Careers in Child Care
Working with kids...
by Janet Farley
Do you have kids? Or just love kids? If so, a career in the field of childcare may be right for you!
Some military spouses find themselves emotionally torn between wanting a career and wanting to stay home with their children. These spouses, along with anyone who likes children, might find some degree of career satisfaction in the field of child care. Child care workers are found in a number of different environments to include in-home family child care providers, child development centers or school-age care services. Opportunities exist on and off the military installation.
“I have the ideal job,” says family child care provider Cathy Reynolds, who is an Army spouse stationed in Germany with her husband and three small children. “As an FCC provider, I am able to stay at home with my kids plus provide an additional income for my family.”
JOB LOWDOWN
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one in three childcare workers is self-employed. In order to become an in-home provider, individuals are required to successfully complete a rigorous program of study and pass a background check. Specifically, potential providers are required to take classes in CPR (infant, child and adult), child abuse prevention, health and sanitation, business practices, child growth and development, public relations, safety and emergency procedures, first aid and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome awareness.
While there are many pluses to this career path, there are some disadvantages. For instance, your home becomes more than the place you hang your hat. It is also your place of work from early in the morning to late in the afternoon. “My home is always open for inspections and other providers throughout the day not allowing me to have a bad day every now and then,” Reynolds says.
Additionally, the pay an FCC provider receives can vary. “In one week, I can earn a whopping $20 or more than $200. It just depends on the number of children I have that week and what the income level is of the parents,” she says.
In-home care is one option in this highly flexible field; child care centers offer another possibility. “This is a great field for military spouses who travel around,” says Susan Pollock, the child development center director at Patrick’s Air Force Base in Melbourne, Fla.
Pollack, an Air Force wife whose husband is now retired, has worked in the field of child care for more than 20 years. She began working as a provider in a center much like the one she manages now. It was through that first job that she met the man who would later make her a military spouse herself. “You’ve got to love kids to be in this field,” she says.
In addition to liking kids, potential employees must be at least 18 years old and have a minimum of a high school diploma. All candidates for employment must pass a background check and a physical, according to Pollock.