Lady, your daughter is 7, not 17! Calm down.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Awards for her talent at age 7? 😂 Sure, OP.

I won an award at age 7 for art. So it's possible. My brother took horse-back riding lessons and the barn had a sign up that there was an art contest to draw something about the barn. I drew the barn itself because I couldn't draw a horse. I won. I was the only one who entered the contest, but I won a ribbon and got to ride a horse around the property for like 15 minutes.

Your parents must have been worried sick about your inevitable future as a starving artist.

Anonymous wrote:Awards for her talent at age 7? 😂 Sure, OP.

I won an award at age 7 for art. So it's possible. My brother took horse-back riding lessons and the barn had a sign up that there was an art contest to draw something about the barn. I drew the barn itself because I couldn't draw a horse. I won. I was the only one who entered the contest, but I won a ribbon and got to ride a horse around the property for like 15 minutes.

My cousin's daughter majored in art history--in Montana!--and at a young age became a museum curator in Europe. And I know artists who are successful as artists, not talking about major artists but people who have built successful careers marketing their own art as well as being involved in teaching, etc.

Plus, she's 7.

OP the STEM acronym has jumped the shark. These days it's all about STEAM. Guess what the A refers to? In the future, all of those sectors will be more and more integrated.

Just keep nurturing the talent and encouraging the rest, you're doing the right thing.

Umm definitely too early to worry about this for any reason.

And not true that STEM is only path to success

--successful owner of a business that has nothing to do with STEM and mom to kid studying art and design in college.

The only path to success was never STEM. Just let her create and calm down.

You also clearly don’t much about art and related fields. There are teachers, therapists, and more!

Most importantly: She is 7. Seven. When I was seven, all I wanted to be was a ballerina. That’s all I wanted to be when I was 16, too. Obviously it didn’t work out but I am still a happy, healthy person with a great career and family. Arguably in a better place than I would have been if I got my wish at age 7.

She’s 7. Pace yourself. Who she is now is not necessarily who she’ll be in 20 years. My sister went to an art school in philly, then moved to Paris and works at a museum- she’s been there over 25 years.

FWIW, I know several successful (as it, self-supporting) artists who did not come from money.

My niece is really good at art and she went to college for design and she markets beauty products in New York City.

My friends daughter was really good I performing arts so she maMajored in performing arts and she runs a place like Strathmore hall

My nephew was really good at drawing and now he’s a graphics artist and he makes album covers, posters, art for elections etc.

Awards for her talent at age 7? 😂 Sure, OP.

Look into STEAM. The A stands for art. Art can be an incredible jumping off point for all kinds of disciplines. If you want to integrate art with reading, why not get into comic books/graphic novels? Art teaches collaboration, problem solving, innovation and on and on.

You sound narrow minded. Let her be.

You’ve got to be kidding.

As a mother, I am obviously biased, but my daughter (7) is passionate about art, drawing, and design - and nothing else. I/we encourage her interest in books and reading, but art is just her thing - she’s won awards for her talent and obviously we nurture that.

I am worried about the future, however. The only successful artists I know either (a) came from a ton of money and could pursue art as a career outright, or (b) work as a graphic designer by day and moonlight doing their art. Since we are not rich, I know she needs to make good grades to get into art school, even.

I’m not sure what my question is, I just know that the only path to success anymore is in STEM and it’s obvious that is not my daughter’s bag, and I’m just worried.