what do you want to be when you grow up?

This post was edited on 10/27/2023

From ages five to eight years old, we were all asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The majority of children responded with “ballerina, doctor, or firefighter.” I have always wondered why adults started asking children that question at such a young age. While in my scom-347 class, my professor segue into a conversation on this topic, inspiring me to dig deeper on this subject. I began thinking about how this question, which might seem miniscule to others, can drive children to start thinking about money, a higher education, and contributing to our society in the future.

I feel there are positive and negative effects of asking a child what they aspire to be. The positive being they can use their imagination to dream big, and it can inspire children to look up to the adults around them. On the other hand, it can pressure children to think too far into the future. Having children be confined and put in a box at such a young age can take away their ability to enjoy their childhood. At the age of five, children are asked these questions to get them to start thinking about how they can contribute to our society.

What is the definition of being a good citizen in the United States of America? Buying a house, contributing money to the community, paying taxes, and working hard. All these attributes have one thing in common… money. Having money in this society is imperative to maintaining a sustainable lifestyle. Although that is important to remember, children do not need to be thinking of ways to contribute to the workforce.

In recent years, elementary and middle school students have had an increase in anxiety and other mental health issues. After the Covid-19 pandemic, the mental health rates seen in children skyrocketed. Perceived pressure to excel at school, extracurricular activities, and other responsibilities are just some of the factors that contribute to the decline of a child’s mental health. Children have started to worry more about what university to attend, what to major in, and what professional field to go into. The stress they experience plays a part in their ability to enjoy their childhood. Another factor that impacts children is social media. Certain influencers on social media create a presence online that encourages young adults and children to start thinking and looking at materialistic things. This plays a part in a child’s development and what they think is necessary to live an everyday life.
Children have started to worry more about what university to attend, what to major in, and what professional field to go into. The stress they experience plays a part in their ability to enjoy their childhood.

Dreaming big and using your imagination is one of the best parts of being a kid. Adults need to allow children to embrace their childhood wonder without the pressure or stress of worrying about their future. One way parents and adults can prevent a child from experiencing some of the downsides of growing up too fast is by keeping an eye on the child’s mental health. Some key things to look out for are changes in normal appetite patterns, changes in sleep routines, crying spells, loss of concentration, low energy, suicidal thinking or suicide attempts. We all only get so many years to be a kid, and everyone deserves to have a carefree experience of that.