Despite the fact that most adults haven’t quite figured out this one yet, most of them seem to have no qualms about asking a child what they want to be when they grow up — and expecting an immediate, coherent answer
Luckily, kids have a way of stealing the show with their replies to this inquiry, or other thoughts about their own distant future.
Here, some grown-ups on X (formerly Twitter) share a number of memorable things kids have said about what they’re going to be when they grow up.
I empower my child to be whatever & whoever she wants. Right now,she wants to be an astronaut when she grows up. When I tell her what she needs to do in order to become an astronaut, I start with the basics. Step 1: LEARN TO PEE & POOP ON THE POTTY. MOMMY IS TIRED OF CHANGING YOU
— Marissa 💚🦃💛 (@michimama75) November 3, 2019
My daughter told me that she thinks it’d be more fun to have a puppy than a boyfriend when she grows up and she’s not wrong
— Katie D (@KatieDeal99) September 21, 2023
My 6-year-old said when she grows up she wants to be a "chainsaw guy."
— James Breakwell, Exploding Unicorn (@XplodingUnicorn) June 9, 2022
Not sure if she means a professional tree trimmer like the ones working across the street or a serial killer in a hockey mask, but girls can do it all.
3yo used to say he wanted to be a “please officer” when he grows up, thanks to a cop-obsessed Big Kid™️ on our street. but then we started doing enough ice cream dates that just now, when an elder asked him what he’s going to be he closed his eyes and whispered: “a Dairy Queen”
— hannahmatthews on 🦋 blsky (@hannahmsays) July 17, 2024
Asked my son what he wanted to be when he grew up
— Aditi Parekh (@aditipar) November 22, 2024
With clear eyed conviction, he said
SENIOR MANAGEMENT
8YO: When I grow up I don’t ever want to be a teacher
— Vinod Chhaproo (@Chhapiness) May 9, 2023
Me: why?
8YO: I can’t deal with so many parents talking
Kid: When I grow up, my bff and I aren’t having kids and then we can go out any time and do adult things.
— krista pacion (@kristabellerina) October 12, 2024
Me: Umm, what do you mean by doing “adult things”?
Kid: Go to pubs.
Whew.
5 & 7 listening to one of my calls this morning.
— Shematologist, MD (@acweyand) January 26, 2022
5: Mom, what’s heavy monster bleeding?
I explain menstruation.
5: I want to be a boy when I grow up.
New spider man movie so good deuce told me
— Jayson Tatum (@jaytatum0) June 8, 2023
“ daddy I think I changed my mind I might want to be spider man when I grow up… but I still want to be you”
Good save son, good save!
5yo; “Mommy, I think when I grow up, I might change my name to a grownup name because my name is a little kid’s name. Maybe I’ll use my middle name. My name is such a baby name! I want a grown up name when I’m a grown up.”
— Stephanie Insley Hershinow (@S_Insley_H) May 3, 2023
Reader, his name is HARVEY.
My toddler said she wants to be a firefighter (noble choice) when she grows up because she “really loves fire” (uh oh).
— The Dad (@thedad) May 5, 2023
I asked my daughter what she wants to be when she grows up. She got super serious and replied, “Oh that’s easy. I’m going to be the Queen.” Mood. Goals. AF.
— Maryfairyboberry🧚🏻♀️ (@maryfairybobrry) August 5, 2019
I forgot to tell ya I asked my son last night what he wanted to be when he grows up he said “mom I want to be an avenger “ I told him avengers aren’t real it’s a costume....he said “oh like when you put your wig on like a Halloween costume...” I just ...
— U. (@uniqueblessed) March 22, 2021
I just asked my 3 year-old if she’s gonna be a comedian or lawyer when she grows up because she already got a smart mouth. And she responds, “No I want to be a President.” Holy shit 😭😭😭😭😭😭
— Meena Harris (@meena) September 6, 2019
me: how was gymnastics dude?
— Dadman Walking (@dadmann_walking) October 11, 2024
9: fine but there's an annoying kid. Even the coach can't stand him. I wanna punch him but I know if I do I'll be banned
me: correct
9: well when we grow up into adults I'm gonna find him and punch him really hard.
and there is his villain…
3yo: Mommy, I want to be the Big, Bad Wolf when I grow up.
— 3 Wild Rainbows (@wildrainbow2) October 13, 2022
Me: Um....ok.....
Asked a preschooler at my niece's birthday party, "What are you gonna be when you grow up?" And she looked me and said, "A grown-up."
— Caitlin 🚗 🧀 Driscoll (@TeacherOnTopic) October 12, 2024
When I grow up and get a baby I'm gonna be nice to it
— Marcy G (@BunAndLeggings) June 10, 2022
- My 5-year-old
My 5yo: WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A SINGER AND A DANCER AND A MUSICIAN AND A VETERINARIAN AND A PASTOR AND A TEACHER
— Courtney Ellis 🎈 (@courtneyellis) June 3, 2024
Me: Wow! You’d be so good at—
5: I WASN’T DONE
Pilot (to my 5-year-old daughter a few days ago): Do you know you could be a flight attendant when you grow up?
— Rebecca Papin (@RebeccaPapin) April 13, 2022
5: I could also own the plane.
me: what are you going to be when you grow up?
— Dan (@dadopotamus) July 6, 2023
5: beautiful.
Me: you can be anything you want!
— Emily ™ (@emily_tweets) November 18, 2021
4: Mommy. When I grow up, first I'm gonna be a mermaid, then I'm gonna be a pilot, then I'm gonna be a pony, then I'm gonna be a mom and then I'm gonna be a unicorn.
“When I grow up, I want to be a wolfer. Someone who feeds pizza to wolves.” -4, preparing for one hell of a future
— Marissa 💚🦃💛 (@michimama75) January 28, 2021
[3yo talking to me about what doctors do]
— 3 Wild Rainbows (@wildrainbow2) January 10, 2020
Me: Is that what you want to be when you grow up? A doctor?
3yo: *thinks for a minute* No, mommy, I'm just going to be a human being.
My daughter told me she wants to be a doctor when she grows up so she can take care of me when I’m an old lady
— Katie D (@KatieDeal99) August 19, 2023
3yo says when she grows up she wants to be a scientist and a unicorn. To be fair, unicorn transformation is a very specific science.
— Lil Bit 🌈 (@LizerReal) September 17, 2020
8-year-old: I want to be like you when I grow up.
— James Breakwell, Exploding Unicorn (@XplodingUnicorn) February 24, 2023
Me: You want to write books?
8: I want to be tall and nap a lot.
Dream big.
Me: What are you going to be when you grow up?
— Shematologist, MD (@acweyand) October 14, 2021
6yo patient: Bigger.