are forced to define

What we don’t actually realize we want

 

What do you want to be when you grow up?

This is a conversation starter

A way for society to gauge

Whether your answer is worthy of thought

 

We as children are forced to define what we want to do for the rest of our lives

There is no room for you to think;

You are growing and learning about the world and once you hit high school—

You’re out of time to ponder

 

What do you want to be when you grow up?

 

You’re running out of time

Its sophomore year and you still haven’t defined

What you want to do for the rest of your life

 

What do you want to be when you grow up?

 

You are only sixteen years old, looking at thousands of careers

Overwhelming sense of failure because you cannot define

What you want to be

 

Your parents push their dreams onto you

“Make a lot of money; become a doctor.”

Your teachers push their beliefs on you

“You make a lot of good arguments; be a lawyer.”

Society encourages you to make a worthwhile decision

“Going to college takes you places.”

 

“What do you want to be?” is not the question that you want to ask; “What do I want you to be?” should be the question instead.

If I answered and said what I wanted to be, there would be no good responses

 

I want to be a teacher

For small children

Who’s minds can wrap around all sorts of concepts

Whose innocence would keep a positive outlook on the world

And instead of asking, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” the question would be

 

“What are your hopes and dreams?”

 

This is easier met

To talk about the things you want to do

The things you want to see

Would be easier to answer

And easier to accept