DD would make a perfect academic. Sadly, she's going to be in a generation for whom such a thing is akin to winning the lotto.
Not exactly a good "life plan."
I agree with you.
My kids are 16 and 13 now. Whenever the topic of work comes up, I tell them to pick something that they would enjoy doing for a long time.
But I also tell them that there are many things they would likely enjoy, and it is far easier to succeed in some fields than in others, both professionally and financially. If they still want to become a professor, I will strongly encourage them to have a Plan B and Plan C.
