As a mother to four children, it can be so hard to know what career path to follow. I want to spend time with my children, but I also need time to be ‘me’ as
As a mother to four children, it can be so hard to know what career path to follow. I want to spend time with my children, but I also need time to be ‘me’ as well, and of course I need to earn a living too. One of the things that I never considered until having children, was actually working in childcare. After all, just how flexible can a job in childcare be when you have your own children?
Just a few days ago, I went to work at The Co-operative Childcare in Carterton, where I visited all the rooms and got to see what it was like to work with children on a regular basis. The first thing that stood out to me was how the children were all so close to the staff, they would run up to them, calling them by their first name and engage in conversation and play with them. It made me realise that sometimes at home we don’t get to spend good quality time with our children because we have so many other jobs we need to be doing. It could be cooking dinner, doing the washing or any other everyday task that means we can’t play one on one with our children. But, at the nursery, the staff are there to solely look after the children and their needs.
The food is all made fresh onsite in the kitchen by a chef. The staff help prepare the children for meal times, and there is always one staff member giving the children their full attention, whilst another makes sure the area is clean and safe. I have always used nurseries for my own children, because I love how independent and confident it makes them by having different staff and children around them, so seeing the staff and how they interact with the children when the parents are not present is just lovely. The staff adore the children, with one staff member telling me it’s like having an extended family – they treat them just like they are their own children.
Speaking to the staff, I asked them what their favourite thing was about working in the nursery atmosphere. The answers were varied, but ultimately all came down to the same thing – that it is really rewarding being able to see the children grow. Spending time with children can be so enjoyable, setting up an activity and watching it ignite their imaginations and following their leads, seeing their personalities develop is really lovely and the staff genuinely love their jobs and the children that they look after. The staff are so caring, kind hearted and get to go home knowing that they have done something amazing, not just for the child they have cared for, but for the parent who has to leave their child too.
I was pleased to learn that a career in childcare is more than just caring for the children on a daily basis. There are so many opportunities to progress within the sector, with The Co-operative Childcare helping the staff develop through training and even helping them with college courses and obtaining childcare diplomas that will be valuable for life.
It also struck me that The Co-operative Childcare really help their staff, as they offer a 30% discount to the staff for their own childcare, which is a massive help and I am yet to hear of another company that offers that perk. The staff really appreciate this benefit too, and said that it’s really helpful for them to be able to work and know their children are being well looked after too. Finding a flexible employer is really important, and The Co-operative Childcare knows that parents need some flexibility. As a result, there are staff doing many different hours to suit their own personal circumstances.
So, do I think a career in childcare is worth it? Totally. My time spent in the nursery was heart-warming, seeing the children being looked after so well has certainly made me contemplate a career there too! It is definitely something I would love to consider in the future. The Co-operative Childcare seem like a great company to work for, and I thank them for letting me join the team for the day.
You can find out more about a career at The Co-operative Childcare and apply online at: www.thecooperativechildcare.coop/careers
