3 . Stop Asking Kids What They Want to Be When They Grow
My first beef with the question is that it forces kids to define themselves in terms of work. When you’re asked what you want to be when you grow up, it’s not socially acceptable to say, “A father,” or “A mother,” let alone “A person of integrity.” When we define ourselves by our jobs, our worth depends on what we achieve.
The second problem is the suggestion that there is one calling out there for everyone. Although having a calling can be a source of joy, research shows that searching for one makes students feeling lost and confused. And even if you’re lucky enough to find one, it might not be a well-paid job.
If you manage to overcome those problems, there is a third hurdle: Careers rarely live up to your childhood dreams. In one study, looking for the ideal job left college seniors feeling more anxious, stressed, overwhelmed and depressed throughout the process and less satisfied with the outcome.
One positive aspect of low expectations is that they erase the gap between what we wanted and what we got. Extensive evidence shows that instead of painting a rosy picture of a job, you’re better off going in with a realistic preview of what it’s really like, whether it’s good or bad. Sure, you might be a little less excited to take it, but on average you end up more productive and less likely to give up.
I’m all for encouraging youngsters to aim high and dream big. But take it from someone who studies work for a living: those ambitions should be bigger than work. Asking kids what they want to be leads them to claim a career identity they might never want to earn. Instead, invite them to think about what kind of person they want to be and about all the different things they might want to do.
1. Which answer is more widely accepted when kids are asked about their future jobs?
| A．A scientist. | B．A mother. | C．A father. | D．A person of integrity. |
2. What does the underlined word “calling” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．Job. | B．Duty. | C．Name. | D．Phone. |
3. Why does the author mention one study about college seniors?
| A．To show college seniors face huge pressure. |
| B．To encourage college seniors to give up an ideal job. |
| C．To present the negative effects of high expectation for a job. |
| D．To advise college seniors to lower their expectations of jobs. |
4. What may the author agree most according to the last paragraph?
| A．Parents had better ask kids what they want to be. |
| B．Parents can talk about all the different things with kids. |
| C．Parents must encourage kids to be ambitious for their careers. |
| D．Parents can discuss with kids on what kind of person they want to be. |
