What did you want to be when you grew up?

I said I wanted to be a nanny in Canada. The careers teacher laughed and said there’s no thing. I had seen Mary Poppins and loved the idea of snapping my fingers and toys jumping into boxes. (I did know it wasn’t real but I could hope). I trained as a nursery nurse and travelled to Canada, where I was a nanny!

NotSpaghetti

Calendargirl my mother-in-law wrote a novel in her 70s.
Admittedly it's not great - but it IS enormous (and it's self-published/printed).

Admittedly it’s not great

That made me smile.Mine probably wouldn’t be either, but it would help if I could think of a good plot for starters!

I wanted to be a farmer. My careers teacher thought it wasn’t a suitable career for a girl. I went on to study Agriculture in my 20s after a few boring office jobs. I became a software developer almost by accident and it proved to be my perfect job. I have kept quite a few farming friends and remember those days fondly.

I wanted to write and was fairly good at it at school but never considered it a career. It was teaching for me. I got sidetracked into librarianship at uni and was a school librarian for 12 years then retrained as an English teacher and never regretted it. I loved teaching. I'm glad I've retired though!

A trapeze artist.

A mad scientist! Well, I managed the ‘mad’ bit!?

I can clearly remember an essay I wrote age 6…when I grow up I want to be a nun or a bus conductress.

In the end I settled for nursing.

Calendargirl

NotSpaghetti

Calendargirl my mother-in-law wrote a novel in her 70s.
Admittedly it's not great - but it IS enormous (and it's self-published/printed).

Admittedly it’s not great

That made me smile.Mine probably wouldn’t be either, but it would help if I could think of a good plot for starters!

It made me smile too. Author would have been my second choice after ballerina. I haven't got the glimmer of a plot 60 odd years later, so I don't think there's much chance of a Booker prize heading my way any time soon.

I wanted to be a vet as well, but was useless at science. I trained as a teacher and taught for eight years, but for most of my working life I've been a civil servant. I always wanted to be an author as well. I think, given my time again, I would train as a journalist.

A Psychiatrist but I think it's me that needs one.

An interpreter

Anything but a teacher - mine did not set an example to which I could aspire.

A probation officer or policewoman, ended up as a Project Manager, firstly in IT then a large housing development.

My friend once had a costume party and the theme was “What you wanted to be when you grew up”. It was great fun!

Like you Newatthis, I also wanted to be an archaeologist.

Father Christmas. Or his wife.

A nurse.
Or a showjumper.

A detective. Like the famous five

I wanted to be a driver in the forces - I didn't care which branch, I just loved car mechanics and driving so driving colonels or admirals or air vice-marshall's around sounded perfect. But my father forbade it.

Then I discovered architecture. But it was too late as I didn't have maths or science.

As it was I ended up as a receptionist, latterly for a mental health charity. A job I loved.

I wanted to teach in Africa didn’t manage either…. teaching or Africa

A nun like Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music. I practised crossing myself, geniflection and could recite the Hail Mary, much to the horror of my C of E nan who was the only religious person in the whole family and took me to her Church.

Very glad to say I came to my senses.

When I was about five apparently I announced that I wanted to be a fire engine. I think I fell in love with the idea of having flashing lights and making a lot of noise.

By the time I was about 12 I wanted to be an air hostess.

By the time I was 14 I wanted to go to art school and be a fashion designer.

By the time I was 16 I just wanted to leave school and have a pay packet.

Anything except a teacher - nearly everyone in my family teaches in one guise or another.
Tried lots of different things - favourite was a chambermaid in a Scottish Highland lodge - but then, hey presto, 25 happy years of teaching!

I wanted to be a famous scientist developing a cure for various diseases. Not a chance of that ever happening though, as I was hopeless at science subjects ?.

Age 5 my father took me to the cinema, first visit, when I saw the usherette with the ice cream tray , yes I so wanted to be a
cinema usherette.

Careers advice at my grammar school was useless. The Senior Mistress acted as careers officer for the girls and I hated her, so when she suggested I become a teacher I went right off the idea. However, after several false starts at different jobs I did become a qualified teacher and loved it.
When I was little I wanted to be a ballerina (no chance) but if I was starting again now I would still be a teacher. My dh (also a former teacher) thinks I'm mad. He would rather have been a doctor.

What is it about archeology? I too wanted to be an archeologist. Or perhaps an astronomer, or even first violin with a symphony orchestra.
I ended up as a mental health nurse which I loved.