As a parent and child care teacher, some of my greatest reasons for doing what I do are the things I can do for the families and children I am with. It is one of the best feelings ever when I can help a parent be less worried about what their child can or can't yet do. Or encourage them in supporting their child's learning. Or share the information and resources I have learned in my years as a parent and caregiver. Or even just being able to be the safe place that they can leave their baby and trust that they will be kept as safe and happy as I can make them while they are with me. (And having some awesome help and support with that is one of the most crucial parts of making it happen!)
I recently read a comment by a fellow child care teacher, who mentioned how great it is to hear from the parents that we work with, what a great job they may feel that we do. It got me thinking of some of the best professional compliments I have ever gotten. She was so right!
One of the earliest that stands out was a young mom dropping her daughter off and telling my then-assistant teacher and I how much her little girl looked forward to spending time with her "daytime mommies". The fact that she would feel comfortable enough telling us that she and her child (her first and, at the time, only child) were happy and confident enough with us to label us mommies for this baby was such a great moment for me. It is one time that sure stands out as to why I love my profession so much.
Other moments come when parents ask about their child's development, and trust that I can help make sense of what their child may be doing. Why are they so interested in what is in the cupboards in the kitchen when we have spent time and effort in creating a child-friendly zone? Why does my child cling and cry when I have to leave, when they were fine last week? What does it mean for my child when they can wave/ sign/ point? When will my child walk? There is no single right answer, but being able to point parents in the right direction on where to find more information is great. Being able to learn and share about the developing mind and body of a child is such a great privilege.
On the flip side of my job working with children and parents is my opportunity to work with some truly awesome people. I have worked with people who were totally new to child care, college students working to become the next generation of teachers, teachers who were able to share years more experience than I have with me. Every one has given me something (or a lot of somethings) new to learn and think about. Everyone comes in with ideas and expectations about what child care looks like and is about. Having the opportunity to help others make sense of the world of teaching and child care is another great benefit of my job. I've never really thought of myself as a teacher in the sense of teaching adults, but how cool is it that I get to do it anyway?! When I am able to help someone make sense of what we are doing and why, it reminds me of why I love to teach. :)
There are a thousand moments every day that my families, my co-workers, my employers, the children I work with, my own children and family at home tell me that I am valuable to them, that what I do makes a difference in their lives. I have to admit, there are days where the chaos of getting from moment to moment with the demands of the day make me forget to notice them- in their moments. But when I sit back and take stock of the day, I sure notice they were there.
And those moments, when you are told that you are so important to a family you care for that you have earned the title of "daytime mommy" in their eyes, it makes every moment of effort to get to that point so worth it. Remember, as a provider or a parent, you are so important in the life of the child you are with. You so truly ROCK!
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