Becoming Who You Are

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."
~e.e. cummings

I’m sure we all ask kids what or who they want to be when they grow up. I also watch their pretend play within the classroom. I delve as deeply as I can into their world…I ask questions, write them down, and read them back to the children. Kids love this…here are some thing they have said when I asked who they ‘will’ be when they grow up….as time goes on I’ll ask them the same question throughout the year…I noticed no one talked about pop singers, movie stars, or models...just their families. As kids get older I notice this changes sometimes.....

“I am gonna be a podiatrist. A-cuz (because) we already have a doctor in our family and my sissy is gonna be a lawyer.” (Child age four)

“I will be a mommy because I love little babies and I love my daddy and…um, I don’t want to change stinky diapers, though.” (Child age four)

“I want to be a nurse and a ballerina and a doctor. All that because I love to dance and take kids to the doctor but I don’t like to see kids sick or mommy or daddy sick.” (Child age four)

“I want to go to a big school like my brother. My dad goes to work. I don’t have a mommy. My daddy works a lot and cooks food and I like to help and go to my school. I love my daddy and my brother.” (Child age four)