What was the one experience that completely changed your life? What happened? How did it change your life?

My career over the past 10 years recently changed my life.  For 10 years I was bogged down by 2 different corporate run childcare programs.  One was only for 2 years and the other for almost 8 years.  I was absolutely passionate about what I did- at one time.

Then I woke up and realized that I was part of something that was contradictory to what I truly believe in.  It is true that parents are going to pay money to send their child to an early learning program- they have to work, they don’t have much of a choice.  I was that person they brought their children to everyday.  I was the one who sold them the best program in the industry and told them all about the great perks we had to offer! Almost like selling a house but we are talking about children here people!  I am a teacher at heart, an educator, a passionate person! I am not a business person, nor a sales person, I do not have a finance background and frankly I really suck at plunging toilets.  That doesn’t even begin to sum up what I did everyday! Trust me- that is a blog for another day!

Are daycare/early childhood centers good places- ABSOLUTELY! If you find the right one, they absolutely are amazing places. The company I worked for was great! We truly wanted what was best for children.  The problem was that the state wants the director to be an educator and the company (all of the corporate companies) want the directors to have a business sense; rightfully so, they are running a business.  There needs to be a happy medium and no one has quite figured that out yet.  I figured it out- I couldn’t do it anymore.  

I never had enough time to spend with my teachers, ya know those people that are under appreciated, under paid and that work 50 plus hours a week- including at home! Yup, those ones!  I wanted so badly to be able to spend more time with them, teaching them, coaching them, training them and inspiring them to be the best teachers that they could be. I couldn’t do that though! I didn’t have the time and time is everything in that “world”!

So here I go again.  They do say the 3rd time is a charm, don’t they? For the third time I will attempt- but this time COMPLETE my Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education! I have become inspired to complete the program by focusing on Teaching Adults in the ECE field.  My career for the past 10 years changed my life.  It is allowing me to spend more time with my 3 precious children, finally kick myself in the bum and finish my Masters program and it has given me the courage to do what I truly want to do and that is to train teachers and make the childcare world a better place.  Thank you career- I owe you one!