“Mom, what should I be when I grow up?”
My kid in Middle School thinks some deep thoughts. On the way home from pick up this week he asked me “Mom, what should I do when I grow up?”
My mind immediately went to the essays that I wrote about becoming a nurse and another about being a biology textbook writer! (yes, you can whisper geek and roll your eyes–I just did!) It is true–I wanted to nurture people and I wanted to know how living things worked and to write about it–in a textbook–so others might learn from what I wrote.
And here I am!
So as I drove I asked him:
- what do you want your day to look like? sleep in, work late or 9-5, weekends off?
- do you want a job that you sit or a job that you get to move (I knew the answer to that one for him–but I need him to decide for himself)
- do you want to work by yourself or with lots of other people?
- do you like the city or the country, land or sea?
- what makes your heart sing?
- do you want to get married? will your wife support or participate in the same activities?
- what do you want your life to look like? busy, rich, big house, cabin in the woods (my vote), live on the water? what are your priorities?
- how will you serve God?
As we talked, I silently evaluated my own answers to the questions.
I wanted to tell him that the road he thinks he needs to take–will not be the road that rises to meet him. I wanted to tell him that when he is serving his purpose in life . . . things will fall into place for him. I wanted to tell him not to worry–God has a plan for his life.
God has a way of thumping me on the head when I’m talking with my kids. I need to be transparent. I need to live what I speak. I need to be humble.
I’m growing into this new role of a Mom of a Middle Schooler. Some days are better than others. However, most days I’m challenged to be the best version of me!
Have you had a similar conversation with your Middle Schooler? Do you see the reflection of your life in your kids? Do you embrace it or reject it? I’d be honored to learn from your experiences–you can leave a comment or send me an email–that would be great!
Be Blessed on your journey.
It wasn’t exactly my intention to submit it to Problogger, but here I go.
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I LOVE this! thanks for being thoughtful about something all moms will face!
I may need to answer this for myself if/when John starts attending school. My Laura is planning to enroll in the local public high school next Fall. She wants to experience the real world.
Rita–Wow–HS for Laura.
He is so thoughtful in REALLY wanting to know–I feel bad that I don’t have the answers–for me OR for him! I’m hoping that being transparent like Melinda suggested will help keep the honest communication open.
Rita–you are an awesome Mom! Be Blessed.
“Have you had a similar conversation with your Middle Schooler?” Yes, many–also with my high schoolers and college student-aged kids. I have even written them letters, if I felt moved my the spirit, long letters talking about what God was telling me about them. I notice that they kept these letters, until they became dog-eared, so they must be re-reading them at times. It’s easy to think they’re not listening just cause they don’t seem to be listening, but they are. I think it is very cool that you had that conversation with your son and asked him so many specific thought-provoking questions.
Thanks Kathleen!
That is a really good idea! Maybe I should be writing them letters and giving them to them . . . later. I so like that idea! I need to remember that they are always listening . . . oh my!
I want to have the conversations with my kids that I NEVER had with my own parental units. I want to be the Mom that I never had!
Be Blessed and thank you for always being such a great resource through Tribe Writers!
We need to walk and chat soon! You pose some great questions for kids (and adults) of all ages to think about!
I’m up for a walk! The kids have their bikes out and ready to go! I just listen and write about the questions the kids ask. As long as I listen, I’ll never run out of blog posts :-)
Be Blessed.
My kiddos are young enough to have this kind of chat, but off-course it made me recall – What I wished, and How some of it happened for me.
You are right, roads we think we needs to take – will not be the road that rises to meet us.
Thanks for sharing it!
you are welcome–
be blessed.