Education

[QualiTcare]

i worked in daycare centers and assisted in schools while i was going to school for my EC degree. after i graduated, i got a job at a school that was based on a grant. they lost the grant and i lost my job. teachers who didn't have tenure yet started losing their jobs when the economy took a dive, and then they started trying to get older teachers to retire. i realized then i wouldn't be getting a teaching job anytime soon (unless i was willing to move, which i wasn't). so, it seemed logical to start doing daycare until things got better since that's what i had done in the past.

i didn't like it and i quit doing it earlier this year and decided to go back to school for nursing. i took astronomy for my science classes for the teaching degree, so i had to take anatomy and microbiology to get into the nursing program that starts in May. it'll take 18 months from the time i start in May to get my BSN. it kinda ****s bc i feel like 2 years of the time i spent in school was wasted, but i figure i'll eventually get too old to run around and be a nurse - and teaching may come in handy again when that time comes. you can't go wrong with a nursing degree though - there's never a job shortage.

i don't know anyone who went to college with the intention of doing daycare though - personally.

[jen]

Starting my master in the fall for Marriage and Family counseling; I have a degree in Community Psychology, which I got while doing daycare. I've never left my kids in full time daycare, we always worked different shifts (my former husband was a restaurant manager) so that one of us could be home with them most of the day.

When he became a GM and was expected to work days, I went to working part time in the office and part time at home. My boss didn't love it and eventually I had to make a choice. I choose my kids. In addition, I was pretty sure that our marriage was over and I really wanted to be here for my kids during that transition.

My youngest is in 2nd grade and I'll soon be hanging up my daycare lady hat. I will miss the kids, the money, and the tax benefits, but not the 12-14 hour days, the damage to my house, or the zillions of toys!

[momofboys]

I chose to do daycare because after working in the normal workforce I knew I did not want to send my kids to daycare. So when I had my first child I did work part-time outside of the home. But by the time I had child #2 I was ready to stay home. I needed to supplement my income so I began doing daycare in my home to help out. Once my third child is in K (not for about 3 years) I will return to my field (if I can find a job that is). I have a BA in English so I previously worked in the editorial field.

[countrymom]

I was a nurse and after I had my second dd I was off on mat leave for a year (in ontario thats what we have) when I went back I worked steady afternoons, dh just started his job with ford motor company and he was working afternoons too, my girls were at my moms house, but I had to get them after work which was late only to do it all over again the next day. I found that nothing was getting done in the house, I barely spent any time with the kids (I worked for 2-10pm) and it was crazy, sure I made good money but so did dh, but for what. So I gave up my job a couple months after I went back from mat leave. Now I make about the same money I did at my job, I don't work weekends, I'm there for my kids (all 4 are now in school full time) and I don't have the headaches a job outside my house would bring. I like this job way better and it works so much better for our family.

[QualiTcare]

for those of you that have been nurses, did you work more than 3/4 days a week? here, if you work in the hospital, you work 3 days one week and 4 days the next unless you want to work more.

i plan on trying to work night shift which is typically 7pm-7am so i'll still be home most of the time even on the days i have to work (plus u make more working nights) - i'd go to sleep when i got home (as the kids are going to school) and be awake by the time they come home. it's usually rotating weekends also so it's possible to be home monday thru thursday and work fri, sat, sun.

[melskids]

i don't know anyone who went to college with the intention of doing daycare though - personally.

they're getting ready to change things up big time where i am, and want us (home daycare providers) to all have formal education. its not mandatory yet, and it is going to be a few years down the road, but eventually will be a requirement. (right now we dont have to get one, but it adds more points towards our star rating.) whether or not i think it should be a requirement just to do home daycare is a whole other thread but i figure if i cant beat 'em then join 'em, so i will be going to college with the intention of doing daycare. LOL i figure it cant hurt, and then maybe someday if i'm done with home daycare, i can take my degree with me to a daycare center. but in the meantime, i prefer to be home in a family style daycare setting.

[nikia]

You are welcome to come visit us if you are in Des Moines.

Thank you for that offer, I don't get there much but I actually would love to meet you

Daycare can be good but is not my dream job. I worked as a nurse for 3 years and I missed my daughter so much and I wanted to raise her.

We wanted another child and I could not afford to pay daycare for a second child so I am watching 3 -4 children to make ends meet until I get really good at it (and love it) or until my husband gets a promotion so I can just be a SAHM.
When my kids grow up I want to go back into the work force but I will not be a nurse.

