What did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was little I wanted to be a waitress after seeing one on a regular basis at the cafe my mum and nana took me to. I wanted to wipe those tables clean and take orders - I thought it looked the best job in the world. It wasn't, I did it as a teenager and in my early twenties and it was soul destroying. But to a five year old, it looked so glamorous - I assume the waitress I must have seen was smiley, well dressed and pretty. As I young girl I just wanted to be like her.

I also wanted to be cloud keeper after an early obsession with the Care Bears. Sadly opportunities for shovelling up and tending to clouds do not come up very often and I'm afraid of heights. Then I wanted to be a fashion designer. I had a kit where you designed clothes, how I wish I still had it. Do you remember it - Fashion Plates?

Do the toys you have as a child can influence our future careers? Did having Bob the Builder want you to dash out for jobs in construction or My Little Pony turn you into an equestrian expert?

That also brings up the debate on gender specific toys. Lego and Meccano for the boys producing future engineers and baby dolls for the girls for those caring careers like nursing. Personally I do not buy into these toys for boys or girls and nothing sends me more into a rage than pink Lego.

I have always bought Little Bird a wide range of toys - we have dolls, we have bricks, kitchen sets and super heroes. When LB was at preschool, a little boy he was acquainted with had wanted to try a princesses dress from the dressing up box, as long as nobody told his daddy. Awwww. However, the picture of LB eyes shining with happiness in a long red gown made me want to rush out and buy him a Disney dress just to see him happy. I didn't, so I suppose I am guilty of the same. I did buy him a doll's house in my defence..... and I would buy him a dress if he really wanted one. As it happens LB just likes everything for about 10 seconds so we have limits on what we do buy.

I am going to share his Christmas list in the next week - nothing that he has actually asked for as LB isn't at the stage of circling things in the catalogue (oh the nostalgia) so I've bought him presents based on furthering his development and sensory needs. Oh and of course on his love for animals so maybe we have a future animal husbandry worker in his kind little hands.

Toy Animals - Shutterstock