I am currently considering going back to school to get my degree in Early Childhood Education. I never thought in a million years that I'd want to work with kids, but I love being with my son and spending time at his daycare. I am trying to be sure that this is the right fit for me and I'm not just glamorizing it because I love being with my son. Have any of you moms felt this way after you had your kids? And if so, how did it work out for you?
Other people's children either bore me, or make me want to scream. The love I have for my 5 is absolutely NO indication that I'd be good with other brats.
P.S. I did work in daycare for a bit when my eldest was little, and I truly did hate it 90% of the time.
Nope, still hate other people's kids. Okay maybe not everyone's kids but enough to never want to work with kids.
25 years ago, I would have run from a room full of kids.
Today, I thrive on being with kids. So, yes, you can have a change of heart. I have also found that it's much easier to work with kids ....now that my own are older. There's no competition for my attention, there's no having to decide if my child is entitled to come 1st.
Take a look at Project Construct online....it's a great teaching theory/process & I love using it. It will give you a feel for teaching & will point you toward other methods also popular. By researching this, you'll have a better understanding of what the educational process entails.
One word of caution, though: there are many teachers out there without jobs. In my circle of friends/family, we have a handful of newly-graduated teachers still looking for jobs. Most hiring occurs in April/May....so they're stuck with subbing & working outside of the teaching field until next school year. It's a heartbreaker to watch this happen....
I also have several friends who've been shuffled around repeatedly within our school system....just trying to hang onto their jobs/pensions. Early childhood education seems to be the 1st one hit during budget cuts. :(
In a perfect world, I would own an educational preschool.....not a daycare. I would teach only.....& not do diapers! But in our small town, this is not an option....families need full-time care covering the whole work day. Peace & good luck....working with kids is always fun!
Take a couple of classes and volunteer at daycare- in a room other than your son's! If you enjoy the classes and the hands-on time, great! If not, less learned and experience gained!
My niece was a SAHM for years (we're the same age), but when her youngest started preschool she was at a loss for what to do with herself and her time. She started volunteering at the preschool (in a different class) and loved it so much that they hired her as a rotating aide. She just started classes last month towards her ECE Associate's! She had worked in other industries previously (banks, retail, restaurants), but never liked those as much as this.
As someone who got a degree and then learned that hte resulting career was not a good fit, I would recommend getting an entry level job (which will not require a degree) and do it for 6 months. This will let you experience the day-to-day ups and downs, talk to many people in the feild, and if you like it, it will also help you determine what direction you want to go after aquiring your degree. If it isn't for you, you won't be out all the time/money of a degree.
Good luck!!
I have my degree in early childhood education and I'm a mama to a 7 year old and expecting a baby girl in a month. I currently run a home day care out of my home. It works great for our family as I'm able to do what I love plus be home with my kids (plus I'm able to charge premium tuition because I have degree and lots of experience).
You really need to be sure. Try working at the preschool first, it is completely different from volunteering. I love being around my children too but I do not like so much being around others. I love babies but I don't like brats. I know for me that I could never work as a full time teacher. Many people love being around children and thank goodness for them but many don't have the patience. Good luck.
i actually got my degree before i had my kids by the time my daughter was in the 2 year old room i had had enough! working with kids all day then coming home to them was just too much! needless to say im back in school for nursing lol
You could try it out by getting a job as a teacher's aide at an early childhood center. In IL you only need 6 credit hrs of ECE classes, or something related. For me, I fulfilled it with a Child Development class and a Sociology course. I worked in a day care for 3 yrs with these credentials, and it is how I found out that it that age group is NOT for me.
I say call the child care licensing agency in your area and get them to send you the regulations for home child care. If you want to try this then by all means you can jump right in and do the school at night or online while making some money in the mean time.
A career is rewarding in child care. I have over 13 years, caring for every age of kids plus years as owner of my own center. I would recommend doing the home situation because you can get your feet wet by caring for a few kids without being thrust into a classroom of 15 4 yr. old's that all want to swing from the chandeliers, not literally but you understand.
You will not be able to take care of your son in a regular classroom setting, their are regulations against this. You will have to work in a classroom with kids a different age. In a home setting your son will be there along with the other children you accept.
Well, it's not the career to choose if you want to make money, but just like teaching, it can be self-fulfilling and rewarding. I have my BS in Child and Adolescent Development and worked in a daycare, taught preschool, and now work in a subsidized childcare program. Remember too, that you won't be able to just focus on your son, and they may even put you in a different class. Working in a daycare is very tough and very mentally challenging since you are dealing with kids, parents, as well as administration. I would definitely volunteer first and then make you're decision. The turn-over rate for daycare teachers is usually quite high because of the burn-out factor, but some people do it for years so just make sure you do you're research!
I love my son but I can't stand other peoples kids.
Other peoples kids are whiny, bratty, clingy, mouthy, hyper, have attitude coming out the ears (you don't want to know what comes out of their noses), can't keep their hands to themselves, can't sit still, can't pay attention, painfully shy, etc - and their parents are even worse.
Ok, they're not all like that.
There are a few who are pretty cool, and are sweethearts, but they are few and far between.
Sorry - my Mom taught 6th grade public school for 30 years and she would never recommend going into teaching for anyone.
Because it's not all about teaching kids who want to learn.
It's about administration who jerks you around, kids who fight you all the way, parents who don't want their little darlings stressed (my Mom actually got a letter from a parent requesting that she NOT teach fractions to her daughter because the daughter got too upset doing fractions homework), budgets cut to pieces (constantly doing more with less), teaching to/for SOL tests and precious little else, etc.
Obviously, some people do go into teaching, and it might be right for you - but go into it with your eyes wide open.
