The Work I Urge My Kids to Find

I spent my childhood listening to my Dad complain about work. Every dinner, every weeknight, we sat as he unloaded the burdens of working for a bureaucracy. Now, as much as I try not to, I fear I have become him - nearly the same complaints, all the same types of problems (really government-type agencies? You haven't figured anything out in all these years?) - and I HATE it! I don't want my kids to be subject to listening to my ranting and raving, day in and day out, all the negativity and bad juju. ...Or do I?

Here is what I want for my kids: To do well in school, go to Europe for the summer after High School graduation, go to college and find a career they are indescribably passionate about. I want them to be one of those people who LOVES their job; one of those people that can't speak highly enough about what they do; one of THOSE people... I know they exist. I've met a couple of them. I hope they will take the opportunity. I want them to break the cycle of working a monotonous job that they hate even if it does pay well.

We can never predict the paths our lives will take. If you would've told me at age 20 what I'd be doing at age 32 I would've NEVER believed you. And so I can't know what my children will do with their lives. I do believe I am doing the things I can to make them responsible, good people that can look at life and see all of its possibilities while still having the confidence and wit to question the things that are presented to them and make good decisions. I want my daughter to be strong and confident, while still having the sensibility and grace to conduct herself professionally, especially under pressure. I want my son to be caring and kind while maintaining strength, intelligence and skepticism when making decisions.

I hope, hope, hope for the best things in life for my children (like all of us do). I hope they see that the opportunity to have experiences may be worth more than material possessions. I don't want them to think that getting a job, getting married and buying a house is the path everyone has to take. By all means, if that is their dream I hope they achieve it. I just don't want their idea of the "right" path to be constricted to that definition. Whatever their dreams I hope they come true and they never have to sit at the dinner table spouting their work troubles at their kids!