If One More Person Calls Me A BABYSITTER...

[morgan24]

There's a big difference about what you do and what I do though and I think it's an important distinction.

You get paid to be an educator and prolly got the debt to prove it considering how expensive it is to educate yourself in the teaching field.

I have ZERO education in education. I reject all of it when I am forced into taking it. I've never wanted to be a teacher. it's too hard for me. I'll stick to babysitting... cuz it's what I do do well.

Nan, do you have to take a certain amount of training each year in your state? I feel the same way you do, I'm a babysitter, I have zero education and do not want it. I'm forced in to taking 10 hours of training to keep my license. You have to be licensed in MI. I hate wasting my time on some of the crap that they offer for training.

[Meyou]

I want to apply for the "glorified" babysistter position. I'm just a plain ole babysitter and I would really like to add "glorified" to my creds.

Glorified sounds so sparkly! I want some glitter!

[DCMom]

Also, remember this. It's the most important part to remember. Children see their providers without the filters that other people, even their own parents, see them through. If your daycare kids are happy, healthy and learning, then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. We are so much more than babysitters to the children that we care for!

This is my take on the whole thing. The bottom line is I am helping to raise happy, healthy, respectful, little humans who are fully prepared to begin their academic career when they leave me.

This is more than a job to me, no matter what it is called.

[Unregistered]

daycares

Around here, parents think daycare=preschool these days. I AM NOT and NEVER will be like those preschools/daycares in my area. I do not sit kids down to memorize things to impressed their parents or force them to learn to write their name at 2.5yo.


I understand there may be daycares out there that do this but I work in a daycare for the last 11 years. We do not make them memorize things or write their names. We learn through play and just incorporate the academics into it. We don't sit there and make them write their names 20 times on paper, we ask them to try to write their names on their art work while giving them the essentials to do that. They write a line on their paper and say they are done, we praise them for their effort. We play with blocks and cars while learning about technology through ramps. I am sure you already know this but I had to say my sense about day cares. We are not glorified babysitters. We are educators.

[sariejohnston]

i know the feeling.. i call my self a teacher because that's what i do i teach them.. sure i watch kids until their parents are able too but for the most part i teach them! That's what God called me to do and that's what i am doing!

[PitterPatter]

I would never call myself a teacher unless I had the college ed that made me a teacher. I don't like being called "the babysitter" either. I am a child care provider, I provide care to children.

I cook but I'm not a chef. I teach them but I'm not a teacher. etc.

Kudos to those of you who do have the education tho!

[dave4him]

Reminds me of the first few months i got that comment often, daddysitting, or daddy duty, like i didnt bring them into the word why wouldnt i be taking care of them.... now people think its pretty cool i run a small daycare cause i simply want to be watching out for my own kids. Its a great idea... probably only going to last till they are ready for Kindergarden but still good

[Beach Baby]

If a person has a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, but were never certified to teach, would they still be considered a teacher? If they had that degree and had a home day care, would they be a teacher? Or are they only a teacher if they are paid to teach in a school/daycare, where they are given the title of "teacher?" Just wondering as I will be in this situation in a few months and not sure what to think of myself! My daycare isn't open yet, but once it is, I imagine that when I am asked what I do for a living, I will say that I have a daycare. Even though I will have my degree, I still don't consider myself a teacher enough to say that I am one. I DO teach, but no one has ever given me the title of teacher.

[Sunchimes]

For me, it isn't about the word, it's about the tone of their voice. On the rare occasions that they answer their phones to say, "I'm at the sitter's, I'll call you back", it is almost like hearing 2 different words. The inflection of one is almost a sneer, while the other uses the same tone that they would use for "I'm at the doctor, dentist, stylist". One is respect, the other is "this person who works for me".

Whay I find is most annoying is when I run into people I haven't seen in awhile. They always ask if I'm still (the business I had for 17 years). I say no, that I have a home day care now. gasp---"You're babysitting?" I use to be embarrassed, and in fact, I didn't even tell my kids what I was doing for ages and ages. We were suppose to be retired. I don't feel that way anymore, and now, I'm embarrassed that I was embarrassed.

As for teaching, I am a teacher by trade, have the degree and everything. I don't call myself pre-school or make any promises about what I'm going to do. We play and and sing and dance and have fun. However, the teacher part runs deep, and I don't seem able to avoid saying (even when they were infants), "See the red ball" and "bring me the yellow blocks". I did the same thing with my grandkids, it's just natural. And guess what, 2 out of my three 17 month olds know which blocks are the yellow blocks. Do I care that the 3rd one doesn't? Nope, it isn't her job to know yellow yet. When it is time for her to know yellow or her name or something else, she will know it.

Call me your babysitter if you want, just don't curl your lip and sneer when you say it.

[MarinaVanessa]

For me, it isn't about the word, it's about the tone of their voice.

It's all about the word to me ::. I'm not a babysitter. I don't go to your house for a couple of hours while you go out to dinner and a movie, I don't sit on babies either. The moment that you call what I do babysitting is the moment that I call yout Maintenence job a Janitor, your Administrative job a Secretary, your Chef job a cook, your Contractor job a Handyman etc.

[Blackcat31]

Sheesh, I wish I were a babysitter. I paid my sitters 3x what I earn per hour now and I supplied everything....food, entertainment, even the place to make the mess, not to mention most babysitters watch TV, surf the web, talk on the phone and even bring a friend with and still get paid without catching grief from anyone about it!!

[Ariana]

If a person has a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, but were never certified to teach, would they still be considered a teacher? If they had that degree and had a home day care, would they be a teacher? Or are they only a teacher if they are paid to teach in a school/daycare, where they are given the title of "teacher?" Just wondering as I will be in this situation in a few months and not sure what to think of myself! My daycare isn't open yet, but once it is, I imagine that when I am asked what I do for a living, I will say that I have a daycare. Even though I will have my degree, I still don't consider myself a teacher enough to say that I am one. I DO teach, but no one has ever given me the title of teacher.

I have my ECE degree but consider myself a childcare provider. When I worked outside the home in a centre my title was teacher. I think running your own business trumps the teacher bit. My job is to "provide childcare" not just "teach". At the centre it was all I was responsible for. I didn't cook, clean, play bills etc. Now I do all that so my new title is Childcare Provider.

[Beach Baby]

Ariana, you are SO right. Thanks for putting it that way...made me feel all confident and proud.

[wash]

"You're a babysitter. Be honest. What do you make?"
She who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied
"If you really want to know what I make,I will tell you.

I make kids play harder than they ever thought they could.
I make a completed art project feel like winning the Congressional Medal of Honor.
I make kids share, speak kindly and be accountable for their actions."

"You want to know what I make?
I make kids wonder.
I make them question.
I make them try.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them understand that if you use your brains,
and follow your heart,
you can accomplish anything.
I make them know they are important and loved.
I make them know they are special.
I make them know if someone ever
tries to judge them by what they make,
they must pay no attention because
that person just didn't learn."

She paused and then continued.
"You really want to know what I make?"
"I MAKE A DIFFERENCE."
"What do you make?"

this thread made me think of this
I can not remeber where i got this from and there might be more to the beginning of the story but this is what I printed to put on my DAYCARE wall!

[Beach Baby]

LOVE that! I will be printing and hanging it up as well! What a great reminder of all the effort we put into these children!