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View Poll Results: Why are you doing this?
Studied child related courses (ece, teaching etc) 42 72.41%
no child care background but wanted to pay the bills 11 18.97%
I'm in it for the glory 14 24.14%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 58. You may not vote on this poll
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Out Of Curiosity- What Is Your Background?
canadiancare 10:39 AM 01-31-2013
How did you decide to work with children?
Did you fall into it in an effort to stay home with your own kids?
Do you intend to continue this as your career once your own kids are in school?


Edit to add
Studied early childhood education and a degree in psychology. Registered with the college of early childhood educators of Ontario.
first child was born in 1991 and monthly fees for childcare would have been more than 50% of my income- working in daycare to pay for my child to be in daycare didn't make sense.

Now that baby is getting ready to graduate from university this year and I am still at it. I am starting to think about what is next for me in life that might involve wearing nice clothes to work and my hair out of a pony tail.
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e.j. 10:47 AM 01-31-2013
I started my day care primarily because I wanted to stay home with my own kids but I did start out as a Special Education major in college before switching to Sociology/Social Work. Now that my kids are grown, I'm "staying in it for the glory!" I guess.
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Lucy 10:52 AM 01-31-2013
Those choices don't really fit me, so I'll just comment.

My mom did DC from before I was born, until I was about 16. So I grew up with it. That's my "background in childcare". I worked for 13 years in the regional office of a large insurance company, then I got married and decided to do DC, since my husband could cover me on medical insurance and stuff.

I've done it for 18 1/2 years now, so something must be working!
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EAP 10:53 AM 01-31-2013
I have always worked with children - I'm a former child advocate/investigator and worked with abused and neglected children in CPS. I love workkng with children it was a very natural progression to do this.


I plan on doing this until my almost 2 year old goes to school.
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mrsnj 11:14 AM 01-31-2013
I have a degree and worked out in daycare and I have to be honest....I was shocked at what I found "behind the scenes" at a lot of places. I was not happy. I worked long, hard hours and got paid very little for my effort. The final straw was being in a toddler room with 21 kids.....alone.......without an aide.......and being told by the director they were bringing in more kids. Done. I tried applying at other places and found that if I would not take MY children there, why would I want to work there. So I got fed up and opened my own family daycare. Worked well as I started my own family about 6 months later.
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wahmof3 11:23 AM 01-31-2013
I am currently getting my degree in ECE

After 10 plus years of working 2nd shift, I so badly wanted to be able to be home with my own children.

They are currently in school and I will continue child care for as long as I can, for the glory

.... and to pay the bills
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3amazingkiddos 11:36 AM 01-31-2013
I've worked with children since high school. I have a degree in sociology/social welfare and worked for social services for a few years. After I had my 1st child I decided to open my own daycare because I could not find one that I trusted to watch my child. When she was 2.5 I went back to work at social services, but 2 years later my twins arrived, so here I am again This job def has its ups and downs, but I love being home with my kids, I'm fortunate to have great families and dc kids, and I like the extra income. For now it works, not sure what I'll do when my boys start school next year.
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Heidi 11:39 AM 01-31-2013
I answered 2 choices, because I started out to help pay the bills and stay home with my kids, and then started working on my degree last year (at the age of 46).

I always took tons of continuing ed over the years, now it's just more official coursework.

I will do this until the day comes that I can retire, I think, unless I can maybe do something childcare related down the road, like be a food program consultant, etc.
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makap 11:48 AM 01-31-2013
I love children! I believe that they are the most special gift that God can give a person. I was ecstatic each and every time I discovered that I was pregnant. (6 times) My children are all grown now except for my youngest son who is 10. My husband and I have several grandchildren.

I was a stay at home mom for several years while my children were growing up and way back then, 25 years ago I took in a few children to make a few extra dollars as it was tough financially with only my husband working and myself staying home but my husband and I had made a choice that I would stay home to raise our children.

Once my youngest son started school full days it was time for me to choose a career. I could not decide on geriatrics or child psychology. To see if I would enjoy working with the elderly I took a course that would allow me to work in a nursing home. I worked there for several years until injuring myself to the point that I could no longer continue this work. At the time I had just signed up to take nursing and nursing school was starting 3 months later. I was going to specialize in geriatrics.

It took a very long time for my injury to heal and by then I was pregnant with my last child. My son was 3 years old when I decided that I would resume caring for children. That was 8 years ago and I am still doing it because I absolutely love what I do. There is nothing else I could or would ever want to do and I will continue to do this line of work my age no longer allows me to do so. So far so good. I am going to be 50 soon and still see a good 10 more years at least!
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Willow 11:49 AM 01-31-2013
Babysitter, nanny, elementary teachers aide, stay at home mom, licensed foster mom, licensed daycare provider.......was my progression.

My college education had to do with human behavior in general, not just kiddos.

