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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What did you want to be when you were younger and what do you do now?

105 replies

BreakingAndBroke · 15/02/2024 14:07

Just that really. What did you want to be when you grew up and what do you do now?

In primary school, I wanted to be a singer (Kylie), and in secondary school I wanted to be a lawyer (Ally McBeal). I now work in marketing.

How about you?

OP posts:
AgeingDoc · 15/02/2024 19:43

I wanted to be a doctor and I am one. (Well, retired now.)
Only thing that changed is that I wanted to be a surgeon when I was a medical student but I soon saw the light and realised that anaesthesia was far more interesting.

WhatsYourDamageHeather · 15/02/2024 19:46

I wanted to be a journalist like Scott Robinson. I work in Comms.

catmum75 · 15/02/2024 19:47

I wanted to be a midwife, now I am a delivery manager in tech. So I guess in some ways I got the managing deliveries part right 😂

Callingallbutterflies · 15/02/2024 19:49

I wanted to be an air hostess (they were called that when I was 9). A journalist when I was a young teenager. A physiotherapist when I was 18. I had 2O years as a solicitor and now I work for a local authority in a leadership role. Who would have thought...

Changingplace · 15/02/2024 19:50

I wanted to be a journalist like Kate Adie, I work in media and with journalists but I’m not actually one.

Changingplace · 15/02/2024 19:50

WhatsYourDamageHeather · 15/02/2024 19:46

I wanted to be a journalist like Scott Robinson. I work in Comms.

Same!

rainydaysandwednesdays · 15/02/2024 19:50

Air hostess, I'm now an accountant!

DinnaeFashYersel · 15/02/2024 19:54

Wanted to be a fighter pilot then a police officer

Am a senior manager in a charity

BaroqueInterlude · 15/02/2024 19:54

@AgeingDoc Why is anaesthesia more interesting? I'm just curious because I don't know much about it. I would have imagined the drama of surgery to be more interesting.

Astrak · 15/02/2024 19:55

I wanted to be a nurse but ended up as a Local Authority Children's Social Worker. After retirement, I worked part-time as a Health Assistant with elders with disabilities. So, in the end, I achieved my childhood ambitions.

ComingHome24 · 15/02/2024 19:59

I wanted to be a police officer. I became a teacher.

weegiemum · 15/02/2024 20:08

At primary and lower secondary I wanted to be a doctor. I realised that my total mental block with chemistry meant that wasn't going to happen and concentrated instead on my strongest subjects, English and Geography. Had to decide which to take at uni and decided on Geography, knowing I could keep my love of English up but it wouldn't be the same the other way round.

I ended up training as a geography teacher and worked in education (in geography and then in learning support) until I developed a life changing neurological illness at 41. Was at home with small children at the time and also studied for a theology degree!

At 50+ I decided I'd like to retrain and am currently studying again to become a counsellor. The road has been rocky as I had to take some time out to have breast cancer but looking forward to starting again in September!

weegiemum · 15/02/2024 20:09

Oh and the doctor thing? I married one!

Octavia64 · 15/02/2024 20:18

I wanted to be a missile designer.

(I grew up in a town where the defence industry was the major employer)

I did a few jobs in my 20s but have mostly been a maths teacher.

Luckydog7 · 15/02/2024 20:18

Wanted to be an architect from age 11. Did intact go on to do a degree in it but the economy crashed and there were few construction jobs. Fell into random jobs for a few years before applying to any design job I could find. First 'real' job was as an assistant designer in a landscaping company. I'm now a freelance 3d artist building virtual designs and technical drawings for landscaping companies.

xyz111 · 15/02/2024 20:19

Police officer. Now I work for the Fire Service. So same sector I suppose 😂

PoliteTurtle · 15/02/2024 20:21

I have always wanted to be an artist, and now I’m a mum by day and a very tired artist by night 🥲

nighttimeforgenerals88 · 15/02/2024 20:21

I wanted to be a letterer 🤣 I loved comics and got to know certain letterers' work pretty well.

Nowadays I'm a web developer but would much rather be a gardener. If only it paid the same 😆

GymBergerac · 15/02/2024 20:21

Throughout primary and most of high school I flitted between wanting to be an Olympic show jumper, an actor and a writer.
Have spent the last ten years in construction based roles, currently in a timber yard and love it. Still not sure it's what I want to do when I grow up though 🤣

Peccary · 15/02/2024 20:24

An archaeologist, I did a degree and was able to travel and volunteer using it but I didn't like the day to day of field archaeology and the pay is terrible.

I'm a research scientist now

Sconeswithnutella · 15/02/2024 20:26

I wanted to be a teacher and I am. It was a lot more easier in my 6 year old head than it is in reality. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else so I’ve decided my next career move will be in education but not in the classroom.

Twoshoesnewshoes · 15/02/2024 20:29

I wanted to be an antiques dealer

i am a psychotherapist

🤔

rwqyy · 15/02/2024 20:30

I wanted to be a bet

Instead I'm a tax lawyer 🙈

Nanny31 · 15/02/2024 20:31

I wanted to be a Singer when I was a child

20 years later I'm a Nanny and do sing alot!! 🤣.....

CutiePatooties · 15/02/2024 20:31

Younger - pop star.
Now - teacher.

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