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Back Road BearsI remember my friends and I playing during recess at school discussing what we wanted to be when we grew up. We were a very ambitious bunch. There was a budding dentist, a lawyer and a firefighter amongst us.
Me... I wanted to be a vetrinarian. Once I realized my heart and my stomach couldn't take some of the things that vets had to face I decided I wanted to be an elementary school teacher. Never did that either when I suddenly found myself on my own and having to make a living so I didn't starve. I became a retail manager for a huge corporation. Now I make teddy bears. Course.... I still don't know for sure what I want to be when I grow up.... it will be interesting to see what I'm doing 10 years from now! :crackup:
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Apple Dumpling DesignsShouldn't you be phrasing that?
What DO you want to be WHEN you grow up? :crackup:
Bears by EdieWell, when I was in grade four I wanted to work in candy store! And now I never eat sweets at all (okay if you count chocolate, then just very occasionally 
)
I couldn't decide what to be when I grew up so didn't! (become anything??? or grow up??? - maybe both! ) Being a teddy bear artist is the most satisfying "career" I've had but it is really more of a hobby as I've never had to support myself with it.
Back Road BearsOK then, what DO you want to be when you grow up, Shantell??? 
Past Time BearsBack when I was really a kid, I wanted to be a dancer. Now that I'm in my second childhood, I want to be a jazz musician. A singer accompanying myself on the piano - much like Diana Krall or Dianne Reeves.
1) Veterinarian
2) Pet store owner or manager
3) Horse trainer (after hearing what Kelly went thru... good thing I didn't!!)
4) Photographer for National Geographic
5) Police Officer (my dad was for 27 years!)
6) Private detective (Nancy Drew books were my favorite!)
7) Rock star (although I can't sing a note or play an instrument!)
I always wanted to be a back up singer for a famous singer. I didn't want to be the famous one, I wanted to be the one in a spangly sequinned dress boo-bopping in the background. I figured that you would have all the joy of touring and being on stage enjoying the music, but with none of the pressure. Is that a bit odd your ambition wanted to be the "second fiddle". One hurdle to my ambition is that I cannot sing a note, but I love singing. When my daughter was a toddler, she loved everything I sang and thought Mummy was fabulous. Now she is a teenager and considers my voice the worst thing she has ever heard and bans me from singing her favourite artists as I "destroy" the song. Isn't it great when they get older!!!
Dolls N DreamsFirst a Dancer, then a school teacher 
I distinctly remember wanting to be a window when I was small...
Then an astronaut, until my careers teacher laughed in my face, and then something biology related, to which I was told I wasn't really a science mind.... and now I'm at Durham studying Zoology.
My teachers were idiots...
WienDaphne, I love your post!
In my mind´s career I started out as a circus princess 
, had to change to veterinarian , due to lack of work space, but had to quit my veterinarian career due to sickness when seing blood.
I rethought my career plans when I was about 7 and wanted to become a primary school teacher, then again a vet, jumpe into the artist business, which nobody suppored. Really a shame! And when I was 16 I wanted to work for the airline that I now work for. Exactly the job, that I had wanted to do,even though with 16 I had NO idea what it was about ... :crackup:
Laura Lynn, you were busy in your career! Private detective...wow!
Gantaeno, cool! Zoology sounds interresting! And isn´t it sad, that so many teachers just have no clue???
Gaby 
PottersHouse BearsWhen I was in 4th grade, I wanted to be a jockey. However, I had to change my career goal when I was in 6th grade due to the fact that at that age I was already near my full height of 5'8". Too tall, and eventually too heavy. All I was sure of was that I wanted to be surrounded by animals. I am now surrounded by animals, but I wouldn't exactly call it a career.
Pumpkin & Pickle BearsI wanted to be a vet. I've done loads of work experience at surgeries watching operations on animals. I've trained for 3 years in small animal care too. BUT, then the boys came along.......of course now, I want to be a full-time Bear Artist once my youngest goes to school....that is my dream....thankfully my bears are selling very well and they never stick around for very long. I can't seem to be able to keep up with the demand for them from my customers at the moment......there just aren't enough hours in the day......and this 'housework' business....it just eats into my bear making time!!!
KiddoBearsI think you all ended up just wonderful bear aritsts that inpire those who are having trouble getting out there to be known as a bear artist like me :crackup: But anyway Gee! to answer this difficult question, Being in Foster homes since birth I never remember anyone telling me what I wanted to beeeeeeeeeee!.
But in my mind I guess I wanted to be a doctor.I remember crying when i would see someone ill. but ended up being a housewife " My Destiny", which to me is a profession? I ended up marrying a wonderful man who has let me be me for 46 years,with seven childern, & 12 grandchildern whom at times drive their moms and dads crazy cause I don't give them a chance to do so :crackup: In this profession I made a good choice I wouldn't change it for a Doctor :dance: and I will keep trying to be a professional bear artist cause I just love creating my bears :hug: to all.
Bye the way did you all notice I was finally able to put a picture of one of my bears in the avatar. :crackup: Boy was I having trouble.
Jellybelly BearsFun post Shantell love it! I haven't grown up either lol. I remember never ever wanting to grow up when I was a kid and going through the 12 teenager stage....my friend and I made pacts that we would never grow up and do things like shave our legs...sorry Rebecca lol.
Did anyone do the time capsule thing at school? We did when I was 5. I got my letter sent to me in the year 2000 when it was agreed to open the time capsule. I wanted to be a teacher! Hows that for going back in time and answering your question Daph!!
