# What did you want to be when you were six years old? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 7, 2002, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710 "2002-08-07T01:13:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lorenzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/41 "2002-08-07T18:41:16Z")
professional baseball player: six month season; great money; fame if you’re really good; fewer injuries and longer careers on average vs other sports; lots of travel; since you’re playing a kids game as an adult, you never have to grow up ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/42 "2002-08-07T18:43:40Z")
Having seen Apollo 11 land two years before, an astronaut or a fireman, in that order. ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/43 "2002-08-07T18:46:07Z")
When I was six, I wanted to be an artist. When I was twelve, I wanted to be an architect. When I was sixteen, I wanted to be an astronaut. At no point in time did I want to be an administrative assistant. But here I am. I am incredibly depressed about this all. ---
**Author:** ![lemon\_yellow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3e96dc/32.png) [@lemon\_yellow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lemon_yellow)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/44 "2002-08-07T19:10:12Z")
A secretary. All my friends wanted to be this. We have no idea why. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/45 "2002-08-07T20:49:35Z")
I turned six in 1970 so of course I wanted to be an Astronaut. I was pretty sure I would be living and working on the moon by now. [heavy sigh] ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/46 "2002-08-07T20:52:11Z")
I wanted to be a milkman. I used to see ours drive around in his big truck all day - looked like a great job. I guess, at times, I still think about the [possibility](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=112972). ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Bianca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@Miss\_Bianca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Bianca)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/47 "2002-08-07T20:56:28Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by DrFidelius_ > **A paleontologist.** > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by ultrafilter_ > > **Wow…I thought I was the only one…** Well, there are at least three, because my friend Dave wanted to be a paleontologist too! As for me, I wanted to be an archaeologist – specifically, an Egyptologist – but I think I was at least 7 or 8 before I knew what an archaeologist even was. ---
**Author:** ![Enore\_Tsotset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/2bfe46/32.png) [@Enore\_Tsotset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enore_Tsotset)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/48 "2002-08-07T21:41:09Z")
I remember being at a day camp around the 6-9 range of age and saying that I wanted to drive the bus at the demolition derby. I knew it wasn’t a career but I still wanted to do it. Still do, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/49 "2002-08-07T21:47:10Z")
I don’t recall dwelling on that topic at 6. Was busy being a kid. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/50 "2002-08-07T23:34:30Z")
Supreme Court Justice - job security and power, what more could you ask for? (I was a weird 6 year old). ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/51 "2002-08-07T23:57:34Z")
I wanted to be a go go dancer (but not til I was 10) and actually did it. I think, when I was 6, I wanted to be a scientist, and an olympic medalist, and also at the same time- a stewardess. ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/52 "2002-08-08T00:45:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SHAKES \* > \*\*When I was six years old I was completely convinced that I was from another planet! And I was absolutely sure that the mothership one day soon would come to get me. > > Hey if you knew my family you would understand.🙂 \*\* Tee-Hee! Me too!! Whenever my parents made me mad I would tell them that it didn’t matter because when my “real” family came to get me, they’d be sorry. 😉 After I realized that I probably wasn’t from another planet I decided I was going to be the Bionic Woman when I grew up. ---
**Author:** ![Kalashnikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kalashnikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalashnikov)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/53 "2002-08-08T02:39:28Z")
Another would be astronaut here, since I also grew up watching the Apollo flights. I did realize that it was pretty unlikely, so I figured working for NASA would be the next best thing. I don’t work for NASA, but I do work in the aerospace industry and I have worked on equipment that we sold to NASA and other space agencies. ---
**Author:** ![Creaky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@Creaky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creaky)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/54 "2002-08-08T02:53:42Z")
I think I remember wanting to be a nun when I was six, specifically, a Flying Nun, like on TV. Great habit, and how cool was that to fly?! I actually wanted to be a real teaching nun on and off right up until I graduated from high school. Then I went to college and started interacting with _boys_, so there went _that_ idea right out the window. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/55 "2002-08-08T10:39:38Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by DrFidelius_ > A paleontologist. > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by ultrafilter \* > > Wow…I thought I was the only one… > > \*Originally posted by Miss Bianca \* > Well, there are at least three, because my friend Dave wanted to be a paleontologist too! I asked my daughter about this last night. She said she couldn’t decide, that first she wanted to be a doctor, then a palentologist, then a doctor again. During the discussion she switched over to shopkeeper and finally landed on hotelier. I’m sure I’d get different answers tonight. She has been in a short daycamp these past two weeks and I’m guessing this was a topic of discussion. The camp culminates in a big field trip to the aquarium today, so maybe we’ll get marine biologist/ichthyologist next. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/56 "2002-08-08T12:00:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enore\_Tsotset \* > \*\*I remember being at a day camp around the 6-9 range of age and saying that I wanted to drive the bus at the demolition derby. I knew it wasn’t a career but I still wanted to do it. Still do, in fact. \*\* You still can, or at least watch others live your dream. Sheeeeeee-oooooot, c’mon down to Bithlo, FL (the ‘Nightmare’ before Christmas’), we’ll knock back some brewskis and watch the school bus races. [Bithlo school bus races](http://www.roadsideamerica.com/roger/QueryTips.php3?tip.Town=bithlo) [The World’s Fastest Clown](http://www.worldsfastestclown.com/bus.html) [As featured in _Car and Driver_ magazine](http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/features/2001/April/200104_feature_busrace.xml?&page=4) [Some not-so-great photos, but you still get an idea of the atmosphere](http://www.angelfire.com/my/renascence/) screech-owl (who knows lots to do beyond the theme parks in Orlando) ---
**Author:** ![Biba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Biba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biba)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/57 "2002-08-08T12:47:43Z")
I pretty much covered all angles, and wanted to be a rubbish collector (I thought it looked great fun to stand on the back), a firefighter (something about the excitement of the lights and sirens), a cowgirl and a nurse. Sadly, I didn’t realise any of those dreams… ---
**Author:** ![Jerrybear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jerrybear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerrybear)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/58 "2002-08-08T12:51:53Z")
When I was six, I wanted to play for the Green Bay Packers! I guess there’s still a part of me that wishes I could. Either that, or to be the next Bob Dylan or Jerry Garcia! ---
**Author:** ![hedra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/779978/32.png) [@hedra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hedra)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/59 "2002-08-08T13:17:53Z")
Chinese. I wanted to be a tall asian woman, specifically a tall Chinese woman, with long straight black hair. I had mousy blonde hair, and I was slightly on the shorter side of average. I grew up to be a tall non-asian woman (funny how you can’t swap genes at will), but with long very dark brown hair, and with two degrees related to China/Chinese studies. Never lost the passion for the Chinese stuff. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2002, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710/60 "2002-08-08T16:49:28Z")
Truck Driver - over the road truck driver. Like a female “BJ” from “BJ and the Bear”. Go figure. I absolutely HATE driving… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-were-six-years-old/122710.md?page=4)