How many of your assumptions are wrong?
According to First Research, "The U.S. childcare services industry includes about 54,000 commercial facilities with combined annual revenue of $27 billion." In other words, day care services make a decent dent in the United States economy. Additionally, "Almost one quarter (23.4%) of children under the age of five are in some form of organized childcare arrangement," according to the Center for American Progress.
But what are these centers and their staff members really like? Parents and guardians only get to see a glimpse into their child's day at drop-off and pick-up, through staff reports, and by whatever stories their child may tell them. As a person, who has had the privilege of working in a childcare center, I can tell you that day care may or may not be very much like you think.
Do Children Have Fun at Day Care?
I can't speak for all children at all day care facilities, but from my experience at the center I work at most children genuinely enjoy coming to 'school' as they call it. Even the few children who consistently cry at drop-off will be running around and laughing minutes after their parent leaves. At most centers, staff members work hard to plan entertaining, engaging, and educational activities every day. Additionally, day care is a great opportunity for your child to make some of his or her very first friends. I am proud to say that I see more laughs and giggles than cries and tears on a daily basis.
Are Day Care Centers Clean?
There are lots of health and safety guidelines childcare centers must follow that ensure a relatively high standard of sanitation. However, that doesn't prevent blocks from being strewn across the floor or from grape juice getting spilled from time to time. As far as tidiness and organization go, each center and each classroom will be a little different from the next. I encourage all parents to take a tour of a childcare center before enrolling their child and to pay attention to how neat and tidy things seem. Remember that just as your home may not be in tip-top shape every day of the year, neither will your child's Day Care be. Craft closets just sometimes have a tendency to get, well a little messy. The most important thing to pay attention to is whether or not the play, sleeping, and eating areas are properly sanitized and relatively uncluttered.
Are Day Care Centers Educational?
Each childcare center will have a different curriculum. Depending on the center, your child may or may not leave Pre-K knowing Kindergarten level reading, writing, and Math skills. However, in my opinion, the academic stuff is not the most important stuff your child will learn. At Day Care, your child will have the opportunity to learn things they otherwise might not have had the chance to at home. They will learn to appropriately and effectively interact with peers their own age, how to share toys with others, how to take turns, and how to follow classroom directions. In that way, I believe, day care's are almost always very educational. At the center I am employed by, staff members are required to plan specific and detailed language, STEM, sensory, arts, music, fine motor, and gross motor activities every day. Each week's written lesson plans are reviewed by the director of the center. I would encourage parents to inquire with the director of their childcare center to make sure the curriculum matches the educational goals they have for their child.
I would also like to remind parents that children learn the most through play. A child's brain grows every time they build a lego tower, sing songs, play dress-up, scurry around the jungle gym, or connect a puzzle piece. Children who are actively engaged in play every day are learning a lot.
Who Staffs Day Care Centers?
Requirements vary from state to state, but staff members must always obtain proper clearances before working in a childcare facility. CPR, AED, and first aid training might be some of the certifications a childcare worker may need to obtain before getting hired.
Some childcare workers have college educations, but many do not. Having a CDA, or Child Development Associate Credential, is preferred but not necessary for hire. Oftentimes, childcare organizations will provide free professional development opportunities for their employees. A high school diploma is almost always required.
There are many different positions a childcare worker could have. A lead teacher lesson plans and oversees the classroom functions. While Assistant Group Supervisors, Assistant Teachers, and Teacher Aides have various levels of responsibility within the classroom that involve helping the Lead Teacher, supervising the children, and maintaining safety.
What Is It Like Working in a Day Care?
Working in a Day Care is one of my greatest joys. I love coming into the center every day to play with, teach, and take care of my little friends. I feel honored to have the privilege of working with the children every day. They make me laugh, they make me smile, and they make me a better person.
As much as I love what I do, I think it is a challenge. Kids are people and, as I think everybody knows, working with people is not always easy. Each child is unique which often times means we as teachers have to get creative and take specialized approaches to teaching and behavior management with each child. Staff member don't always agree or get along with each other and that presents another challenge.
The day to day responsibilities of being a teacher, nurturer, protector, mediator, and a friend can be physically and emotionally tiring. It hurts my heart when a child is upset, gets sick, or injures themselves. Plus, it's just not fun for anyone when the stomach bug sweeps through a Day Care! Trust me.
Additionally, childcare workers have very physically demanding jobs. There is no sitting around at a desk all day! We are always up and down on the floor finger painting one minute and outside playing games the next. What's more is that if you don't think you could lift a dozen toddlers on and off a changing table multiple times a day, then working in a Day Care probably isn't for you.
Although challenging and sometimes stressful, noisy, messy, and stinky working in a childcare center is truly and amazing experience, but I would only recommend it to someone who truly loves working with kids. If you want to make a positive difference in a young child's life, and you find joy in being around kids, then maybe early childhood education is something you should pursue. On the other hand, if you are just looking for another job, then I don't recommend applying for a childcare position. You can't fake a love or a passion for something you don't have and that's okay! If you take a job in childcare and you're unmotivated to be the best you can be at it, you are really just shortchanging yourself, and the children. Plus, no one wants to work with someone who doesn't care.
Take Aways
Every childcare center is different and parents will have to investigate each center on an individual basis to see if the center meets their child's individual needs. Working in a day care center, can be a very challenging yet rewarding experience, if you are passionate about working with children.
