Help Wanted!!!

Did you ever dream about what you wanted to be when you grow up?  Maybe you, like me, still have that dream.  Thinking back to my childhood I wanted to be a teacher.  That made perfect sense to me since both of my parents were teachers, many of their siblings were teachers, their friends were teachers, even my grandfather was a teacher. That was what I knew; so when I grew up, I wanted to be a teacher.  (That changed once I realized there was more out there.)  It seems obvious that this would also be one of the top career choices of first graders.  It should be right up there with firefighters, doctors, police officers, and bus drivers.  

Well, my theory was blown out of the water when I pulled Jack’s project out of his backpack.  Jack put together a book about himself.  It included a lovely drawing of his family, where he lived, what he liked to eat, what he liked to do, and what he wanted to be when he grows up.  All of the drawings were as expected.  The one exception was on the last page… 

When I grow up, I want to be a hobo.

Like most things relating to my children, there is a good reason for everything they do.  I rarely get an “I don’t know” or “because” from my boys.  Instead, I get a long thought out, drawn out answer, or rather lecture, on why they did what they did (…hmm? Wonder who they are related to?...).  I’m not sure which one is better.  The conversation with Jack, once I stopped laughing, went something like this:

Me: Jack, really a hobo?

Jack: Yep! (Quite proud of himself)

Me: Why a hobo? And, who helped you spell hobo?

Jack: The teacher helped me.  I don’t know what I want to be and I thought it would be funny.  So, I want to be a hobo.  Did you see that I am fat and smoking?

Me:  You mean the teacher saw it?

Jack: Nope.  She just spells words when you ask her.  But, Mr. G saw it (the principal).

Me:  Oh great.  What did he say?

Jack:  He didn’t like it and made me do another one.  Look on the back.

Me:  (reading the page) When I grow up I want to be a Park Manager.

               

I initially thought to myself, now that makes sense.  We DID spend some time in the National and State parks this summer.  Jack DID insist on dressing like a park ranger.   So, I just assumed he wanted to be a Park Ranger and just confused the words.

For whatever reason, this assumption didn’t sit well with me.  Maybe it was because it was a little too obvious or maybe it was because I was surprised at his choice.  Then it came to me one evening when the boys were watching Regular Show on Cartoon Network.  Lo, and behold one of the characters was a Park Manager.

Me:  Jack, did you get Park Manager from Regular Show?

Jack: Yep! (Quite proud of himself!)

Me: And, your teacher saw that drawing?

Jack: Yep! And so did Mr. G.  I got them both!  (laughing)They don’t know that show.

Me:  Clearly!