Dream Job: Motherhood
“Mommy, what do you want to be when you grow up?” my daughter asked, inspired by the chance to answer that question on her school yearbook page. “I’m pretty sure I’m already grown up,” I replied. “And—I’m a mom,” I added, my mind spiraling down all the career roads not taken. Various professions have piqued my interest over the years. As a child, I would pretend to be a teacher, writing out lessons while surrounded by stuffed animal students. I played the role of a reporter, Rita Paper, in a middle school theater production. By the time I reached high school, journalism seemed like an intriguing career option, so I wrote it on my guidance counselor’s interest survey. In college, I loved learning through the lens and practice of journalism. Reporting on a wide range of stories for class projects, the university newspaper, and internships with local papers provided the opportunity to interact with people and topics I otherwise never would have met or learned about. I covered scho