Teachers and childcare workers aren’t paid enough for the incredible work they do. Many days these caregivers see children more than the parents see them. Why aren’t we, as a society, paying them more and giving them more thanks?
A recent report found the “median pay for child care workers is $10.31 per hour — 39.3 percent less than the median wage of $17 an hour earned by workers in other sectors.” I know a director of a childcare center who works two jobs just to support herself and her son. Why aren’t we more outraged about this? Childcare workers welcome children first thing in the morning. They feed them breakfast and lunch, change their diapers, comfort them, read to them, rock them to sleep, keep them safe while they play, and so much more. We can do better for them. Sure we hear stories about instances of neglect, but maybe if we paid these childcare workers more money, we’d be able to screen better and attract a higher caliber of workers.
Teachers deserve much more as well. They spend anywhere from 8 to 12 hours a day at school. They prepare lessons, build classrooms, fill out massive amounts of paperwork, and more all while teaching and caring for our kids. Because students spend so much time with their teachers in elementary school they build relationships and trust in their teachers. Students confide in their teachers and create lasting relationships with them. Middle and high school teachers not only teach, but become mentors and confidants. We may not be able to change everything, but we can give them our support.
Teachers, stay strong and don’t feel defeated. We’ve almost reached winter break and that means we are halfway through the year. Thank you for hosting parties for our children and putting up with their bad days. Thank you for tying their shoes and reminding them to bring their lunch box home. I know my kids aren’t always easy to deal with, but you do it and somehow manage to teach them something, five days a week. Thank you for your dedication and hard work.
Childcare workers, thank you for loving our babies. Thank you for singing sweetly to them and reading them books. Thank you for holding their hand and cheering for them on the playground. Thank you for calming them when they cry. I know you have other kids who demand your attention, but you genuinely care for all of them in your special way. Thank you for teaching them to feed themselves and helping them pretend to be super heroes. You are more than just a babysitter, you’re a caregiver and I’m thankful for you.
Parents, make sure you let these people, who are a large part of your child’s life, know they are special and that you are thankful for what they do every single day.
