I think I'm in trouble About This Page:

[CinderAbby]

Abby would every so often get on this kick that once she gets out of school (which is in 8 more years or so) that she won't ever be able to get a job, there's nothing she'll ever be able to do. I'm not sure where it was coming from - if they talked about the future at school or if it was just something on her mind. So anyway, one night when she was saying that, I told her she can do anything she wants. I tried telling her all the things she could do and then I pointed out how well she takes photos and that she could take photos like the Disney Photopass Photographers. Here's where I think I'm in trouble. Abby - being a typical kid at times - heard what she wanted to hear and totally ignored the word LIKE. So now when she talks about the future and getting out of school, she says how she's going to move to Florida (you and dad can come too mommy, I'd miss you too much ) and be a Disney Photopass Photographer. Part of me hopes that she changes her mind in the next few years but a bigger part of me actually would like to see that happen - if the service is still around. Lenny already has said that he'd look into getting transferred to a Walgreens in the area and I work in the kitchen at school. Between that and all my retail experience, I'm sure there's something I could do down there - whether it be a clerk in a gift shop on Disney or working for someone else down there (maybe a school or some retail store or bank). In the meantime though, I try not to say too much about going to Florida. I certainly don't want her to pin her hopes on that happening but I don't want her to ever totally discount it. I tried telling her this morning (when she started talking about it) that she could be a professional photographer and do things like weddings and sports events, etc like someone I know here on the boards (I hope you don't mind Tonichelle that I used you as an example). Abby seemed to like the idea at first - especially not moving away - but I think she'll go back to wanting to work for Disney. That's not necessarily a bod thing but it does seem like a daunting idea, even for me.

[3dogknight]

Dreams are what make something that seems impossible ,possible. Don't discourage her, everyones career plans change as time goes by.

[MMMD]

I was just thinking about this the other day Darlene. My daughters are 12 and 9 and I'm really thinking that I'd like to move back to FL when they go to college because it's so much cheaper to live that here in NJ and DH and I could have a better retirement there (plus I miss my family who live in FL.) But I could never move there if my kids still lived here. I hope my daughters want to move south!

[B.M.]

Sounds like a plan to me! My ds wants to be a chef at Disney

[omd]

I think Abby should be allowed to have her dream. Maybe encourage her to do well in school so that some day she would be able to take photography classes and make her dream come true.

[MichaelF]

I would encourage her that when she finishes school in a few years that she should attend college. I do that for my kids. It is nearly impossible to get a good job without a college education anymore. It is one thing I didn't do in my life that I really wish I did. I did eventually get a college degree but I was in my 30's when I got it. Even if you want to have your own business i still think kids should go to college.

[GATechGal]

Definitly start cultivating her interests. It could help lead to a career someday. But it can change several times before she graduates. At her age I wanted to be a teacher, in high school I decided that computers were the way to go. I ended up as a computer instructor (so sort of both). My DD is interested in making prostetics. She got that idea a few years ago when my DH broke his arm. You never know where the interests will come from and what may become of them.

[Cam22]

Dreams always require thinking beyond the possible! and for Abby's future!

[Teresa]

My Kathryn has wanted to either be on Broadway or be a dancing/singing CM for Disney for years. At her preschool graduation, when asked what she wanted to be she said "A Super-Star".
She's 17 now, and she still wants to be that. I haven't discouraged that, but over the years, I've thrown in some reality, including asking "What if that doesn't work out? What will you do then?" She's going to university next year, and she'll be duel majoring in musical theater and psychology.
My point is: don't tell her it's not possible, but don't make it all roses and tulips either. There are a lot of people out there who are not doing what they wanted to when they were younger, and they're fine. Maybe a good thing to do would be to cultivate the interest, with some classes on photography, or even just some books from the library, and repeating the statement that it's really HARD to get a job at WDW. Not impossible, just hard.

[Luvsun]

I always used to tell my sons that they needed to dream big, that nothing was impossible and that they could do whatever they set their mind and heart to!
I agree that helping her cultivate her interests now will certainly be a positive thing!
Positive parental involvement is key to your child's future!
for Abby's future! I am sure there is a very bright future ahead for her!

[Huntermom]

Wishing Abby well. I would try to encourage her interest as much as possible. Does your school district have any photography enrichment classes? I think it's important to encourage not only because of career interests, but kids with significant interests as adolescents do much better during the teen years.

[OneSassyDisneyRedhead]

My middle son wants to be a monorail driver. And my youngest boy ~ a Tumble Monkey at the Lion King show.

Enjoy the dreams.

[PamelaK]

Another vote for encouraging the dream with a dose of reality thrown in. My DD wants to be a famous actress. While we have moved her to a new school that offers theater, dance, and choir to enable and encourage her dreams, we are also making sure that she knows how hard it is to be a successful (not just famous) actress. She is "hedging her bets" by also planning to major in mathematics and get a teaching degree for both theater and mathematics.

[ilovedisney0_0]

I tried to push my DD to move to FL after she graduated from HS last May 2010. Junior year, I had her. I was ready to sell my house, I had a countdown in place... but then, she met THE BOY. Now the move is Not Happening. She and her boyfriend are serious, and after over a year of dating are now discussing marriage. She isn't moving to FL now for ANYTHING. And I just cannot bring myself to leave her. So, for now, I have promised myself to make more of an effort to get to WDW at least once a year! It's amazing how things can be so set in stone, and then just change in an instant.