I do believe I am probably in it for the long haul, and all that associated glory you mention
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Texasjeepgirl 12:03 PM 01-31-2013
I started my daycare when my oldest daughter was 2...
August 1992.
At the time.. I was working for my then husband's family business...
Western Wear/Western Tack Retail store....
My daughter was in a small home daycare...the provider had grown up with my now ex sister-in-law...
My daughter was a severe asthmatic..
When she was sick..I kept her at our store with me...It just got to the point where I felt I needed to be home with her.. and...
her daycare provider had become my good friend... so.. she helped me get started with my home small REGISTERED home daycare...
Two years later (Aug '94) I gave birth to my second daughter.. closed the daycare for 6 weeks.. then reopened..
This is my 21 st year. I switched to LICENSED Home in 2000...
And.. became a TEXAS RISING STAR provider, 3 years ago by participating in a year long training course..

I always assumed that once my own children went to school I'd close up and get a different job...
But.. once they went to school.. I found that my stress level went down considerably...and... I make such good $$$$
AND.. now my 2 year old granddaughter is with me in my daycare... so I guess I can't quit now...

But... for background..
I have two younger sisters.. both school teachers...
My aunt was a school teacher... my great grandmother was a school teacher...
But.. I never went to college.. The training I have now comes from years of training classes to meet required clock hours...

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lovemykidstoo 12:18 PM 01-31-2013
I had my son 14 almost 15 years ago and worked at a bank. I was a teller then back up supervisor, then a savings/mortgage loan counselor. I liked my job, but hated being away from him. Then I had my daughter in 2000. I figured it out and I would be working for I think it was like $30 a day after paying daycare for 2 kids. I have always loved children and wanted to stay home with them, so that's when I decided. I was on maternity leave and figured it out. Went in and told my boss that I wouldn't be back.
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Blackcat31 12:31 PM 01-31-2013
I orginally enrolled in college (25 years ago ) to become a research attorney.

I am an accidental child care provider.

I did not plan to be in this field.

I do have a degree in Early Childhood Education. (I went back to school a few years ago).

I will stay in this field though until I die or win the lottery.....which ever comes first.
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canadiancare 12:35 PM 01-31-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I orginally enrolled in college (25 years ago ) to become a research attorney.

I am an accidental child care provider.

I did not plan to be in this field.

I do have a degree in Early Childhood Education. (I went back to school a few years ago).

I will stay in this field though until I die or win the lottery.....which ever comes first.
Come on lottery!!!


I am on the die with debt program, myself.
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kitykids3 01:30 PM 01-31-2013
I was going to school to get my degree to be an elementary school teacher. While I was doing that, I was working part time jobs in daycares, offices and restaurants. No matter what daycare I was in, I didn't like what I was seeing, but always thought I would wait it out til I got my degree and then I'd be working for the state.

When they had me in my field experience with 1st and 5th graders, what I saw with the kids there was not good.

I decided I wanted to open my own family daycare so that I could have a bigger impact on the kids before it got too late when they were older in school and so that I could offer a daycare that didn't have all the behind the scenes teacher stuff going on.

At the daycares I worked for there was always trying to bend the rules, teachers talking with each other instead of spending their time with the kids, etc. It never seemed like the kids were first, and they were supposed to be.
The kids in the schools seemed to have too many 'issues' that I didn't think I'd be spending much time educating, but instead dealing with their socio-economic issues and trying to get them ready for standardized tests.

I do not have kids of my own so I am not doing it to stay home, and I could have easily gotten a degree in biochemistry, but instead chose teaching, so I am not doing it for the money. I'm doing it for the kids, and will be until I retire.
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Sunchimes 03:31 PM 01-31-2013
I have a 40 year old degree in Home Economics education. My degree is so old that they don't even offer Home Ec Ed degrees any more!

My first job out of high school was in a day care center. I was horrified and lasted a couple of weeks! In college, I volunteered in the University day care, shared a nanny job with a friend, and ran a monthly Mother's day out program.

Turned out I hated teaching high school so I got an elementary endorsement and turned out I didn't like formal teaching. I wanted them to give me a classroom and some kids, then leave me alone, and at the end of the school year, I'd give them some happy, healthy, educated kids. I accidentally got to do that one year and it was the best job ever!! Then we lost funding.

Married and we were self-employed for 30 years. Two and a half years ago, thanks to some political shenanigans (politicians, not us!), we lost our contract which put us out of business. Hubby was retired, and you can't live on social security. He went back to work part time (his health won't let him do much more than that) and I started looking for a job. That's when I learned that being self-employed for 30 years doesn't give you the skills for jobs these days, I don't care how smart your are or how fast you learn. And it's a very small town, so not a lot of choices, and it was 2010 and the economy was awful of course.

