How do you explain to an 11 year old that he can not be a spy when he grows up?

[belledechocolatefluffybunny]

I've tried all the arguments I can think of. I need some help now please.

Thankyou.

Yes, I can't understand why he rescues spiders, worms and snails but wants to be a spy with a gun!

He's learning french at school. For some odd reason he likes it at school (he's not mentioned all the God references).

At least he doesn't want to be Harry Potter any more!

The other thing is, does he really, really want to understand the worst of human behaviour, in detail?

And can he sit on his arse for 14 hours, in the dark, in cold wet conditions, silently, without moving? It's not all air conditioned offices and computers, field work is physically and mentally tough.

And be part of a vast bureaucratic machine and not see the results of what he does?

Hmm. I don't know. It can't be a good job.

He could be an RSPCA vet and spy out for mistreated animals?

Ohh, I like that idea. He wants the gun though

tranquilliser gun for animals?

I tried that, he was interested for about 3 seconds.

Tell him to be a doctor - solving mysteries of the human body is infinitely more interesting. And he might get to cut people open and poke around inside, including hot young women!

He's not at the 'hot woman WOW!' stage yet. They are still 'yuck' I can't see him as a doctor, he's far more caring towards animals. He was in trouble at his last school as his teacher thought he was chopping worms in half, he wasn't, he was covering them over with twigs, grass and leaves so they didn't get sunburn He's the kind of boy that moves snails off the path so people don't squish them, he cried the last time I accidently chopped a leg off a spider

ewww whomovedmychocolate....a bit creepy

I was approached by the security services and offered a job when I was working for another government department and I'm a common northern girl who hasn't got a first in anything.

It wasn't the thought of having my head shoved in the chip pan that put me off, more the thought that they wanted to train me by putting me to work for 6 months alongside the bloke in the office with the slightly-too-short trousers and nylon shirt. You know the one, there's one in every office, hygienically challenged, bad hair. Very lickylippy when he spoke to you.

So I ran off and became a TEFL teacher.

Your boy sounds lovely!

Why not just let him dream for a bit? It is not like M15 sign them up before the GCSEs. AFAIK.