7 Things I Have Learned As A Child-Care Provider | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

7 Things I Have Learned As A Child-Care Provider

Because #1's and #2's are my life

34
7 Things I Have Learned As A Child-Care Provider
Acid Cow

Oh toddlers, babies and children. The countless crying and screaming sessions. The numerous diapers I have had to change. I hope, with all of my heart, that my fellow daycare workers out there relate to this list.

1. Scoping the room for possible poopy diapers has become a way of life for me. I will find the diaper and it will be changed ASAP.

Ever since I began working in a child care facility, I feel like my spidey-sense, (aka my poopy-diaper-sense) tingles every time I catch a whiff of something horrid. It is my responsibility to make sure when their parent arrives, they have not been walking around with a number two coming out the sides of their onesies. Gross.

2. I am used to coming home after a long day at work with questionable stains on my shirt.

From holding drooling babies to snotty-nosed cries on my shoulder, I have learned to just let it be. Not once have I came home from work without a white crust on my shoulder. I could have gotten to the tissues sooner, but when you're hawk-eyeing the room full of toddlers with a snotty baby in your hand, sometimes you just don't have the time. I need to invest in some stain-proof clothing.


3. Becoming friends with coworkers is KEY.

You need a shift covered? BAM, your new friend/coworker will gladly take it. I think getting along with your coworkers is incredibly important step in creating a bonded-work environment. A parent does not want to drop their kid off in a hostile work environment. Now, lets get in a circle and sing Kumbaya.


4. Listen to the parents.

I have endured countless helicopter parents in my time working in childcare. If a parent lets you know that they have trouble getting along with other kids, you don't place that child in the mix of toddlers fighting over trains. Along with that, it is important to make sure you are clear on what the child is allergic to, nap patterns, feeding patterns, etc. Our mission is to provide the best service for the kids and parents possible. No, the moms dropping off their child are not crazy, they just want the safest experience for their child.



5. Sanitize everything

I will never forget my first week of working in child watch, it was incredibly hectic. But of course, I ended up with a cold after my last shift of the week. Keeping my health up is so incredibly important while working around kids. And we all know kids are the best at stirring up germs. Hand Sanitizer, aka "Magic Soap," has become my best friend. And making sure every toy, table, seat and chair is clean by the end of the day is crucial to maintaining a safe environment not only for the kids, but for the staff.


6. TFW a parent loves you

When you've been working in childcare for a while, you start to bond with the parents of the kids you are watching. I have fallen in love with almost every baby/toddler/kid I have watched. I think that it shows when I get a little depressed when their parents come to get them. The best feeling in the world, however, is when a parent tells you that their child constantly talks about you once they leave. Making an impact on these little ones is my favorite thing in the absolute world.


7. You wouldn't choose any other job.

Being an early childhood education major, I have grown to love kids. Being surrounded with them everyday, however, is something that has made me grow as a person. I love the kids, the parents and the amazing coworkers I get to have fun with every single day. I would take endless poopy diapers over a desk job any day.

Attribution for Gifs: Giphy.com

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

Yoga love

A long over due thank you note to my greatest passion.

26775
A person in a yoga pose surrounded by a supportive community of fellow yogis with a look of peace and gratitude on their face the image should convey the sense of strength mindfulness and appreciation that the writer feels towards yoga
StableDiffusion

Dearest Yoga,

You deserve a great thank you.

Keep Reading...Show less
Arts Entertainment

Epic Creation Myths: Norse Origins Unveiled

What happened in the beginning, and how the heavens were set in motion.

8056
The Norse Creation Myth

Now, I have the everlasting joy of explaining the Norse creation myth. To be honest, it can be a bit kooky, so talking about it is always fun. The entire cosmos is included in this creation myth, not just the earth but the sun and the moon as well. This will be a short retelling, a summary of the creation myth, somewhat like I did with Hermod's ride to Hel.

Keep Reading...Show less
Old school ghetto blaster sat on the floor
8tracks radio

We all scroll through the radio stations in the car every once in a while, whether its because we lost signal to our favorite one or we are just bored with the same ol' songs every day. You know when you're going through and you hear a song where you're just like "I forgot this existed!" and before you know it, you're singing every word? Yeah, me too. Like, 95% of the time. If you're like me and LOVE some good throwback music, here's a list of songs from every genre that have gotten lost in time, but never truly forgotten.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

27 Hidden Joys

Appreciation for some of life's most discredited pleasures.

37503
Best Things in Life

Life is full of many wonderful pleasures that many of us, like myself, often forget about. And it's important to recognize that even on bad days, good things still happen. Focusing on these positive aspects of our day-to-day lives can really change a person's perspective. So in thinking about the little things that make so many of us happy, I've here's a list of some of the best things that often go unrecognized and deserve more appreciation:

Keep Reading...Show less
beer on the beach

Summer is hot and humid, and it's almost like summer was made specifically to drink the refreshing, cold, crisp wonderful, delicious, nutritious nectar of the gods. Which is none other than beer; wonderful cold beer. With summer playing peek-a-boo around the corner while we finish up this semester, it's time to discuss the only important part of summer. And if you haven't already guessed, it's beer. There are few things I take more seriously than my beer, in order are: sports... and beer. Here are my favorite summer brews:

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments