I currently do not teach, nor do I practice law, psychology or edit a jot of content. And those professions are undoubtedly richer for my absence. Life does have a way of getting in the way of the best-laid plans. Usually for the right reasons. If you’re hell confused. Time will explain. I am still not entirely sure what I’m going to do when I finally graduate to grown-up so until I figure it out, I think a lot about what my children will be. Yes, yes, of course it’s happy. And confident and self-aware and all the things every parent says they want for their kids. I’m talking now about how they’ll pay their own bills. And hopefully mine.
Oliver is an observant little chap. He can see things. Thank Christ it’s not dead people. I mean he can see patterns. He design things in his head and figures out how to reproduce them in real life. Robots, dinosaurs, even a farmer for his school project. He makes a mean paper aeroplane. Way better than mine, I’m ashamed to admit. He’s a rational thinker our boy. I’ll hazard a guess that he’ll end up in some kind of design/ structural/ building field. This perhaps after he’s finished being a train driver, fireman or Santa Claus - the professions top of his list at the moment. He’s also said to me that when he grows up he wants to be a dad. I said, “but what about your real job?” He sighed and answered with an earnest little face: “Don’t you know…being a dad is a real job Mom!”. I considered myself suitably chastised by my five year old. I’m hoping though that he aspires to the dad part later in life (way later). In his forties preferably. Being a teenage dad is a tricky balance to figure out. What with school and football practice and stuff. And the having no fixed income thing.
Gabriella is anyone’s guess. She’s a talker. A very expressive one. Her flair for the dramatic is epic and her ability to cry at will is a real talent. She’s fond of books and reading. She’s probably going to work with people. Doing something where she talks. And reads. And writes. And talks some more. She’s a confident soul so will work well in most industries – if she can control her temper. She’ll also have to stop hiding in the cupboard with the bin, lose her dummy and stop putting her potty on her head. Baby steps.
It’s fun to guess their careers based on their current characters. It’s like starting a new book that you’re desperate to read. You open the first page and can’t wait to read more. I know however that I am going to interfere. Like any good mother. I intend to steer their aspirations toward what I believe is the best path for each of them. Because I know best. Naturally. To me, the best path to pursue in life is one that includes the electric or plumbing trades. Massively underrated professions with great career opportunities and a never-ending market. Good old-fashioned honest hard work and they’re well-paid too. Just think about how much you have to fork out to have a geyser installed or when you need any re-wiring done? Proper cash. Usually in installments as the initial problem gives birth to more problems. Ollie has flooded the bath, constantly breaks the seat off the toilet and once locked himself so spectacularly in the bathroom that the entire door handle had to be removed by a construction guy working in the house next door. Methinks we’ve laid a good foundation there. Gabriella blew up a car in the microwave, fiddles with the light in the fridge every time I open it and has decimated about four torches – so a “Gabriella Cook Electrical” is not too far off. In 25 years or so time, I reckon.
The truth is that I have no idea what these two little people will grow up to be. Neither do they. And that’s ok. There’s enough pressure in life without having to add the future on top of it all. The here and now can be hard enough to deal with. I will do my best to let them dream and never discourage any idea. This will be hard for me. Like dentist root-canal hard. But I will restrain myself. I have had good role models. My parents were great at letting me dream. Even when I wanted to be an air-hostess for little more reason than an unhealthy obsession with their glamour and high-heels. My mom put paid to the idea though when she explained that the hostesses actually worked on board and didn’t just strut up and down the aisle with perfectly coiffed hair and very red lipstick. Who knew?
So for now, I’ll quietly research the scholarship criteria for plumbing and electric trade colleges and try to work out what I’m going to do next with my own career. Planning my future is way less fun though. I wonder if you can still be an air-hostess if you're on the wrong side of 30, have two kids and would rather skip the hand-signalling and serving part of the job? I'm completely fine with the lipstick, heels and travel. I'll drop British Airways a line right now...
 |
| Robo-construction-engineer in the making. |
