Adventure #20: It'll All Work Out

I.LOVE.CHILDREN! They are the joy of life! I have been an uncle since I was eight and have been around each of my nieces and nephew enough to have a personal relationship with them all. I have spent time with kids! I don't know that a life without children would be worth living. In fact, I strongly considered going into Early Childhood Education to eventually teach kindergarten, but whenever it came to mind, I felt like I should remain a theatre major. And especially now that I've graduated and am unemployed, I've often wondered if I chose the correct field to study, especially considering how much joy children bring and that even in my family they might not always be accessible, depending on where I live.

With my youngest niece on a sleigh ride in December 2012

Overall, getting to know myself better through my college years, I see that being a teacher would not keep my attention, because I pick up new interests quickly. I would do it for a year, say, "That was fun. Whew. Bring in the next batch," and then decide halfway through my second year that I wanted to do something totally unrelated to my field....and honestly, I would probably try acting.

As it is, I still get my fill of children by being an uncle and think I much more enjoy being with children related to me than with other people's kids. (There's a sense of more freedom in disciplining them within the shared  family values. And their bodily issues are much more comfortable, being familiar.) I hope to eventually be a father.

Even beyond that, for three Sundays last month, I attended the nursery in a church ward with some friends who were the nursery leaders, and for the other Sunday of the month, I accompanied my mother to her Sunday School class of eight-year-olds. It helped me see that even if it is not part of my career to interact with children, opportunities can be provided to fulfill that for me. What a glorious thing! It has been a great comfort to me, and I have felt confirmations that I made the right decisions in my education. You know, ideally, I think it would be great to work on a children's show, a (good quality) television show for children, like Mister Roger's Neighborhood, Blue's Clues, or Sesame Street. Even if I wasn't with children on the show, I'm sure the environment would be something I could thrive in. It would be such a treat! I'm not too sure how long I could stay in one place at one time, but who knows? What's important is that I feel like there's possibilities and that it'll all work out.