What do you love about your job?

[apples and bananas]

I love that my commute starts in my bedroom and ends at my coffee pot. LOL I feel accomplished when I've transitioned a tough child. I feel empowered when I enforce a policy to a client who's trying to push the line a little. I love down days where I have a few less kids, or those very rare and special times of the year when everyone seems to take vacay at the same time!

I LOVE that I can see my kids on and off the bus in the morning and if they wake up sick... there's no question or panic about who will do my job? Who can I call last minute? How do I get the last report done? I just simply say ... Ok, stay home today.

I love putting out that list of closed dates every 6 months and I love looking at my schedule in the weeks ahead and seeing what challenges I'm up against.

Thanks for starting this thread. It's important to focus on the good sstuff.

[gravy_train]

Oh yeah - forgot to mention that my daycare kid LOVE when I sing - makes me feel like the rock star I was meant to be ;-)!

[gravy_train]

Oh and another thing - when a child is not happy about something it is pretty obvious - they act out, they cry, they tantrum, etc.. I will take this over gossiping, backstabbing co-workers and dealing with office politics any day!

[Daisy123]

I love the precious things that the children do. Just as I finished my post I had a little 4 year old dance past me singing "I knew you were trouble when you walked in..." Lol. That ranks up there as when the other day on the way back from the park we past a sunflower and a dcg said quite seriously "don't go near THAT dandelion!" This is why I do what I do. Tough job for sure but so rewarding! I too feel very lucky to be able to do what I do. Perhaps one day I'll go back to working in a classroom but for now...

[Mamateach]

Thanks for posting this gravy_train! I have always loved children. I was 12 when my youngest sister was born and my parents divorced shortly after. I was always her 'other' parent and realized that caring for others (esp. children) was what I was meant to do with my life. They say things happen for a reason...I believe that. I did my B.A. and B.Ed. and started to teach. I didn't have a full time position when I had my son. It didn't seem to make sense to have to pay full time daycare and not know how many days I would actually get supply teaching. Bills had to be paid so I took a job as a customer service rep. I had my son in a home based daycare and thought things were going well. Long story short, he wasn't being treated well. The day I realized this, he was out and I quit my job. I shortly there after, opened my own home daycare!!! I also now have a 1 year old daughter and I love every second of being home with them. I love having other children come to my home to love and to have love me and my children. I love when I they have learned something new that I know I have been working on with them I love that my work day consists of play, music, good food and parks! I love when parents come at the end of the day and the children run the other way because they're having too much fun to leave. I love that I have a partner who has supported me in this decision, even though it has been financially tough at times due to taking time off to have babies and moving. I wake up everyday feeling blessed.