Out Of Curiosity- What Is Your Background?

[canadiancare]

How did you decide to work with children?
Did you fall into it in an effort to stay home with your own kids?
Do you intend to continue this as your career once your own kids are in school?


Edit to add
Studied early childhood education and a degree in psychology. Registered with the college of early childhood educators of Ontario.
first child was born in 1991 and monthly fees for childcare would have been more than 50% of my income- working in daycare to pay for my child to be in daycare didn't make sense.

Now that baby is getting ready to graduate from university this year and I am still at it. I am starting to think about what is next for me in life that might involve wearing nice clothes to work and my hair out of a pony tail.

[e.j.]

I started my day care primarily because I wanted to stay home with my own kids but I did start out as a Special Education major in college before switching to Sociology/Social Work. Now that my kids are grown, I'm "staying in it for the glory!" I guess.

[Lucy]

Those choices don't really fit me, so I'll just comment.

My mom did DC from before I was born, until I was about 16. So I grew up with it. That's my "background in childcare". I worked for 13 years in the regional office of a large insurance company, then I got married and decided to do DC, since my husband could cover me on medical insurance and stuff.

I've done it for 18 1/2 years now, so something must be working!

[EAP]

I have always worked with children - I'm a former child advocate/investigator and worked with abused and neglected children in CPS. I love workkng with children it was a very natural progression to do this.


I plan on doing this until my almost 2 year old goes to school.

[mrsnj]

I have a degree and worked out in daycare and I have to be honest....I was shocked at what I found "behind the scenes" at a lot of places. I was not happy. I worked long, hard hours and got paid very little for my effort. The final straw was being in a toddler room with 21 kids.....alone.......without an aide.......and being told by the director they were bringing in more kids. Done. I tried applying at other places and found that if I would not take MY children there, why would I want to work there. So I got fed up and opened my own family daycare. Worked well as I started my own family about 6 months later. happyface

[wahmof3]

I am currently getting my degree in ECE

After 10 plus years of working 2nd shift, I so badly wanted to be able to be home with my own children.

They are currently in school and I will continue child care for as long as I can, for the glory ::::::::

.... and to pay the bills

[3amazingkiddos]

I've worked with children since high school. I have a degree in sociology/social welfare and worked for social services for a few years. After I had my 1st child I decided to open my own daycare because I could not find one that I trusted to watch my child. When she was 2.5 I went back to work at social services, but 2 years later my twins arrived, so here I am again This job def has its ups and downs, but I love being home with my kids, I'm fortunate to have great families and dc kids, and I like the extra income. For now it works, not sure what I'll do when my boys start school next year.

[Heidi]

I answered 2 choices, because I started out to help pay the bills and stay home with my kids, and then started working on my degree last year (at the age of 46).

I always took tons of continuing ed over the years, now it's just more official coursework.

I will do this until the day comes that I can retire, I think, unless I can maybe do something childcare related down the road, like be a food program consultant, etc.

[makap]

I love children! I believe that they are the most special gift that God can give a person. I was ecstatic each and every time I discovered that I was pregnant. (6 times) My children are all grown now except for my youngest son who is 10. My husband and I have several grandchildren.

I was a stay at home mom for several years while my children were growing up and way back then, 25 years ago I took in a few children to make a few extra dollars as it was tough financially with only my husband working and myself staying home but my husband and I had made a choice that I would stay home to raise our children.

Once my youngest son started school full days it was time for me to choose a career. I could not decide on geriatrics or child psychology. To see if I would enjoy working with the elderly I took a course that would allow me to work in a nursing home. I worked there for several years until injuring myself to the point that I could no longer continue this work. At the time I had just signed up to take nursing and nursing school was starting 3 months later. I was going to specialize in geriatrics.

