Dreams

I just finished a wonderful article in the June issue of Reader’s Digest. Written by Jacquelyn Mitchard, of The Deep End of the Ocean fame, Why Passion Matters is Mitchard’s take on letting children dream.

Kids dream. They’re much better at it than we are. They dream big and don’t worry over much about details. Over the years I’ve observed many parents advising their kids on future plans, schooling. I’ve given a bit of my own advice, even been the recipient of ‘good’ advice. Advice for practicality, for a fallback plan, for training and pursuing a secure, smart job field. And with every good, sound advice I’ve heard, there has been something in me silently screaming no.

In my own case, I had two passions in junior high: animals and writing. In my Careers class we were supposed to write a paper about two careers we thought we’d like to pursue. I chose veterinarian or writer. My teacher and parents told me both were impossible careers, informing me women weren’t accepted into Veterinarian school and writing was a wonderful hobby but writers couldn’t make a decent living. While both were true, I can’t tell you how I felt hearing that. It deflated me in this tiny, furtive way.

I never questioned the whole ‘women in Veterinarian school’. (It wouldn’t have mattered in writing the paper on careers, anyway.) By default I decided to do the paper on English teacher as my career, although that sounded like a consolation prize. (Truth be told, I don’t think I could ever stand in front of a class everyday either)

I’ve heard parent’s advise, gently guide, even brainwash their kids into a path they think best, safe, smart. Often it proves a good wise fit, but I wonder what could have been and secretly cringed inside. Now days there is so much pressure for kids to be better and faster that dreams seem hard to come by. It’s true, in order to get by there isn’t much chance to dream, to pursue frivolous occupations, but…kids ought to be allowed to dream.

I think, I know, dreams persist anyway. They will find their way out into the light some time, some way, somehow. And sometimes in the fight for the light, those dreams break your heart. Much better to chase them and fail, then to have them stymied, I think. I wonder if letting kids dream more, be practical less isn’t a wiser thing.

I like Mitchard’s advice: Risk everything. Plans, B, C, D, and E will always be there.
What about giving some time to Plan A? Plan B comes along sure as computer crashes.

I don’t know that I did such a good job teaching my kids to follow dreams, (I hope I wasn’t too totally practical. I hope I left room for them to follow dreams) but I can’t go back and redo it. So, if I only teach my grandkids one thing—I want it to be to dream, (despite what parents or teachers say), to follow those dreams even into failure. If I do that I’ll be pleased.

If you have a chance to read this article, do so.