Any reason why not nursing? Sorry if its too personal, I just have heard great things about nursing and then of course not great things like any job

[nikia]

Starting my master in the fall for Marriage and Family counseling; I have a degree in Community Psychology, which I got while doing daycare. I've never left my kids in full time daycare, we always worked different shifts (my former husband was a restaurant manager) so that one of us could be home with them most of the day.

When he became a GM and was expected to work days, I went to working part time in the office and part time at home. My boss didn't love it and eventually I had to make a choice. I choose my kids. In addition, I was pretty sure that our marriage was over and I really wanted to be here for my kids during that transition.

My youngest is in 2nd grade and I'll soon be hanging up my daycare lady hat. I will miss the kids, the money, and the tax benefits, but not the 12-14 hour days, the damage to my house, or the zillions of toys!

Yes the damage and zillions of toys my biggest issues with the kids, the parents on the other hand I have a list a mile long ::

[momma2girls]

Do you miss the nursing field? Have you found that being a nurse has helped with your daycare business?

I do miss nursing, especially the elderly!! I really have a passion with the elderly!! Yes, it has helped with many things!

[momma2girls]

Daycare can be good but is not my dream job. I worked as a nurse for 3 years and I missed my daughter so much and I wanted to raise her.

We wanted another child and I could not afford to pay daycare for a second child so I am watching 3 -4 children to make ends meet until I get really good at it (and love it) or until my husband gets a promotion so I can just be a SAHM.
When my kids grow up I want to go back into the work force but I will not be a nurse.

I am in the same boat here!!

[momma2girls]

for those of you that have been nurses, did you work more than 3/4 days a week? here, if you work in the hospital, you work 3 days one week and 4 days the next unless you want to work more.

i plan on trying to work night shift which is typically 7pm-7am so i'll still be home most of the time even on the days i have to work (plus u make more working nights) - i'd go to sleep when i got home (as the kids are going to school) and be awake by the time they come home. it's usually rotating weekends also so it's possible to be home monday thru thursday and work fri, sat, sun.

I actually have worked every shift over 18 yrs. I worked so much OT and madatory OT and staying later, coming in early-UGGHH!! I worked every weekend for that long also!! I really have been loving my weekends off!!!

[momma2girls]

Yes the damage and zillions of toys my biggest issues with the kids, the parents on the other hand I have a list a mile long ::

We could write long books, couldn't we???

[Blackcat31]

I have a CDA and am currently working towards my Bachelors in ECE. I started out in college doing two years toward being a para legal and ended up in early childhood (loooong story) and have been doing family childcare for about 17 years. I plan on still having childcare after I am done with college, I just plan on running my business more like a pre-school and less like a family childcare. I am thinking of becoming licensed as a center and only taking pre-school age kids. I worked at Head Start for a few years before starting my own business and loved the way they do things (minus a few things) but that is my "plan" for the future so far. I enjoy the freedom of having my own business and degree or no degree I really can't see myself working for anyone but myself again. Although I love the kids and can get irritated by the parents, the part I REALLY love and would love to do is the administrative part of the business. I am one of those oddballs that LOVE filling out forms and doing the paperwork. I think it would be interesting to be a director of a childcare but who knows where life will take me....like I said I started college planning on entering the field of law and now I wipe noses! HaHa! ::

[MommyMuffin]

Thank you for that offer, I don't get there much but I actually would love to meet you



Any reason why not nursing? Sorry if its too personal, I just have heard great things about nursing and then of course not great things like any job

Unless you work in a clinic it is mostly off shift work with little say over your schedule....hard work and little appreciation. Patients hardly ever say thank you. It felt like a factory...many many patients per nurse and hardly time to do basic cares.
Cleaning up an adult who cannot move and has C-diff (= smelly, runniest diarrhea ever) several times per day; I would take a poopy diaper on a baby any day!! That was on the ward.

In the clinic I was bored to tears..same things over and over. And in the clinic you work closer with others so you know how catty women can get and I wanted nothing to do with it (bad mouthing, lying to bosses...ya know) Also hierarchy in hospitals is silly...nothing to do with work; just who you "know."

I was done working my butt off for parients who were never satisfied and management who just pushed more and more work with out the staff.

Of course this in my personal experience in one particular hospital and clinic setting. Perhaps had I went to another hospital things would have been different but no place could touch what they paid me.

[boysx5]

I have an associate degree in early childhood but working in a center or school pays nothing plus having five kids daycare was not worth me working. I have been doing daycare for 14 years and while most days I do like it there are moments when I wish I worked outside the home. I wouldn't make the money I make doing that