Wondering if you've suggested the home economics major to your DD?

No. We have gone over talents, skills, interests, job outlooks, etc and I gave her some websites (Bureau of Labor Statistics & the Dictionary of Occupational Titles) to check out as well as talking with her advisor. The decision is hers and has to come from within her and she has the rest of the semester to figure it out.

I look at the young people in my life, and I smile at them as they face all of those big decisions in life...they have so much before them...its great to sit back and watch them weigh the pros and cons of life...remembering when we went through it. Ah, middle age is great!!

Sounds like she's open to your suggestions, and, if she's interested in the field, might appreciate this one. Of course, like you said, she needs to make her own decision, but she can't even consider the option if you don't present it to her.

Having the rest of the semester doesn't guarantee that she'll think of this one.

Thanks, Faith. Truly the purpose of this thread was to have fun and look back at all the things we wanted to do and what we ended up doing.

DD18 has a great advisor who has been working with her on this as well. I have been very impressed with her advisor thus far and she has been helpful in guiding DD18 and making suggestions. Based on what DD18 is interested in as well as her natural skills and talents, home ec. is not a good option for her. It would be like telling a person who hates the site of blood to be a phlebotomist. She is not interested in any of the career options for a home ec major except food and even at that she wanted to study the chemical breakdown of food within the body; the effects of all the chemicals we add to foods through processing/agriculture on food, nutritional value, and the body; and things like that.

I remember I also wanted to run an orphanage when I found out I couldn't have 100 kids. LOL

One thing I know for sure in life is we should not have our children live through our eyes. They have to choose their own direction and we are there to encourage and hope they make the decisions that are right for them. As long as my children are happy I am happy for them. If they make mistakes, they learn from them. Like Debbie said, it's nice to sit back and watch them spread their wings and become the adults we raised them to be, independent and productive adults.

Now, that's not to say I didn't advise if I felt they may be taking a route they haven't researched. For example, my youngest thought about being a lawyer. He is a great debater but hates being wrong. I don't think he'd be happy with that in court. haha Then he went to a complete opposite major and wanted to be a nurse. He's a gifted child but lacks some common sense so not sure that would have worked either. I didn't tell him not to do it but rather I brought up things he did not think about.

So, he decided to go into business which he absolutely loves. One year into college he decided to change his major. He called me and asked what I thought about being a finance major. I told him it was not my decision and that he had to decide what would make him happy. He chose to change his major and he is so happy he did. That boy will be our next Donald Trump.

Oh he still tries to get us to help him decide things but we tell him we know he'll make the right decisions. He's 21 and I have always told both my boys when they reach the age of 18 they are adults and mom and dad will treat them as such. Made them a little nervous but so far they have done well. Oh and they pay their way for everything except their cell phones.

It is fun to sit back and watch them make their way.

DD19 had a rough go of it at 1st. She is now doing awesome - college full-time for interior design, working part-time, and doing lots of volunteer work and I couldn't be more proud of her. She pulled through pretty much on making her own decisions and several conversations with me about what she wanted to do. Phew!

But it is so fun to watch them discover who they are and where they want to go in life. I enjoy visiting with DDs friends and listening to what they are discovering about life as adults. Some have known right along what they wanted to do and others have changed their plans. I tell them all, including my own DDs, to always, always have a plan b, c, d, etc. as you never know what life is going to toss your way.

Looking over this thread, many of us had to use our plan B-Z-aa-zz. LOL It's called being adaptable.

I've decided, I want to be 12 again.

Why 12, Sally? Was that a good year for you?

I don't think I would want to be 12 again but definitely 5 or 6. That was a fun age for me. Then again, when I am watching my nephews and niece and/or when I do my artwork I get to go back to being 5 or 6. LOL

I forgot! I wanted to be a huge Nashville singer once too. I auditioned with an all male "Journey" group and they liked me. But I was too scared to follow through with it.