Shining Stars’ Parade of Little Professionals

What do you want to be when you grow up? At Shining Stars Preschool, that is one question they like to ask early. But of course, when you are only three or four, there is still plenty of time to change your mind. The preschool’s annual Parade of Little Professionals is where each of the children, from toddlers up to five, gets to dress in the profession of their choice. It does three great things: It helps kids make the connection between where they are at now, and adulthood; helping them make plans and think about the future. It’s also a good way for real professionals like doctors, police officers, pilots and fire officers to come in and talk to the kids. And third, it’s a great excuse for moms and dads to sit down and do a bit of gluing and sewing with their children. We all know we should be spending quality time with our children, but so often other things get in the way. Families that glue together stick together.

The parade started early in the morning, from the Shining Stars Preschool at Pasadora Place. They came out in twos and threes and fours – little doctors, nurses, dentists, lawyers and police officers holding hands with each other and with their proud moms and dads and teachers and walked all around, past Full of Beans in a big circle and back to their building again. Look out world, here we come. Phones came out, and lots and lots of photos and videos were made, to show to grandpa and grandma and all the uncles and aunties.

Mommy Erica Sanchez Bodden and this is Jada Bodden is a doctor. “Jada is always checking mommy and daddy’s heart, so he decided that he wanted to be a doctor today. He was going to be either a fireman, a police officer or a doctor, and today he wanted to be a doctor,” she explained.

Anaia was a chef, because she “loves to cook,” Anaia’s mommy, Michelle explained. Not everyone had made their costume by hand, though; some had made things a bit easier. “He knew he wanted to be a police officer or a fireman. He got to be a police officer in the end. I got his uniform from Amazon.”

Inside, the children waited together as a fire officer from the Cayman Islands Fire Service, and a chef came to talk to them. Noel, a Master Chef Hard Rock Café, was there to tell children all about his busy day cooking and baking, and next came an officer from the Cayman Islands Fire Service who told the children what to do if there was a fire in their house: “call an emergency number. Get low, because smoke rises, and get to a safe place,” he said, “and if you should see a big guy like me in a big suit and helmet, should you shouldn’t be scared because I am there to help save you. One day you can be a fire fighter like me.”