It took a very long time for my injury to heal and by then I was pregnant with my last child. My son was 3 years old when I decided that I would resume caring for children. That was 8 years ago and I am still doing it because I absolutely love what I do. There is nothing else I could or would ever want to do and I will continue to do this line of work my age no longer allows me to do so. So far so good. I am going to be 50 soon and still see a good 10 more years at least! ::

[Willow]

Babysitter, nanny, elementary teachers aide, stay at home mom, licensed foster mom, licensed daycare provider.......was my progression.

My college education had to do with human behavior in general, not just kiddos.

I do believe I am probably in it for the long haul, and all that associated glory you mention

[Texasjeepgirl]

I started my daycare when my oldest daughter was 2...
August 1992.
At the time.. I was working for my then husband's family business...
Western Wear/Western Tack Retail store....
My daughter was in a small home daycare...the provider had grown up with my now ex sister-in-law...
My daughter was a severe asthmatic..
When she was sick..I kept her at our store with me...It just got to the point where I felt I needed to be home with her.. and...
her daycare provider had become my good friend... so.. she helped me get started with my home small REGISTERED home daycare...
Two years later (Aug '94) I gave birth to my second daughter.. closed the daycare for 6 weeks.. then reopened..
This is my 21 st year. I switched to LICENSED Home in 2000...
And.. became a TEXAS RISING STAR provider, 3 years ago by participating in a year long training course..

I always assumed that once my own children went to school I'd close up and get a different job...
But.. once they went to school.. I found that my stress level went down considerably...and... I make such good $$$$
AND.. now my 2 year old granddaughter is with me in my daycare... so I guess I can't quit now...

But... for background..
I have two younger sisters.. both school teachers...
My aunt was a school teacher... my great grandmother was a school teacher...
But.. I never went to college.. The training I have now comes from years of training classes to meet required clock hours...

[lovemykidstoo]

I had my son 14 almost 15 years ago and worked at a bank. I was a teller then back up supervisor, then a savings/mortgage loan counselor. I liked my job, but hated being away from him. Then I had my daughter in 2000. I figured it out and I would be working for I think it was like $30 a day after paying daycare for 2 kids. I have always loved children and wanted to stay home with them, so that's when I decided. I was on maternity leave and figured it out. Went in and told my boss that I wouldn't be back.

[Blackcat31]

I orginally enrolled in college (25 years ago ) to become a research attorney.

I am an accidental child care provider.

I did not plan to be in this field.

I do have a degree in Early Childhood Education. (I went back to school a few years ago).

I will stay in this field though until I die or win the lottery.....which ever comes first.

[canadiancare]

I orginally enrolled in college (25 years ago ) to become a research attorney.

I am an accidental child care provider.

I did not plan to be in this field.

I do have a degree in Early Childhood Education. (I went back to school a few years ago).

I will stay in this field though until I die or win the lottery.....which ever comes first.

Come on lottery!!!


I am on the die with debt program, myself.

[kitykids3]

I was going to school to get my degree to be an elementary school teacher. While I was doing that, I was working part time jobs in daycares, offices and restaurants. No matter what daycare I was in, I didn't like what I was seeing, but always thought I would wait it out til I got my degree and then I'd be working for the state.

When they had me in my field experience with 1st and 5th graders, what I saw with the kids there was not good.

I decided I wanted to open my own family daycare so that I could have a bigger impact on the kids before it got too late when they were older in school and so that I could offer a daycare that didn't have all the behind the scenes teacher stuff going on.

At the daycares I worked for there was always trying to bend the rules, teachers talking with each other instead of spending their time with the kids, etc. It never seemed like the kids were first, and they were supposed to be.
The kids in the schools seemed to have too many 'issues' that I didn't think I'd be spending much time educating, but instead dealing with their socio-economic issues and trying to get them ready for standardized tests.

I do not have kids of my own so I am not doing it to stay home, and I could have easily gotten a degree in biochemistry, but instead chose teaching, so I am not doing it for the money. I'm doing it for the kids, and will be until I retire.