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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Childhood dream job VS now?

77 replies

Caramel78 · 02/02/2020 11:44

I always wanted to be a vet when I was a child. I work for my local council in the housing department. Did anyone fulfil their childhood dream or are they doing something very different now?

OP posts:
SheChoseDown · 02/02/2020 11:52

Wanted to be a police officer I work in a supermarket. Very happy I am not a PO.

Lailaha · 02/02/2020 11:54

I wanted to be an archaeologist. I was (ten years) and now I have am a lawyer (which was my original back up anyway). I think I am lacking in imagination and/or flexibility of thinking Grin

FrangipaniBlue · 02/02/2020 11:55

I wanted to be an astronaut

I am not even remotely an astronaut

AspieDoc · 02/02/2020 11:56

I wanted to be a vet, now I'm a doctor. Still slightly prefer animals to people so sometimes wonder if I should have run with the original plan...

elenacampana · 02/02/2020 11:57

I wanted to be a teacher - I was for 8 years. Now I’m a Civil Servant.

Loved teaching. Very happy in now job too :-)

SimonJT · 02/02/2020 11:58

I wanted to be Batman, that didn’t quite work out. Then when I was a bit older I wanted to be a professional rugby player, I was semi pro for a few years.

I’m an actuary.

MGC31 · 02/02/2020 11:58

I did. Took a roundabout way to get there but eventually did it. One of my greatest achievements and I’m glad to be able to say I fulfilled the dream I had as a youngster.

Ginger1982 · 02/02/2020 11:59

I wanted to be an opera singer.

I'm not. Nor was I ever likely to be. I had just listened to the Phantom soundtrack too many tines 😆

MammaPyjama · 02/02/2020 11:59

I wish! I wanted to be a writer though, which is a bit like wanting to be a ballet dancer or an astronaut. Not a very practical ambition. I work a crappy office job. Which is nobody's ambition. Hmm

HopefullyAnonymous · 02/02/2020 11:59

Like a PP I always wanted to be a police officer. I did quite a few other jobs first but joined the police at 29. I absolutely love my job, although at times it’s very tough, particularly on family life. Wouldn’t change it though!

iklboo · 02/02/2020 11:59

I wanted to be a palaeontologist. Now I work for a complaints regulator.

RosieposiePuddingandPi · 02/02/2020 12:01

I wanted to work in a zoo. And I do! Just not as a keeper like I originally imagined (which I'm glad about). I love my job 😁

00deed1988 · 02/02/2020 12:02

I wanted to be a social worker from the age of about 12! I am now a midwife after many years as a call centre manager! From seeing the role of the social worker from the midwifery side, I am very glad I didnt pursue it!

BikeRunSki · 02/02/2020 12:02

I also wanted to be aver. The. I did done work experience in a vet, decided I didn’t want to be a vet, but carried on with science A levels and a BSc in Physics and Geology. 30 years later, I am doing a job I love(I have been in the job 15 years) and realised a few years ago that I am doing exactly what I always thought I wanted to do -drive a 4x4 round Yorkshire, and spend most of my time outside. It’s the All Creatures Great and Small effect.

Kyriesmum1 · 02/02/2020 12:05

I wanted to be a physiotherapist for disabled children, I'm now a Foster Carer and wouldn't change it for the world 😁

Bessica1970 · 02/02/2020 12:07

Wanted to be a teacher, I usd to line up my teddies and teach them whatever I had learnt that day. After a lifetime of shop/office/factory work, I completed my degree and became a secondary science teacher at 46. Four years later I’m loving being in my dream job. Smile

BadEyeBri · 02/02/2020 12:11

I wanted to be a vet from age 4. I am now a qualified vet. I love my job but if I had my time over I'd do something else and I'd never actively encourage and DC to this profession 🤷‍♀️

QueenofmyPrinces · 02/02/2020 12:13

I wanted to be a midwife and am now a children’s nurse working with infants aged 0-2. Close enough I guess Grin

honeylulu · 02/02/2020 12:20

I wanted to be a beauty queen (it didn't occur to me when I was little that I wouldn't be beautiful or that I would become such an ardent feminist!) Or a ballerina (never had any lessons and I'm dyspraxia so bit sure how I thought that would work either).

I'm a solicitor/ partner of a law firm in the City. Happy with that.

URPS · 02/02/2020 12:22

Yep. Very lucky.

Strugglingtoquit · 02/02/2020 12:38

I wanted to be a doctor and I work in customer service

ive suffered anxiety and depression since my teens, and it impacts me in ways that would’ve made it really difficult to cope in medicine, like anxiety over the impact of my decisions or things I’ve said, coping very badly with uncertainty, and being exhausted by my 9-5 type working week.

Rhubarbcrumblerules · 02/02/2020 12:44

Not me, but my 19 year old daughter always wanted to be a horse. Now lives and works at an equestrian centre and owns two horses. I never dreamt of being the taxi driver I am now.

BlueChangeling · 02/02/2020 12:57

I wanted to be a dental hygienist but my careers teacher told me I should have more realistic expectations and aim lower.

I now have a very good, but different, job that pays and has more responsibility than a dental assistant in more than happy where I am but the memory still stings.

Mammyloveswine · 02/02/2020 12:59

I wanted to be a lawyer...did it a level and hated it! Ended up working as a legal secretary specialising in conveyancing then went back to uni at 21.

I'm now an early years teacher specialising in speech and language.

ohhkay · 02/02/2020 13:11

Wanted to be an archaeologist

I now work in consultancy - well paid but I hate everything about it