I have been in the childcare field for nearly 9 years, working mainly in preschool, but I have also worked with 2-year olds and school-aged children in California and here in Nevada. I have worked in corporate-run centers as well as small, sole-proprietor centers. This business really is a thankless one. Not that I need parents thanking me on a daily basis (would be nice...), but even people in general don't seem to appreciate or understand the care, love, attention and time it takes to run a preschool classroom. There are boards to make, books to mend, art projects to prepare, books to read, circle times to run, songs to sing, games to play, endless bubbles to blow, balls to throw, towers to look at when a child says, "Look what I made!", soiled clothes to change, meals and snacks to prepare, classrooms to clean, classes to take to further my education, learning centers to organize and skills to teach children that will last them a lifetime. There are even some things I do at home, like sew dress-up clothes. Parents seem upset when they have to participate in something at daycare, like a pot luck or Parent Night( and don't give me any grief over this--I'm a single mom, and I got into this field mainly to pay less for child care, but I found myself barely making enough to pay for my childcare. I just stayed in it since its actually very rewarding working with children). When I tell someone what I do for a living, all I get is a sad and mournful, "Oh...", followed by silence and a quick change of subject, or even someone asking when I'm going to get a real job. I guess my job isnt as important as teaching at a "real school"--think K-12. I'm the one that teaches shapes, colors, how to share with others, use their words, and chew with their mouth closed before they even get to elementary school, you know.

Maybe someone will read this post and think, "You know, I never really thought about how hard it is to be a preschool teacher." I hope a parent with a child in a daycare center will tell their child's teacher, "Thank you," when she washes a soiled pair of clothes, even though she didn't have to--or just because she's your child's teacher. I hope a parent will decide that the woman (most likely the case) that cares for their child is worth a small gift or card at holiday time. Remember, this woman is the one that takes care of your child for much of the day (we're talking 8 hours or more--there are kids that come before I get to work and leave after my 8-hour shift is over) doesn't she deserve a little recognition now and then? I hope a government worker reads this and tries to lobby for more education for child care workers, and pay to go with it if you get more education. I also hope that a parent that is considering putting her child in daycare will understand that its a harder job to take care of more than one child--all with different personalities--and will see that rather than what its going to cost to send their child to daycare.

Thanks for letting me rant a little...now, where's my spa treatment?!

Wow...been out of daycare for 25 yrs. and not much has changed....still bad pay...i had a degree in Early Childhood Ed. but gave it up after doing a practicum in a Kindergarten (public) and taught at a very good private school...it was run by an old Irish headmaster...and when a child had to go see the headmaster for being naughty it was not a good thing....i think America has gotten away with to much emphasis on being one's individual personality...and discipline has been thrown out the door....catch a clue people....the real world is not going to let you do what u want....want a job...u better be able to conform to the work place period....so back to my experience in teaching.....was good in a private academy where the parents knew the teacher's were boss....if little Johnny was a brat, he could be thrown out of the school, period.....we had a list of bout 100 kids waiting to get in....so parents knew they had to be involved in their childrens discipline and took our advice.....i loved working in this enviroment it gave us a up on the whole situation....i think privatizing public schools would also enlighten this aspect of competition which is thoroughly lacking in todays public schools...it should be a privlege to go to school and learn from someone who has the patience and ability to teach and loves doing it.....catch on....Europe has it right....can we learn before it's to late? Oh yeh, i went into banking and retired early....so think twice bout those worker's..... they have a choice also....the good one's just might choose to leave also.

debora, I have been explaining exactly what is in your post to people all my life. My Mom is a pre-school head-teacher, and has been for over 35 years. She has her masters in Early Childhood Ed, with inclusion (Special Ed) degrees as well. She must work as hard and maintain her certification the same way public school teachers do, but gets paid far, far less. We were eligible for assistance (heat, electric etc) because she was so low-income and a single parent. My siblings used to say they wished she'd go work in the factory and make more money. I got the 'when is she going to get a real job? question, too.

Why did she stay in it? The woman is amazing, she lights those kids right up, each and every one is an individual to her. I have had people in their 20s come up to me that remember her fondly and the experience in her classroom.

You're entitled to your rant, and so is my Mother. It's a tough road, (particularly when you get to be in your 60s), but thankfully money isn't everything to everybody. Some damn fine teachers are at it everyday simply because they enjoy and love educating children. The world could do with a lot more of them, and far fewer CEOs.