Section 9: Looking to the future (d) Spending time with friends, family and pets (e) Gaining independence and growing up Gaining independence and more responsibility was important to many children. They were looking forward to transitioning to higher grades at school, getting their drivers licence, graduating from school, and moving out of home. Some children said they were looking forward to a future with their current partners while others expressed aspirations to fall in love, get married and to have their own family in adulthood. Children also commonly looked forward to spending time with families and friends. Many children said they were happy and hopeful to be able to travel to see family and friends, and spend holidays with their families again. The ability to travel was particularly important to children from diverse cultural backgrounds, who may have been separated from family due to the border closures. Many children, across all age groups, expressed hopes and ambitions to succeed in their studies, have a job or a career, and be financially secure. Some children expressed hope that they would be able to help others and contribute to society in a meaningful way. Other children spoke about their dreams and goals of doing well in sport, music, or dance, with ambitions to compete at professional levels—plans that had been disrupted by the pandemic. For some younger children, the prospect of getting a pet made them happy and hopeful for the future. Other research supports the ‘pet effect’ and the protective role that pets can offer to children’s emotional wellbeing in difficult times.54 114 | ‘Mental health shapes my life’: COVID-19 & kids’ wellbeing • 2022 | 115