Once upon a time there was a little girl named Lilka.  She lived at home with her mother and father and brothers. Lilka's mother stayed at home so she could homeschool her children.  Lilka admired her mother and wanted to be just like her. So all Lilka wanted to do when she grew up was to have babies.  But Lilka's mother was wise.  She knew that although it was her dream to stay home and raise children, her children were not her and didn't have to have the same dreams.  So Lilka's mother encouraged Lilka and her brothers to try different things.

Lilka's mother took Lilka and her brothers to a basketball game. Lilka's oldest brother loved it.  He watch the ball race up and down court.  He stood and cheered when the home team scored.  Afterwards, Lilka's mother asked her children "Do you want to be a basketball player when you grow up?" 

"I do!" yelled Lilka's oldest brother.

"I don't! I don't like basketball," said Lilka. "I want to have babies."

One week later Lilka's mother took her children to the theater. Lilka's second oldest brother loved it.  He leaned forward in his seat all during the show. He stood and cheered when the play was over.  As they left, Lilka's mother asked her children "Do you want to be an actor when you grow up?"

"I do!" yelled Lilka's second oldest brother.

"I don't! I don't want to be on stage," said Lilka. "I want to watch with my  babies."

A month after that Lilka's mother took her children to the zoo. Lilka's younger brother loved it. He ran to every cage.  He read all of the signs to his family.  When the day was over he cried because he didn't want to leave. As Lilka's mothe drove her children home, she asked them "Do you want to be a zoo keeper when you grow up?"
  
"I do!" said Lilka's younger brother.

"I don't! I don't want to take care of animals," said Lilka. "I want to take care of babies."

Two months later, Lilka's mother took her children to a science lab. While the boy's were playing with Newton's cradles, Lilka found an oxygen torch. She smiled because she recognized it from her science book. 

Lilka snuck into the lab's kitchen.  She opened the refrigerator and took some slices of bacon.  Lilka then wrapped the bacon around the end of the touch.  She put on her safety glasses and aimed the torch at a metal plate that was away from everything else in the lab.  Then she turned the torch on.

Lilka heard a rush of air and the torch flamed into life! It burned very hot and melted the metal plate. Soon the flame sputtered out because all of the energy in the bacon was gone.

Everyone turned around an looked at Lilka. Lilka turned off the oxygen and looked at her mother beaming.

"Mama," she said, "When I grow up I want to melt things with science."  

"OK dear," Lilka's mom said. "You can do that."

"Can I still have babies?" Lilka asked.

"Yes, love, you can do both" she replied.

And they both smiled, for Lilka found her dream and Lilka's mom knew how to fire-proof a house.