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Education

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Original poster

tell me about your 10 years old who have already decided what they want to do in future

64 replies

mom17 · 03/08/2016 04:34

I met couple of kids who are already very clear with what they want to do and all big big things like medical in Oxford, science/Engi @ standford etc. and my DS has no idea what he wants to do? Seeing UCAS point system and Ivy leagues requirements, seems we should plan since Yr1-Yr2 around. Tell me your child story if they also have similar vision for their future and what are they doing to achieve this and how you as a parent, are helping it ?

OP posts:

BakewellSliceAgain · 03/08/2016 15:09

Jason I like the sound of that career..

NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 03/08/2016 15:37

I wanted to be a librarian then a sports journalist no I'm actually well neither.

I can't believe any ten year old knows what Standford is. They might know Oxford is a big uni but their more likely to know the city than what it takes to go there. They haven't even started high school at 10.

I actually do know w ten year old and her mother summed her up by saying oh she's busy being ten! Her 17 year old brother wants to be a rugby player or a lawyer (he will be) their 15 year old sister is already an actress what does the ten year old want to do. Well be ten!

tribpot · 03/08/2016 17:21

Jason, it's never too late. This could be your year.

Lweji · 03/08/2016 17:25

My brother decided he wanted to be a doctor when he was very young. Younger than 10. He is one.

I can't remember what age I decided I wanted to be a biologist, and I am one.
At 10 it's possible I still wanted to be an astronaut.

DS probably still wanted to be a footballer last year. ATM, he's more inclined to being a Youtuber. Sigh.

roomonmybroom · 03/08/2016 17:36

My son is 12, for years he always said he would be a policeman, then found Minecraft and wanted to be a Stampy making Youtube videos, he has changed his mind on this thankfully, he has now thrown in a marine biologist or helicopter pilot, and still policeman, I am sure this will change though, or he could be like me and has never known what I want to be, and have still not figured it out at 48!
I do have a fairly good job, so all has worked out, but I have just sort of fallen between careers, from a waitress when young, to a croupier and now a company manager for an online retailer, with a few other random jobs thrown in.

Balletgirlmum · 03/08/2016 17:51

I just remembered. Dd had decided at 10 that her alternative choice of career was to go to Harvard & be a lawyer if she couldn't make it as a dancer.

I think Legally Blonde had a lot to answer for.

sunnydayinmay · 03/08/2016 18:02

I wanted to be a farmer, then a photographer, then a pathologist and then a teacher. Ended up as a lawyer.

DS2 wants to write computer code. He is 9 years old, and has been consistent in this for years and years. I spend hours stretching him sideways (reading, music school, orchestras, chess club) all of which he enjoys and is good at, but it is so obvious he has a true passion for code. It is like stopping water running downhill.

This is not the same as planning his life for him, though.

Lurkedforever1 · 03/08/2016 19:38

Dd was decided to an extent by about 8. Not on one particular career, more a range of science/ maths based careers. However since starting secondary she has discovered a love of languages too, particularly classics. It started as an interest in the origins of a lot of stem terms, but has now moved on into an obsession with the languages themselves.

Currently still set on medicine, maths, and biology, but who knows, I could equally see her doing something with languages.

PaintedDrivesAndPolishedGrass · 03/08/2016 19:46

At that age DS3 wanted to be a physicist. He's now doing A Level Maths, Further Maths and Physics and hoping to be.....a physicist😃

Ds1 & 2 never said what they wanted to do until they were much, much older ( 16/17 ) they said porn star and assassin. It never happened😃.

CPtart · 03/08/2016 20:43

DS2 now 11 has said dentist for a couple of years. Quite adamant. He's fantastic at maths and very practical so I suppose that's a good start. His own dentist has said he'd be happy to have him shadow him in surgery when he's older.

SouthWestmom · 03/08/2016 20:47

My ten year old wants to be an actor. He has wanted this since being a toddler. He has managed to get a scholarship for acting and to appear in tv type things. I suspect he may achieve this.
His siblings variously wanted to be writers, games designers, ballet dancers - this has changed a lot.
I suspect a few kids are determined and know what they want. They are a minority.

Lweji · 03/08/2016 21:06

Lurkedforever1

Your DD could end up working in taxonomy, naming new species. :)
Or doing research in the field in exotic locations while learning the local languages.

MilkRunningOutAgain · 03/08/2016 21:19

My DD wants to train guide dogs. She is 10 and loves animals and has an excellent rapport with them. I've no idea if she will still want to do this at 17 but despite having a great learning attitude and working hard at school she is decidedly average academically. Who knows what she will do. She is a determined character and I'm sure she'll succeed; tbh her guide dog trainer idea is spot on.

Lurkedforever1 · 03/08/2016 22:10

lweji I could see that myself, or something around veterinary medicine/ research in some far flung corner. I could equally see her being heavily involved in some form of civil rights/ social campaign.

