Working in childcare can seem like a thankless task. The pay is mediocre, there’s limited chance for career progression and it’s a demanding role both physically and mentally. That’s not to mention the huge responsibility involved –many people would refuse to hand over the keys to their car to someone they barely know and letting them have control over the vehicle for up to twelve hours a day, butthey are happy to place their child in daycare with staff they have met just a handful of times. Looking after other people’s children is hard work, yet those who have dedicated their lives to a career in daycare know they have the best job in the world. Here’s why.
Paid to Play
There’s more to childcare than playing, but how many jobs are there where you can be making a snowman out of playdough one minute and fingerpainting the next? It’s fun, educational, and therapeutic.
Every Day’s a School Day
Anyone who’s spent time with a young child is familiar with the incessant questioning. ‘Why?’ is probably the word most parents wish they could strike out of the English language, because they hear it so many times each day. For childcare workers, ‘why?’ is a learning opportunity. Yes, the children are gaining valuable knowledge through their inquiring, but the staff are too. Children see the world differently to adults and ask different questions. Researching why we can sometimes see the moon in the daytime and why poop smells are all part and parcel of a career in childcare, so the internet really is a childcare worker’s best friend. If you see a laptop for sale, buy it – you won’t regret it when you are looking for the answers to questions you had never even thought of.
Kids are Hilarious
When you work with children, you don’t need comedy shows – the kids you work with will keep you laughing all day long. From their terrible jokes, which are so unfunny they’re funny, to the faces they pull to their innocent yet on-the-nose comments about the world they inhabit, children raise laughs and raise spirits. Being around them is good for the soul.
Educating the Future Generation
Those who work with children have the honour of shaping the next generation, by teaching them how to navigate the world, how to question and challenge, and how to celebrate success. The skills we use in society as an adult were learned in childhood, from tying shoelaces to working cooperatively to showing kindness to someone who feels sad. Childcare staff change the world every single day.
Being Part of an Extended Family
As a childcare worker, you become an honorary part of hundreds of families. The care and attention you give benefits not just the children in your care but also their parents and the wider family unit. You wipe bottoms, noses, bloodied knees. You share knowledge, laughter, choc chip cookies. You make crafts, friendships, memories. When the children move on to the next stage, they won’t forget the impact you made and if you see them at the mall five years down the line you’ll be greeted like a long-lost auntie.
Childcare is a multidisciplinary subject that encompasses science, health care, education, sociology, and psychology, so has wide appeal.If you are a people person, it could be the career for you.
