Career: After Two Decades, There’s No Place I’d Rather Be

Hello Divas! A numb diva here after visiting the dentist for a cracked filling. Now I understand how hard Britt Baker works. Close to an hour post visit and I’m sipping coffee-I didn’t jump once in the chair (big shocker there, considering I jump when getting pedicures). A day off today, Stella is excited for me to be home and we are enjoying play time. 

Play. It’s what people do after work with a variety of things and activities. This is also called leisure activity. When I’m not working, I’m at the gym, writing/blogging, shopping, playing a game on my tablet, or lazy with Stella. Then there’s being lazy with my sisters in Chicago, and during the summer, lazy at the pool. Play could also be considered “stress relievers”, due to some psychologists referring to leisure activities being called “ ‘play’ “. There is the saying “ ‘work hard, play harder’ “. What many of us do no realize is the need for leisure and play. We are so focused on tasks that we don’t make the time for such things. Deadlines, sales goals, team goals, or a major project due. Perhaps it’s being a student with difficult courses, being a working student, or student athlete. No matter what it is that you do for a career, or what your current life plan is, everyone needs time to play. 

Play. The free time of adults. The other definition of play is something that I’ve been apart of for over two decades. In the field of early childhood education, play is the “work of children”. Ever “ ‘play school’ “ when you were a kid? I did, it was one of my favorite things. Other things I loved playing were “ ‘store, restaurant and bank’ “ with my sisters and Grandmother’s dining room set. Play is essential to early childhood development, as children not only learn social skills and things about the world around them. During the first five years of life, children spend 75% of their day with someone other than their parents. This includes childcare providers, such as childcare centers, nannies and other adults who care for the child when the parents are at work. The first five years are important, as the foundations of social-emotional, cognitive and physical skills are set, creating a foundation of learning and development. Play is not the only thing children need at this age, and this is where I come in. 

After growing up babysitting nieces and nephews, I wanted to become a nanny. Lacking formal (non family and friends experience), I had difficulty finding a nanny position due to my undocumented ability to work with children and families in formal capacity. When I babysat family members, I could do as I pleased. When working with other people’s children, respect is of the utmost importance. This means I can’t do as I please. Having the desire to nanny, I followed the suggestion of a nanny agency and applied at a childcare center to obtain formal skills working with children. 

A recent article appeared in Bloomberg, discussing the amount of people working in the childcare industry who are leaving for better paying jobs and other fields. Among the reasons for leaving are more pay, less stress, better benefits, reduced hours. I’ve left jobs for all of those reasons. I interviewed with a corporate center and was offered a teaching position that was well below what was advertised on Indeed, and $0.50 more per hour from my last corporate center. I had been contemplating a move to Chicago, and had spoken with a center director of a corporate center there, and when she asked me what I was paid here, I gave her the amount. She was speechless. People leave because they want something better, like a different career and more pay. Pay is the main reason why people leave early childhood education-we don’t get paid a lot, and we have bills like everyone else. https://apple.news/AVzMbHDeRQ0GES4nNAgARsQ 

Yet here I am, still working in center based programs. I could move to Chicago and nanny, where I could make over $20 per hour. The only drawback is the lack of insurance for positions plus the reality of losing a job should a parent get laid off. Should that happen, you’re back to the drawing board for a new job, and certain markets are competitive in major cities. 

When I was a nanny, I liked it. It was a drama free, less stressful job where I didn’t have to deal with gossip, poor leadership or nepotism. What I didn't like was working two part-time jobs to equal one full time income, yet I did like having one day off per week. I would work as a nanny again, yet I also have my reservations about working here in our market where the competition with young professionals who have little experience in the field is tough, and finding a family who desires an older, established candidate tougher. 

The chaos. Routines. Lesson plans. A group of children and their parents. Personalities. Being asked a million questions per day. The teaching cycle (plan, implement, observe). Finding unique art projects. Giggles of children. Smiles. Hearing "I love you". Rainy days. Children who may not listen at times, yet they are great kids. The child who needs that extra bit of support. Even my worse day. The joy of seeing children grow and helping families. I love what I do, and appreciate every moment. 

This is why I know where I need to be after twenty plus years of teaching and where I want to be. 

With pizza and love,

Dani