Who do you want to be when you grow up?

This is a common question that is asked of every small child that is moving up in the world. Whether it’s through the ceremony that marks their grade progression, or a common thought that passes the minds of everyday people that think your precious child is cute; we have all came across that question at some point in your life. At a first glance you might think of the obvious (given the fact that you didn't know any other profession other than the ones you learned in school) and go with a fireman, scientist, teacher, police officer, so on and so forth. You receive either a round of applause or the infamous “awe” sound that is projected through what would seem like loving and caring individuals. Fast forward 10 to 15 years later and you're the one that is asking the question of what do you want to be when you eventually move forward in life.There was no preparation into the road that you took, but nonetheless it's a road that must be explored in order to find the missing piece that completes you.

So is the question who do you want to be when you grow up, or who will you become?

In general, we were never taught the true value of diversity other than your usual “multi-cultural” or “melting pot” descriptions, forcing us to become surrounded with what some would say “generic” occupational dreams for kids to someday make reality. Now don't get me wrong, in no way am I saying that fulfilling an occupation as a police officer has less value than a electrical engineer or a data analyst; as the president is also a common occupation that is thrown around and none is supposed to be taken as “more important” than the other. With that being said, these occupations are simply common choices that are offered to kids in their early years, not giving much room to the imagination. Because we are not constantly engaging our kids with new opportunities and new goals, they become stagnant and walk away with just the knowledge to compute numbers; but never know that there is a possible career in such skill. I still find myself puzzled today as to why we do not allow our kids to become more involved in the world, instead of solely being involved in school work.

Throughout their years, we don’t allow our children to progress and perfect their skills to compete with the outside world. Instead, we just teach them more numbers, words , and shapes with the extra subjects such as social studies and health. Lets not forget that classes that were once standard like music, art, and dance are now gone with nothing to replace it. It's stifling the children’s ability to grow and operate to their fullest potential, leaving them essentially brain dead to the teachings spit to them on a chalk board. There has to be reasons why we are so afraid to educate our kids of other opportunities that they can explore, bringing their confidence up and giving them options on how to tackle life’s distractions.

The root of success should be defined in a child’s potential and capability and not through a standardized test or quiz. When we get older, we develop certain skills that propel us into our careers and sustaining security within our families and within our own lives. In the end, we choose our own path and the end result is determined by your efforts paired with what you know.

So tell me… who will you become?