Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by mattingly from AL. mattingly Wonders, “how come kids can't be what they want when there a kid” Thanks for WONDERing with us, mattingly!

What do you want to be when you grow up? Have you ever been asked that question before? What was your answer?

You might say you want to be a firefighter, a ballerina, a policeman, a professional athlete, a doctor, or a teacher. Parents and teachers who ask this question of their children and students will tell you that very few kids express an interest in being an insurance adjuster, an administrative assistant, a market researcher, or a database administrator.

Why is that? Although there are literally billions of people in the world working in all sorts of jobs, you might only know about the jobs held by people you come into contact with in your daily life.

For example, you might be familiar with the jobs your parents, friends, or relatives hold, as well as those you see portrayed on television shows or held by people you come into contact with in your community, such as doctors, dentists, and teachers.

Since you will likely have to work a full-time job to support yourself and perhaps your family in the future, it's important to choose a career path that provides both necessary income and job satisfaction. If you choose a job that makes you unhappy, your life will not be as happy and fulfilling as you want it to be.

Be sure to investigate all kinds of careers. The perfect job for you might be something that you've never heard of…yet! The future is unwritten and the possibilities are endless. Tomorrow's happiness and success will depend in part on the planning and work you do today with tomorrow in mind.

Thinking about the future and planning for what you want to be when you grow up should not be limited to just one day, though. Start talking with teachers, parents, relatives, friends, and mentors in all sorts of settings — at school, at home, at work, at church — any time you have questions about the future.

There's never a bad time to think about your talents and interests and wonder how those might someday shape your future career. What subjects do you enjoy and excel at in school?

Are you a math whiz? Maybe you should be an engineer or a scientist someday. If you're good at language arts, perhaps you could become a writer. Do you look forward to art more than any other class? Perhaps a career in design is in your future.

Although working for a living may seem far, far away, it's closer than you think. Planning for success in the future starts today. As you think about careers, explore what skills and education you will need to be successful in the careers that interest you.

For example, if you are interested in careers that require a college degree, you will need to work hard in school — now — to ensure that you are able to attend college one day. Some careers don't require a college degree, but specialized training may be necessary. For example, if you want to be a chef, you might need to attend a special culinary arts program.

Knowing what type of education or training you need for various careers will help you plan today to get where you want to be tomorrow!

Don't limit your explorations to careers that exist today. Many of the people working in the field of computers and Internet technology have jobs that did not exist when they were children. Believe it or not, you may one day work in a job that no one has yet dreamed into existence.

When you look into your crystal ball to see what the world will be like in 10, 15, or even 20 years from now, what do you see? What trends do you think will continue? What types of jobs will always exist? What types of jobs exist today that might be gone by the time you are ready to enter the workforce?

So take some time today to dream. And dream big! The world is your oyster. Make the most of it.

Dream about the type of world you want to live in. Dream about the family you want to have and what type of community you want to live in. Dream about what you love to do and what you're good at. Start dreaming of the person you will be one day. Then make it happen!

Wonder What's Next?

It doesn’t get any colder than where Wonderopolis is going tomorrow!