Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Career Options

little kid is still adamant that he will never, ever live apart from me.

He wanted to be a "shooter" (his word for soldier) when he grew up. This topic always upset Big Kid greatly.

"You can't be a shooter, little kid, it's dangerous! Do you really want to kill people? War is bad! Shooting people is bad! What if you died? Mom--little kid is saying he's gonna be a shooter again."

Regardless of my position on the current war and military spending, I do believe all soldiers are heroes. Every one of them, by default, just for signing up. I am eternally grateful for their sacrifices and service and I have nothing but admiration for them and their families, who are also heroes for living the lives they lead to support our soldiers.

That being said, I'm not out to raise heroes. Call me selfish, add me to the "bad persons" list (I'm probably already on there) but the very thought of either of my children wanting to be in the military makes me feel sick with dread and worry.

I knew better than to act upset over a 3-year-old's threats to enlist though, mostly because he would definitely love the idea forever if he knew how much I hated it. So I thought of a better tactic:

"Being a shooter is a very important job and it's a good job, soldiers do a wonderful thing for our country. It is very hard for them because they have to live away from their families when they are away at war."

"They lives away from their mudders?" He looked worried.

"Yes. For a long time. Maybe years."

"Can you be a shooter and still live wif your mumum?"

"Nope. Hey, you could be a policeman! They have guns and they can live with their moms."

(So maybe I'm willing to raise a hero after all.)

"Cops can live with their mumums? In they own houses?"

"Yep."

"I'm gonna be a cop! I'm thinkin' I'll be a good cop, you know why?"

"Why?"

"'Cuz I'm good at beatin' up my bubby!"

(Okay, maybe I spoke too soon on the whole hero thing.)

"That's not how it works, little kid. Cops don't beat people up. People are innocent until proven guilty--policemen can't treat everyone they arrest like they are bad guys."

"But what about the bad guys? Can I beat up the bad guys?" I told him I didn't think so.

During a later conversation I suggested that he would make a good astronaut.

"I am NOT bein' an astronaut!! Why would you want me to be a astronaut?!" He seemed angry at the suggestion.

"I don't know...it's exciting and amazing, you could ride on rocket ships and do science--"

"I'm not bein' an astronaut and livin' on a whole 'nother world from you! I'm livin' with you forever, 'member? Not in outer space!"

"Oh, yes. I do remember. An astronaut wouldn't work then."

Today I made the mistake of promising to buy him his own tools and a toolbox as he grew up, so that he would have a nice set of tools by the time he left our home to start his own family.

"I don't need tools! No tools, I'll use daddy's tools 'cuz I'm not leavin' you. Bemember? You still okay with that?" He has picked up on the fact that Mr. Ashley and I really don't love this plan of his.

"Yep. I'm okay with that."

And that's why I'm afraid I'll be living with a Scuba-diving cop one day.

7 comments:

said...

He is one crazy kid! ;)

And, speaking as an Army wife...I feel that my hubby is FAR safer as a soldier than he would be as a cop. In the Army you only deploy IF there's a conflict and then only about every other year. And, when you are deployed you have your whole unit backing you up and intell on the enemy to plan your moves. As a cop you have none of that...you are in harm's way daily, the thugs are totally unpredictable and it's usually just you and your partner. I'd rather have a soldier than a cop anyday.

But that's not the kind of logic you can use on a toddler. ;)

Ellie Di said...

Don't worry! My brother also said he'd never leave home and that he would marry (my repeatedly divorced) mother when he grew up. Needless to say, none of that has happened (yet?).

Also, being a cop would be a great job! Any of them would be, really. Tell him he can be a space solider and you'll all live on the Moon. :)

Jennifer said...

If you had a basement I could totally see him living in it when he's 30. You know, just because he's "that guy."

Poor Little Kid. I bet he does something awesome.

Drew's Mom said...

Good to know I'm not the only one whose little kid will be living with them forever... except mine plans to keep sleeping in my bed with me too forever.. it's already been 6 years..

Jennifer said...

My son told me he was going to marry me when he grew up. When I explained he couldn't marry me and that I was already married to his daddy, he said well, then he would marry his sister. Mmmmm... that could be creepier than yours living in your basement.

Anonymous said...

Actually that's not true. Our soldiers have deployed time and time again with only mere weeks between deployment dates. Tara, your husband is in the Army, you should know that.
Besides, this is America, there will always be conflict.

-soldier's wife

AnastasiaBeaverhousen said...

as the wife of a soldier (USAF), thank you for your kind words. And you are not alone, I live in fear my kids will one day want to walk in their father's footsteps and I am scared to death.

On another note, I think you can cure LK of wanting to be a soldier - just tell him about the strict dress code. I think once he hears no cowboy boots with batting gloves he will give up on his "shooter" dream. :)