First things first, working at a daycare is not just a babysitting job. I am not a “babysitter” I am a teacher of the future. The future doctors, lawyers, teachers, and even the future presidents. As a teacher of the younger generation, I walk into my classroom with the mentality that anything is possible. Of course, we play on the playground and I always make sure that they are having a good time.
However, being a daycare worker is so much more. At first, I had the mindset that it was a simple babysitting job like most of you. I went into this career not knowing what to expect, all I knew was that I loved children. People often think that just because kids are two and three years old, that they cannot understand what you are trying to teach them. I was proven wrong and am continued to be proven wrong every time I walk into the classroom. These kids comprehend more than an average person does. They think about every little detail and pay attention more. On the other hand, this job is not for everyone. Teaching younger kids takes passion.
To be a daycare worker, you have to love your job. People think that they just go over the alphabet and then allow them to play and that is all, right? No, that is not all you do as a daycare instructor. You have to educate the kids. In a preschool or a daycare, the teacher is preparing the students for “big school” as the kids call it. Most people do not understand that the kids have to sit at a table and listen to the teacher. When kids see toys in the room, they immediately think that they are there to play. However, the teacher’s job is to give the kids an understanding of the difference between the lessons and play time.
It is also the teacher’s job to get them ready so they can be prepared for what is going to come in the future. The kids may only be two or three but they understand and realize what is required of them. Believe it or not the kids like learning, and they feel a sense of accomplishment when they get something right or learn something new. Saying this, a daycare worker is not your average “babysitter”. They exceed the definition of a babysitter by focusing on the child’s education and also their well-being.