Missgraeme · 03/08/2016 22:21

My 10year old dd wants to work for the council coz she says she always sees them parking up their vans and going into the bakers whenever they want!!

peteneras · 03/08/2016 22:44

Yes, it is possible your child knows what s/he wants to do in life by the age of 10. Mine wanted to be a doctor even before 10. He would give up everything, e.g. refusing to go to a friend’s birthday party or coming with the family for a dinner in town just so he could stay home to watch ‘Casualty’ on TV. Next month he begins his final year at medical school.

Mind you, when he was in nursery school he wanted to be a train driver - thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine!

Greenleave · 03/08/2016 22:46

My friends who both finished their phd and teach in Imperials have an only son(10)and he is more interested in games than anything else(who doesn't). They try many way to inspire him, to encourage him, send him to events, invites influenced friends etc. Its all failed, the boy always say he wants to be a bus driver. He thinks driving the bus is the best job!
My 8 yrs old used to think she would be a singer (she inherited our terrible voice) then she gave up, then she'd like to be an Artist, she loves drawing, and most recently she thinks she will be an author(this helps with her recent confidence in writting).

Original poster

mom17 · 04/08/2016 04:32

Its so lovely to see all replies and really felt great knowing few DC did pursue the line they wanted to be. I believe if child has passion then certainly it makes parent's life easier though they need to provide support system for that. Few profession like medical, lawyer, finance will always be there no matter what ! Can't say about IT industry though !!

OP posts:

Grumpysfirstwife · 04/08/2016 12:00

2 of mine knew what they wanted to do at age 10. In fact they were both around 3 or 4 when they decided. They were both adamant about the university they attended and what exams they needed and pursued their paths without changing their minds ever.

However my other children haven't got a clue and change their minds frequently. One of them really needs to decide as she should be going to university/work next year but she is still deciding what she wants to do.

Some know, some don't, some never decide like me but most people get along ok in the end.

LifeIsGoodish · 04/08/2016 12:11

Once he outgrew wanting to be a train, one of mine was determined to be an architect. Until the time came to start thinking about GCSE options, when he realised that he had not thought about architecture all year, and that he really wanted to study Maths and Computing at uni.

My current 10yo wants to be an archaeologist and an engineer. So he has his excavations in the garden (sadly we live on an estate built at the end of the 20thC) and dismantles anything he can get his hands on. Tries to fix things, too. Sometimes successfully!

BabyGanoush · 04/08/2016 12:23

My 11 yr old has been talking about joining the army since he was 10.

He is very determined, has looked up info on local cadets and told me to sign him up for a local group when he is 12.

He is sporty, academic, a natural leader (according to all his sports coaches), and very social and caring. I imagine the army will snap him up?

Am terrified he'll go through with it

But yes, I am surprised how sure he is, and at a loss to where it comes from.

I will support his decision, if he is still serious about this when older, but hope he will change his mind.

Katymac · 04/08/2016 12:23

At 10 DD wanted to be an Olympic sailor or a teacher - at 13 she decided she wanted to work in the West End dancing

So we made a plan, which she exceeded and is now about to enter 2nd year in a top musical theatre college,

For the last two summers she has worked as her back up job & will continue this summer and she has also taken courses in the field

Weedles · 04/08/2016 12:27

I think there is a lot to be said about not choosing a career too young as it stops kids considering all the other things that might be available to them.

Out of my four only one knew what they wanted to do at a youngish age - he was 14 when he decided he wanted to do psychiatry- he's now in his last year of medicine and has also completed a relevant masters. He has been tailoring his work experience etc towards psychiatry all the way. I think it's been useful to him to have such a strong focus as he doesn't much enjoy a lot of the other aspects of medicine.
My other kids were mathsy/science'y orientated all the way and have ended up doing stem subjects at Uni.

TheatreTaxi · 05/08/2016 10:13

DS is 10 and says he wants to be an actor, writer and director. In the past year he has been cast in two West End productions and won a national-entry writing competition, so it's just possible he has the aptitude to make this a realistic dream. He has a like-minded friend at school; they write scripts and browbeat persuade their (luckily very tolerant!) classmates to rehearse in break times. At home he writes scripts and makes short films. He once got very cross with me because I didn't have detailed information at my fingertips on how to fund the transfer of one of his plays to the West End .

I have no idea whether he will still have the same ambitions when he is older, but in the meantime I support him by encouraging him and doing a lot of logistical gymnastics to get him to auditions, rehearsals and performances while also working full time. I am a professional from a science background and the performing arts world is a bit of a closed book to me, but it's his life and I think he's very lucky to have found something that fulfils him and makes him happy at a relatively young age.

buffalogrumble · 09/08/2016 17:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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