Spinoff- What does/did your kids want to be, and what do they actually do?

[Minnesota!]

As a kid I always wanted to be an actress or professional dancer. In late high school I had no idea. I ended up majoring in hospitality and tourism for a year but during that year found out that the thing I really wanted to do was promote travel/tourist destinations not necessarily manage a hotel or restaurant. I ended up switching my major to marketing and am currently pursuing that. I hope to one day work in the marketing department of a major theme park company (Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Cedar Fair, etc.). I don't think my family would have been able to predict that I'd end up in marketing as a kid.

Hospitality and Tourism/promotion is where I wish I had gone. It is my dream job. I go back and forth on returning to school. But taking on student loans at almost 40...scares me. I can retire in 16 years from where I am. Good luck to you!!

 

[wenrob]

DD started by looking at 4 year culinary schools with a bachelors degree, then she looked at 2 year culinary or pastry degrees - the cost was $60-200K depending - she refused to even look at the community college route and there was no option in high school plus she was completely academic/science focused in high school (She is a Senior this year). When she started looking at the 4 year culinary educations I started looking at the statistics of employment etc. The schools themselves post the stats as part of their federal funding requirements. The employment rates are not the best.

Then we started researching salaries, employment options etc. The average "chef" starts out at the bottom at approx $10 per hour regardless of education (DD currently works in a restaurant as a prep cook, she makes $9 per hour) the average wage increase is about $1.00 a year - add that wage to the staggering amount of debt and DD would "starve". She would be better to just skip the schooling and intern and work her way up. She knows people who have gone to culinary school and those who haven't but work in the industry. They have all suggested that she work in her industry and get herself a sell-able degree (business, hospitality etc). She bakes in the summer for the local girl scout camp - after room and board she makes peanuts but she loves it.

I guess it depends on your area. DD was accepted to Johnson and Wales but once she realized she'd be paying loans the equivalent of a mortgage she elected to start in our community college which is what her mentor advised she do all along. We are fortunate that many of the Chefs in our city teach there. She is getting a far better education than she would have at that fancy college for a fraction of the cost. She will be transferring to UNLV for management next fall, her "just in case plan." She's also building her career as she goes by working in her field. The Culinary Union is big here as is fine dining so she makes great money. Enough she could easily strike out on her own while still paying for school. The Chefs at her job are encouraging her to take a full time position (she works full time but it's not official) because the company she works for would pay for her schooling for a 1 year commitment for every year paid. I am highly encouraging her to do this. Anyway, it's a major industry here so, well paid. Your DD is on the right track, my Dad and my best friend worked their way up in the kitchen and did very well.

 

[Liberty Belle]

My oldest first wanted to go into law and politics, then while in college decided to take an EMT course as an elective. That made him fall in love with medicine, so now he is in nursing school and eventually wants to be a nurse anesthetist.

My youngest wanted to be a chemical engineer for a long time, then was undecided, the last I heard he wanted to get a doctorate in psychology, but I'm not sure if he wants to teach or practice.

 

[mamacatnv]

I guess it depends on your area. DD was accepted to Johnson and Wales but once she realized she'd be paying loans the equivalent of a mortgage she elected to start in our community college which is what her mentor advised she do all along. We are fortunate that many of the Chefs in our city teach there. She is getting a far better education than she would have at that fancy college for a fraction of the cost. She will be transferring to UNLV for management next fall, her "just in case plan." She's also building her career as she goes by working in her field. The Culinary Union is big here as is fine dining so she makes great money. Enough she could easily strike out on her own while still paying for school. The Chefs at her job are encouraging her to take a full time position (she works full time but it's not official) because the company she works for would pay for her schooling for a 1 year commitment for every year paid. I am highly encouraging her to do this. Anyway, it's a major industry here so, well paid. Your DD is on the right track, my Dad and my best friend worked their way up in the kitchen and did very well.

UNLV LOL we are a huge Nevada Wolfpack family!
If y'all are in Vegas, yes, completely different climate. DD wants to go to one of the cities New York, Chicago, San Francisco etc.
The community college system in Nevada (at least in N. Nevada) had a great culinary program and with all the hotels/conventions lots of areas for interns and new hires. We are now in Central Texas - there are a couple of 2 year for profit culinary programs as well as the community college but alas, DD is not as smart as your DD and just does not listen when we discuss the costs of a culinary education. So, she has her baking/prep cook job and will pursue a degree in Physics or Political Science, LOL she is currently waffling between the two

 

[wenrob]

UNLV LOL we are a huge Nevada Wolfpack family!
If y'all are in Vegas, yes, completely different climate. DD wants to go to one of the cities New York, Chicago, San Francisco etc.
The community college system in Nevada (at least in N. Nevada) had a great culinary program and with all the hotels/conventions lots of areas for interns and new hires. We are now in Central Texas - there are a couple of 2 year for profit culinary programs as well as the community college but alas, DD is not as smart as your DD and just does not listen when we discuss the costs of a culinary education. So, she has her baking/prep cook job and will pursue a degree in Physics or Political Science, LOL she is currently waffling between the two

Yes, we're in Vegas. Not sure if it's smarts or me just going, "look I can pay this much but if you take a crazy loan, I can't help." It helped that her mentor made it clear her career would be better served here. And she was right. Being on the front lines so to speak will ultimately teach her more than a fancy school. She will stay after work for sometimes four hours, unpaid to learn from the head pastry chef. It's too bad our girls don't know each other because I bet mine could convince yours.

 

[luvsJack]

Oldest DS wanted to be a pro baseball player and later a coach. Then he realized that as a coach (hs) he had to teach and decided that it wasn't for him. He is now a crane operator on an oil rig in Malaysia and is very happy with his choice. Younger DS started out with something in computers, then it was law enforcement and then a poker dealer. He is now in Asset Protection and thinking of finishing his degree in Criminal Justice.

DD is 18 and a freshman in college. She began last year with plans to go into International Business/Marketing. Midway through this semester that changed to Business Administration and Personal Training. Her ultimate goal is to own a gym. Well more than a gym, but a gym that offers training facilities for boxing, MMA, wrestling, etc. and it be for both men and women but geared quite a bit toward women. She is also training to be a pro wrestler (may stay in indy's) and she is training in MMA. While she is in her first two years of college, she will be taking a few classes that spark her interest so that all may change again. She took acting this term--didn't like it. She is taking a Criminal Justice class next semester and next year she will take Creative Writing. All of these are things that she thought she may want to do so I told her that these first two years are the time to try any class that she thinks may be something she wants to do. So basically she is still finding her way.

 

[piglet1979]

My 10 year old son wants to an engineer that works with chemical. I am thinking more of a chemist though. My 9 year old daughter wants to still be a princess but just recent said she wants to be a sing and if that doesn't work out she wants to be an art teacher.