My Story... My Path

My Story

I have always known that I wanted to work with children. I grew up pretending my dolls were my actual children or children I was babysitting and sometimes I think I really believed it. I remember at 6 years old telling my mother that I couldn’t wait to have kids of my own. I ‘babysat’ for the first time at age 5 (a job that consisted of sitting inside during a garage sale with my mom’s friend’s 3 month old and coming outside to tell the mom when the baby cried or smelled), and I was hooked. I was the kid that drooled over new babies and any kid that was younger than me. I loved playing house, but only if I got to be the Mommy.

I briefly considered being an elementary teacher, but I quickly decided it wasn’t for me (probably after realizing just how annoying I was in class as a child…). I then moved on to say I wanted to be a coach, a child psychologist, an adoption attorney, a nanny, a preschool teacher and a pediatrician. For whatever reason, none of these career ideas stuck, they just didn’t seem to fit me well, despite the fact that in all of these careers, I would work with children. I had just about given up and decided to be a stay-at-home-mom (this is still something I would love to do if I am able one day, but that is a whole other blog). That was when I found a link to some hospital’s Child Life program. What was this? Why had I never heard of this job? Do all hospitals have them?

Upon further research I found that, while not an extremely well-known profession, there are several programs throughout the United States. I asked around and found out that my cousin, Hannah, who had been diagnosed with leukemia at age 3, and another cousin, Anna, who had to have stomach surgery at age 4 had both used the services of CCLS’s. This was fascinating to me. I don’t know what it was, but something just ‘clicked’ for me as I learned more about this profession. It was like my entire being just knew that this is what I was born to do. Call it a calling, or fate, or whatever, all I know is that I NEED to follow this path. Even if I don’t go all the way and get certified, or even if I only work as a CCLS for a year or two, I need to experience it.

And so, here I am, 5 months away from graduation, desperately trying to find the right internship for me, one that is not too far away (or not too close, it depends on the day), one in area that isn’t too expensive, one at the best hospital I can find, etc. It is difficult, trying to pick a hospital. It is much worse than trying to decide what college to go to. Though, that was something I decided at age 14 after visiting Berea College for the first time. Maybe I should just go visit a few hospitals, meet with their Child Life director and see what my gut has to say….

I have to ask you guys; What do you think? Should I visit different programs? Should I just pick a few? Should I apply to all of them and see which ones take me and then pick from there?

Also, tell me YOUR story. How did you decide which profession was right for you? Was it logical, or a gut feeling?