Originally Posted by Chickenhauler:
Let's talk about this in reality-even if you get a grant or a freebie, you're still paying for it. That money doesn't appear by magic. It comes from taxes that you and I pay (or debt the gov't goes into, which you and I will have to repay). Okay, so I pay for it through my taxes. I'd have to pay those wether I went to school or not, so at least I gained something positive from paying them.
And if you get a grant, then you still have to either take night classes or close down your business (lost revenue) or hire someone to cover for you (add'l expense), then travel, your time, books, parking, etc. The majority of my courses were on-line, and I completed my school work at home during naptime. My books were paid for through my grants. My time, well, to me, it was very much worthwhile.
And you have to ask yourself....how will this increase my revenue? Will I be able to command higher fees with this degree? This increased my revenue in several ways...I am now able to advertise as a preschool and I have additional children who attend for preschool only, while school age children are at school-parents who value an educated teacher pay me $25 for 3 hours of my time for their children to attend my program. I was able to become a mentor teacher for the colleges, having student teachers placed in my program and I get paid for them to be here while I mentor them...they work for me 3 hours per day, I currently have three students. I was able to become a Environmental Raing Scale assessor for our R&R, they pay me $500 for each program assessment I conduct and I was hired as an Independent Consultant for Head Start, paid $50 hour to conduct assessments on their programs....HUGE increase in revenue, and I couldn't do any of it without my education.
Sorry I didn't list EVERY duty she does, but her main task is the insure that the children a safe, fed, clean and reasonably content. She's not teaching calculus, physics or chemistry. No, she's not teaching those things, but she holds the future in her hands. You made it sound like she does nothing but clean up after snotty kids all day.
While we're at it, since we're legislating that everyone have a degree in raising kids that comes in contact with them, why don't we start with the parents? Before you can have a child, you must have a college degree! Almost with you on that one...I wish there were some sort of standards for being a parent....unfortunately, that would not be something that could realistically be regulated.
Why not make it the parents responsibility to teach their kids the basics of being a decent human being? Why are we as a society continually making every move possible to take that out of the parents hands?
It is, and should be. No one said that we should be responsible for everything with these children, but I take a personal responsibility for what they are learning when they are with me, which, more often than not, is more time than they actually have with their parents because they are working....I am proud of my work and "my" children when they move on to school.
My mother had nothing beyond high school education, and every one of my siblings (myself included) have started from the ground up, and been very successful, running our own business's. She raised us, not a daycare center or baby sitter.
And, that's GREAT! I never said that you cannot be successful without a degree, I just think there are alot of advantages to having it....my biggest complaint about this whole issue is that many people consider it "just a piece of paper" when in reality, it is much more than that.
Why should a home daycare operator be suddenly required to be a school teacher? And how can you compare a home daycare setting to that of a school teacher? I think this really lies in what the provider wants for her program and her expectations of herself. My program is set up very much like a preschool, and that is what I wanted, and it's what my families want and appreciate.
Heck, why not just teach school if a person has to get a degree? 6-1/2 to 7 hour days, every holiday off, 3 months in the summer off, and probably make more cash in the end. And you don't have to make or feed lunch to the kids, you just take them to the cafeteria and head for the lounge. Nor is there the investment or wear and tear on the home.
Why? Because I don't want to work for someone else, AND, guess what? I couldn't make HALF of what I make if I worked for the school district. I grossed 6 figures last year....no way that would happen working in public schools.
Your daughter is a temp worker, not a regularly scheduled, every day service provider. So? If I had to hire someone to work for me, I would pay them more than $10 per hour. I paid my daughter $10 per hour to work for me all summer.....my sub makes $15 per hour.
Even at $20 per hour, it's peanuts when you consider this isn't just labor, but space, supplies, materials, etc. For owning a business AND having to get a degree to continue operating that same business because some 'crat some where in some office thinks that suddenly, daycare providers are too stupid to do what they've been doing for decades, is pure silliness.
Sure, but there are MANY perks to being self-employed as well. I don't pay for commute, meals out, a wardrobe for the job, etc. And, I don't think anyone feels that daycare providers are stupid, but what is wrong with having a higher education?
Let's put this in perspective....a construction laborer (you know, the guy with the little "slow" sign?) gets $20 an hour, and he doesn't hardly have to be literate, much less have a college degree, and his "capital investment" is a pair of jeans, boots, and shirt. The employer provides a hardhat and vest.
Yep. BUT, is he HAPPY with his work? I know I am, I wouldn't trade my career for anything.
Let's be realistic....if the goobermint tries to ram this down daycare providers throats, you'll see many good providers either ignore it, go 'under the radar', or just plain quit.
Those that remain, their prices will rise to the point where EVERYONE will be on public assistance, because not even a 'good' job will pay enough to cover the daycare fees.
I disagree. I charge one of the lowest rates in my area. It's not necessary to charge exorbitant fees to make a decent living and provide a valuable service....only the providers who get a big head because they went to school would raise their rates to the point of not being affordable at all. For those who choose to ignore it, they get what they get, just as those who choose to ignore licensing regs and get caught. For those who quit, simply because they are required to LEARN something new, well, then, maybe the field is better of without them.
I hope that clarifies for you.