For 40 years, day care had always been in the back of my mind as my "just in case" thing. My mom did it when I was a kid in the '60's. Took me 5 months to get my first child, another 4 to get the 2nd and 3rd. I have 2 now with 1 opening.

My dcg is one of the smartest children I have ever run across-besides my granddaughter. (That isn't proud grandma, she really is stunningly smart!) I spend my days trying to fill that curious brain with information and still have tons of fun. I make enough to eat and pay bills. I'd like one more for extra money.
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laundrymom 03:55 PM 01-31-2013
I'm in it for the giggles, hugs & casual Fridays.
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jenn 06:09 PM 01-31-2013
I worked in a center while I went to college.

Then I taught kindergarten in public schools for 9 years.

I opened my daycare in 2006 and had a miracle baby of my own in 2008.

I do daycare because
1. I love working with kids (most the time)
2. Want to be with my daughter (she will begin homeschool in Aug due to health issues, so will still be with me)
3. I need to have income

I will continue until I can no longer physically do it, or until I win the lottery.
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AfterSchoolMom 06:33 PM 01-31-2013
I started out in college pursuing a degree in elementary art education. I ended up with a business degree, and started doing child care when I had my own children. I've never done mixed-age care for any length of time (you all are my heroes), but generally stick with infants or SA's. Now that we have a new baby, I'm in it for at least another five years.
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coolconfidentme 08:27 PM 01-31-2013
I use to be a Quality Assurance Analyst for Chemical Weapons of Mass Destruction. Before that a State Police Officer. Looks funny in print!
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laundrymom 05:01 AM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by coolconfidentme:
I use to be a Quality Assurance Analyst for Chemical Weapons of Mass Destruction. Before that a State Police Officer. Looks funny in print!
Hmmmm. Well that's.... Different. Lol.
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AfterSchoolMom 06:25 AM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by coolconfidentme:
I use to be a Quality Assurance Analyst for Chemical Weapons of Mass Destruction. Before that a State Police Officer. Looks funny in print!
At least they know your background check is spotless!
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momofsix 07:44 AM 02-01-2013
I got my degree in psychology with an ece emphasis waaaaay back in '88. While going to school my roommate and I operated a licensed home daycare together-alternating days.
I went right to work at a center right after graduation and stayed there until our 2nd daughter was born. (our oldest was already in school). From that time on I've always had children in my home. At one point I went into a "partnership" with my sister to do a group home in her house-but after a couple of months we both figured out that we could make more money each being on our own. There was a short period where I had to take a break for family reasons, but I came right back to it
All in all I've been in child care for 26 years! I'll probably do it forever-which sounds great on some days and horrible on others!
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saved4always 02:49 PM 02-01-2013
I was a systems analyst/computer programmer at an insurance company. I started there as a claims processor and worked my way up by learning the skills I needed on the job and through training classes provided at my workplace. I quit when my daughter was born to stay home with her. She was a couple years old when I was approached by a neighbor to watch her child before and after school. From that point, I started doing childcare for more families through word of mouth. So, I just kind of fell into childcare.
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melilley 03:05 PM 02-01-2013
14 years ago I applied at a center and they did a field interview. When I was done I enjoyed it so much that I thought "this is what I want to do for the rest of my life". I even had tears in my eyes..dorky I know..lol Fast forward 12 years my husband and I bought a house and decided to have a baby. I was still working in a center at the time and we decided in order to have a baby I would open my home daycare, care would cost too much and it wouldn't be worth staying at the center. (it was a good center-rare find!) Well I had my son 6 months ago and just opened my in home last week!
I do have a degree in Child Development.
I just started my in home so we will see how it goes, but I plan on doing it until I can retire!
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ashleyh 09:22 PM 02-02-2013
I've taken courses in early childhood education. When much younger I babysat, did volunteer work for local centers. My father was a DHS worker with a teaching degree, my mother almost has her degree (short on teaching hours) and my aunt is a professor. Teaching and working with children just seems to run in our family. Once I had our first child I began working for the daycare we used for him and eventually became the director for it. Being pregnant now put a stop to starting my own so soon but once the baby is born we are hitting the ground running with my own in home daycare
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momofboys 08:14 AM 02-03-2013
I wanted to be here with my kids and not send them to someone else. I have a 4 year BA degree but have decided to not pursue a job in my field yet beccause of my desire to be with my kids. May consider it soon as my youngest will enter K this fall.
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laceylmm 08:41 PM 02-03-2013
At the age of 20 I was working in Walmart and a single mom of twins. I started a job at a center so I could be with my children and still work. The center was okay because I was there with them. I eventually started back to school and earned my degree in ECE. Anyway was at the center for six years. I now have four children of my own. We built our first home last year and I knew that I was going to finally become certified so I could be home with my kids, and make more than the daycare ever paid (me or anyone else that worked there). I have only been open for a month. Looking forward to what this opportunity will bring me.
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