It’s THINKing Thursday already. If you’ll recall, on TALKing Tuesday this week, we TALKed about this important question you will pose often to your child of
any age: “So when you grow up, who will you be?”
I shared how the little book When I Grow Up came out of my own experience hearing my son at age 4 expound on who he might be one day. Rather, who he couldn’t be (a fireman) due to the fact that he planned to be a daddy.
So let’s go back to right after I’d finished writing When I Grow Up. Off to the publisher. Done. Finished. But, in truth, I didn’t feel finished…with the idea.
The teacher in me sought to take that idea to older kids.
I wanted to invite cooperation between children or groups of kids. I wanted readers to THINK and interact while reading. And, okay, I wanted to teach.
I wanted to teach mutual respect for how life experiences find each of us playing many roles, some we choose and some that get chosen for us.
So I wrote:
Who Will I Be?
(A poem for two voices: for phrases in parentheses, take turns reading)
When I grow up, When I grow up,
who will I be who will I be
besides the person besides the person
who is ME? who is ME?
If I go bowling and I jog, If I go bowling and I jog,
I will be a bowler I will be a bowler
and a jogger. and a jogger.
But I’ll still be ME. But I’ll still be ME.
If I make soups If I make soups
and chocolate cakes, and chocolate cakes,
I will be a chef I will be a chef
and a baker and a baker
and a bowler and a bowler
and a jogger. and a jogger.
But I’ll still be ME. But I’ll still be ME.
If I get married, If I get married,
(I will be a wife) (I will be a husband)
and a chef and a chef
and a baker and a baker
and a bowler and a bowler
and a jogger. and a jogger.
But I’ll still be ME. But I’ll still be ME.
If I make coats and dresses If I make coats and dresses
and suits and pants, and suits and pants,
I will be a tailor I will be a tailor
(and a wife) (and a husband)
and a chef and a chef
and a baker and a baker
and a bowler and a bowler
and a jogger. and a jogger.
But I’ll still be ME. But I’ll still be ME.
If I have children If I have children
(I will be a mommy) (I will be a daddy)
and a tailor and a tailor
(and a wife) (and a husband)
and a chef and a chef
and a baker and a baker
and a bowler and a bowler
and a jogger. and a jogger.
But I’ll still be ME. But I’ll still be ME.
If I collect stamps, If I collect stamps,
I will be a stamp collector I will be a stamp collector
(and a mommy) (and a daddy)
and a tailor and a tailor
(and a wife) (and a husband)
and a chef and a chef
and a baker and a baker
and a bowler and a bowler
and a jogger. and a jogger.
But I’ll still be ME. But I’ll still be ME.
If I have grandchildren, If I have grandchildren,
(I will be a grandma) (I will be a grandpa)
and a stamp collector and a stamp collector
(and a mommy) (and a daddy)
and a tailor and a tailor
(and a wife) (and a husband)
and a chef and a chef
and a baker and a baker
and a bowler and a bowler
and a jogger and a jogger
BUT BUT
I’ll still be ME! I’ll still be ME!
Copyright © 2007 Babs Bell Hajdusiewicz
So, THINK with your child today. TALK about each of the many roles you and your child are playing as you experience life…the roles you’ve each taken on, at least, as of today. Then TALK about which additional roles each of you might fill one day in your individual or collective futures? WOW!
Come back tomorrow on Free-for-All Friday to find out where in the world this Free-for-All Friday finds me!
Parenting4Literacy 
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