what are your hopes for your child?

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My kids don't necessarily have to support themselves in adulthood- one or more of them may end up being a SAHP with a working spouse.

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Not really, IMO. I even looked them both up, because I knew there was a distinction in my head but it was hard to put into words. "Nice" means "pleasing; agreeable; delightful" in dictionary.com's first definition, although kind is used to define it in a secondary definition. Kind means "of a good or benevolent nature or disposition" (same source). Kind is about wanting to help others, nice is about wanting to please others. I think that's a notable difference.

dar

I can't really vote because two of the options are equally important to me and not all my wishes are included in the poll list. But I will describe what my hopes are.

I don't care if my kids go to university or not, but I do hope they find work or hobbies that are fulfilling to them and I do want them to be self-supporting. I hope to raise two kind and thoughtful young men (so the "nice" option is close).

As for the other options, I don't hope they become artists because that's so very specific. It would be like saying I hope they become athletes or accountants. I don't have any specific occupational hopes for them (just the happy and self-supporting options).

I very strongly hope that they will be open-minded people who love to read and who love learning. That is close to "intellectual" but I took issue with that word because I think it's vague. Does "intellectual" mean using lots of big words for show or being a passionate reader? Does it mean being a passionate reader but only if the topics of interest are in highly regarded academic areas? Does it mean being a numbers whiz or does it mean having a respected degree and does it exclude self-educated? I think that the definition of "intellectual" is heavily biased by our culture.

So, in summary, my hopes, in no particular order, are: 1. thoughtful, 2. happy, 3. self-supporting, 4. open-minded, 5. passionate about learning and reading.

Having been a struggling single parent, I've seen what being "poor" can mean (and I don't mean no frills, I mean no electric a day or two a month, ramen noodles and lots of rice with a few scattered veggies for meals). SO I guess that may color my response. My parents didnt stress exceling at school, or going on to college, just making it through to the end of high school. I wish so much that they had been more insistent in explaining to me the benefits of a higher education, and instilling a drive in me to continue.

I chose "to be a highly paid professional" because I feel that its easier to enjoy the little things in life, when you don't have to worry so much about living pay check to paycheck. Thats not to say I wouldnt think it was a wonderful thing for my daughter, if she chose to be a SAHM and homeschool her child. But I would like for her to have an education so if, heaven forbid, she had to take care of her family alone (be it divorce, sick husband, death, etc) she would be able to do it, and not depend on others to make it through.

Of course, I hope that my kids can be highly paid professionals and be nice at the same time.

I chose high paid professional.
I know my children are nice, they know they are well loved.I know the will be able to support themselves. My children are already artists each in their own form. (Well, except my two year old, but with the paint streaks throughout the house, I have no doubt he will be artistic also )

So, the only thing I have left to hope for is a high paid professional. Whether they choose this is up to them. They may very well decide to be missionaries and go to other countries to help.