Anyone out there works in child care?

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alexandriapatton
alexandriapatton Posts: 117 Member
in Chit-Chat
Hey everyone,

I will be starting a new job in September at a child care development center. I have never worked with children before, even though I have taken care of my nieces since they were born. I will be trained on the job, but curiosity is getting the best of me, and I really want to know what I should expect, what are the daily duties that will be generally expected of me. I somewhat have an idea, just from talking to my future boss. But I want to hear some first hand experiences that other people have and have had. So please, if you guys have had any experiences working with children, feel free to share :)

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  • sillygoosie
    sillygoosie Posts: 1,109 Member
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    I worked in child care for over 5 years. What you will be doing depends on what age group you will be assigned to. I just hope you really have a love for children because too many people get in to child care thinking it will be an easy job and it isn't. It's extremely hard work, mentally and physically, for very little pay.

    I was a camp counselor for older kids all through high school and I did meal prep and basically just had a really good time with the kids. I also worked as a para in a special education program at an elementary school. I changed diapers on school aged children, provided light physical therapy and even taught an autistic boy to read. Most recently I was a group leader for a class of 2 year olds. I did lesson planning, teaching, diaper changing and toilet training, food prep, cleaning, consoling, and about a million other tasks. Child care is not for the faint of heart.
  • cristynfaye
    cristynfaye Posts: 88 Member
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    I've worked in ECE my whole life, and am currently getting a degree in Children and Family Studies. My advice to you is to observe the other teachers and take their advice. You will eventually find a flow with them, and learn the nuances of the center you're working at, the other teachers, and the kids. I don't know what age you're working with, but even a few months can make a huge developmental difference with little kids. Patience goes a LONG way with little ones. Remember, they are just learning about the world, learning how to interact with others, and learning how to basically be human. Redirection is a powerful tool, and you can use tough situations as teachable moments. It's a very tough job, and many parents have no idea how difficult it can be (and honestly sometimes parents are the hardest part of the job), but the intrinsic rewards outweigh the hardships. You'll be completely exhausted a lot of the time, but when you see your kids learn new things or tell you they love you, it's amazing. I really hope you like the job. I love being an ECE teacher, and it's helped me to grow as a person and have more compassion for kids and people in general.
  • cristynfaye
    cristynfaye Posts: 88 Member
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    As far as the practical day to day, that really depends on the way your center works and what age of kids you're working with. They'll have a schedule throughout the day, so you'll likely be playing with them and assisting the other teachers, maybe helping with diaper changes or potty time and nap time. You'll probably have to do dishes or help with other cleanup. If you don't have professional experience with kids, then I doubt you'll have any lesson planning responsibilities and your job will probably be more of assisting the lead teachers. So again, just ask them how you can help, and try to pick up on how they interact with the kids and how the center runs and you'll be fine. :)
  • alexandriapatton
    alexandriapatton Posts: 117 Member
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    Thank you very much ladies. I am actually working on getting my BA in Childhood and Family Development. I should have it completed by this time next year. The CDC has not assigned me to an age group yet. But I truly do love children, I love teaching them new things and being the one who they look up to. So I really am excited to get started and seeing how it really is. I do understand that it's a very physical and demanding job. And again, I do appreciate the feedback. It was very helpful!
  • cristynfaye
    cristynfaye Posts: 88 Member
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    Thank you very much ladies. I am actually working on getting my BA in Childhood and Family Development. I should have it completed by this time next year. The CDC has not assigned me to an age group yet. But I truly do love children, I love teaching them new things and being the one who they look up to. So I really am excited to get started and seeing how it really is. I do understand that it's a very physical and demanding job. And again, I do appreciate the feedback. It was very helpful!

    I'm sure you'll do great. It can sometimes be hard starting out and learning the flow of things, but it's that way with any kind of new job. You'll pick it up like second nature I'm sure. Good luck and have fun!

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