The children in the group surveyed had quite common views on adulthood and career aspirations. It is noteworthy that their dreams have changed throughout the past months, which is typical of children who develop and learn more about the world around them and themselves (Click & Parker, 2011). At the same time, the events that have taken place recently and the way American, as well as global, society is evolving have had an impact on these children’s choices.
For instance, more students want to be scientists and doctors as they could actually see the role these professionals play in the modern world. Children have been affected by the pandemic in many ways and respond to it in this particular way. For instance, one of the children emphasized that he would become a scientist who would create medication that would eliminate all diseases. A desire to become a doctor is quite common for children, but these professional path inclinations have acquired quite specific characteristics during the pandemic.
Some children were affected by the recent excitement regarding space technologies and exploration. Elon Musk and many other entrepreneurs contributed to the development of amazing space programs that are widely discussed, which cannot go unnoticed by children as well. Although becoming an astronaut or space explorer has been one of the top children’s dreams for decades, these professions have become more popular among modern children.
It can seem as surprise to many but such conventional professions as chefs and teachers are still among children’s priorities. One of the students has a strong interest in cooking and exploring new tastes and flavors. He already cooks some snacks for his family and creates delicious masterpieces for his toys (using dough and other materials).
It is noteworthy that this boy has no chefs in his family. Click and Parker (2011) mention such professional areas as construction, advertising, newspaper publishing, and environmental conservation. These are quite visible roles as children are, to a certain extent, involved in the larger discussion of current issues as they witness their relatives’ discussions of current events. There were no children who wanted to be an environmental conservationist in the group, but there was a girl who wanted to become a scientist who would solve environmental issues.
One of the children wants to be a dancer, and she has the corresponding extracurricular activities and quite a significant history of successful performances. Two other boys are into sports and want to become professional athletes. Hence, it is possible to note that some children only consider choosing this or that professional path. Others seem to be confident about their future and already have a certain background that will help them in the future. At that, all these children are likely to change their perspectives several times and choose different professions. Therefore, it is critical to inform children about the peculiarities of different careers, so that they could try some of them. This exposure to diverse professions is instrumental in helping children understand their needs and wants more clearly.
In conclusion, it is necessary to state that the children in the group have quite ordinary career inclinations with certain specifics that can be explained by the most recent events. Many learners want to be scientists, so younger generations already see problems and want to solve them. Such major events as the pandemic and space exploration make children see these areas as attractive. However, such practical professions and a chef or teacher are still popular among young generations.
Reference
Click, P. M., & Parker, J. (2011). Caring for school-age children (6th ed.). Cengage Learning.