Career Day

As a parent, you hope that you encourage your daugther to be whatever she wants in life. Its hard to not envision where she will go to college or what she will be - a doctor, a lawyer, a mom or all of the above. You don't want your visions to become her reality, unless thats what she wants too. But even if you don't say a word, parents inevitably will guide their child's career choice. I have always felt like what parents do for a living is one of the greatest influences on what career path someone will choose.

For example, being a doctor seems completely impossible to me. But someone whose parent is a doctor is much more likely to become one. I don't have any statistical proof, but I am sure I am right. Two of my parents 5 children went to law school. Neither of them are currently practicing law, but there are a lot of days my dad disappears in the bermuda triangle (aka running errands in Pasadena) when he doesn't practice very much law either. So my theory still holds true.

Lately, I have been going through a lot of self-discovery. This blog has opened my eyes to the fact that maybe I really am a writer. And with each passing day I try to learn more about the profession and job opportunities. Its not like applying for a regular job when someone hires you and tells you what to do. There is more freedom but there is also more responsibility. And, to me, more responsibility means less people to blame if I fail.

But being a mother has finally giving me the courage to become a writer. I realize the risk of failing as a writer pales in comparison to the rewards of a career that allows me to stay at home with my children.

As I played outside with Josie today, I started to think about what she would think of her mom being a writer. Would be proud or embarrassed? Glad that I can go on field trips or irritated that I am always home after school? Would it inspire her to be a writer too?

Lost in my thoughts I didn't notice that Josie had cornered her brother and was pulling the back of his pants out to see if he had a dirty diaper. "Let me check you!" she said in her irritatingly high pitched voice that is clearly an impression of how my voice sounds to her. She is already trying to be a mother.

Owen pulled away and ran across the yard. Josie sat down and picked up a piece of chalk. As she drew crazy circles, she chanted:

One, Two, Three
Four, Five, Six
Owen's Diaper
Really Stinks

As I ran around the yard trying to catch Owen so I couuld change his dirty diaper, I laughed and then sighed with a sense of relief. Clearly, Josie is a writer. And that must mean that I am one too.