I then wanted to be a ballet dancer, vet, archeologist like Indy then teacher or nutritionist. But I can't think of a better job than I have now...I bet if I knew I could make teddies as a child I would have chosen that 
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsThanks Daphne!!!! This is a great post and it has really made me feel good about where I am in my life right now!!! I think that along about the second or third day of Kindergarten, I decided I would become a teacher! This focus didn't change over the years. I taught 7 years and now I am returning to teaching after nine years of being home with my kids. Since I finished my classes to recertify May 7, I have been substitute teaching nearly every day, and the last two weeks (and next week too) have been with the same third grade class. It feels as natural as if I had not had any time away.
I also decided at a very young age that I was an artist. I figured I could be an artist along with teaching or whatever else I did and I have always been involved is some artistic persuit as well.
Also, as a young child I always wanted to someday be a mother. And I am!!! Thanks for reminding me how blessed I am!
Apple Dumpling DesignsOK then, what DO you want to be when you grow up, Shantell???
I couldn't resist...
I have NEVER known what I wanted to do...seriously. When I graduated from high school I had plans to eventually go to law school (I can't even imagine now) but well....I had a baby 18 months later. Oops!! This coming from someone who NEVER wanted to have children (another...I can't even imagine now).
I think I'm too much of a free spirit to actually settle on ONE thing. I'm just too easily bored even as a child I fluttered about.
:crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
Laurie Lou BearsI have noticed that many of you wanted to be a vet and that was what I would have liked to do but I knew I couldn't cope with having to put animals down even though it is for the best sometimes and I think that was the only reason I didn't pursue it.My other options were a pe teacher-that was the only lesson I liked at school .My last was in the police force but for various reasons I couldn't do it.
We had an interesting test in high school that was supposed to guide us in our choice of career and my score was nil for office type work and 100% for outdoor work and that would have been so true for me.
Laurie :hug:
PaHmmm, when I was a kid I wanted to be a coroner, I loved the TV show Quincy. Actually I haven't strayed to far from that as I work at a trauma center with blood, tissue samples and other sorted body fluids now!! But now I really want to be Michelle Lamb when I grow up!!! lol
Kathleen
Chaska, MinnesotaWell all the way from grade school through high school I wanted to be a hairdresser. I practiced my haircutting skills on the dogs and became quite good at it. I even cut my dads hair. I was self taught. So near the end of high school I announced to my dad that I found the perfect beauty school. My dad said "well, o.k., daddy will pay for beauty school but first you need to try a semester of college first. If you don't like it, I'll pay for beauty school. But I will pay for college as long as you want to go...." I was not happy to say the least. But off I went to college never abandoning my dream of being a hairdresser. So What happened?......Dad paid all they way through a Masters Degree....
I didn't really know what I wanted to do but I did like math in school and I'm now an accountant! So I'm still working with those numbers - really high numbers which I still enjoy after 25 years.
My Granddaughter was just in the local newspaper asking all kindergarten kids what they wanted to be when they grow up and she said:
'I want to be a zookeeper when I grow up. I want to feed all the animals, especially the butterflies. I will need to be very careful with all the animals so they do not run away. I will make the animals very happy and comforable.'
Out of the mouths of babes. She is 5 years old. I will be saving the paper for her for when she is older.
Jane
This has been SO great to read! I was actually none of the things I wanted to be.... I WAS a photographer... but hardly for National Geographic :crackup: I was a freelance pet photographer and hot rod portrait photographer... that was FUN but didn't pay the bills
"a bear by kim"i wanted to be rich and thin!!!
and as soon as i get rich, ill be able to afford the lipo!!!
hahahaha not really (well... yes really)
i think i too went through the vet faze but its not all kisses and cuddles, i always wanted to be creative and have a happy family life.
iv got two beautiful little girls, a husband who sometimes does as he is told and the bills are paid... (most of the time)
so im happy with my lot xxxxx
Gantaeno, cool! Zoology sounds interesting! And isn´t it sad, that so many teachers just have no clue???
Yeah, it is quite interesting, but SOOO hard! Just Biology but (supposedly) without plants in it...
I hated that teacher... who LAUGHS at a child's ambitions?
Jane, i think I still want to do what your granddaughter wants XD If it ever happens she can come to my zoo
How interesting to see everyone's ambitions! Well, I always wanted to be an artist but as an art major in college I took on some real money making commissions and I found out that art wasn't any fun when some one else was telling you what to do and how to do it. So I changed majors 5 or 6 times and became a "jack of all trades" which came in handy when I decided to be a homeschooling mom. But I also had some great jobs along the way. I was a Real Estate Appraiser for awhile. And I was a Visual Merchandiser for awhile. (by the way, even when I was working full time I always took art classes) I was briefly a freelance artist before I fell into the wonderful world of teddy bears. But since I always wanted to be an artist I think that I'm pretty lucky that I've been a Teddy Bear Artist for going on two decades.
:dance: :dance: :dance:
~Kathy
A sportscaster on ESPN (I love sports, esp. football and basketball) until touring the journalism department at college and deciding it wasn't for me (I switched to business), an Olympic swimmer (I used to swim when I was younger), a vet (until I realized I don't like science and I would pass out looking at the gross stuff ) and some other stuff I can't remember. I've always loved bears so I love being a bear store owner! 
It's interesting that a lot of us wanted to be a vet or something else animal related.
