Just A Babysitter

After a couple of recent conversations, I decided to put down a few thoughts.  Maybe this should be titled “Things I Shouldn’t Blog about #2”.

I never thought I’d be “babysitting”. That’s not what I call it, but some people do. I don’t care either, if that’s what you want to call it {really riles some providers up but not me} but what I do is certainly more than that.  I won’t bother to say more, I know I go above and beyond that title.  When I was younger, I actually said “I will not be a babysitter” or work in child care. Yes, I did plenty of it to know if that’s not what I wanted to do for a job! Nope, didn’t think I’d end up here.

That said, I don’t under value what I do. I do think it’s an important work and that I’m good at it. Really, it’s mostly about being caring, creative and putting hard work – things that come fairly natural to me. Other parts I’ve learned – professionalism, early childhood philosophies and concepts. I don’t think less of myself because I’m not working at a “better” job.  I’m not here today because I’ve failed at everything else.  Actually, I think everything else I’ve done has prepared me for where I am today.  I own my own business. I help families. I touch little lives. I get to do creative things. I’m my own boss (which really stinks sometimes). I’m home when my child needs me. I get to be home everyday. I like it!

I have an Associate degree in Interior Design and about 20 credits of ECE but nope, not a 4 year degree.  Sure, I could have gone to college for a 4 year degree, and sometimes think it would have been “fun” or a good experience, but I really don’t think it would have affected my actual work history unless I moved out of the area, maybe even the state.  Oh yeah, I did that too. Any of the jobs I have done could have been done without a degree. Of course any education is better than none and supports what you do but did I *need* it? Probably not.  I’ve always made a decent income so it’s not about that.

I don’t think college is a waste of time at all. I just didn’t feel I would make it through 4 more years of school. I wanted to go live – get married, work.  I value education and I’d like to finish my ECE degree but it’s not going to benefit me at this point. Sure, I would attain a higher level on The Registry and I’d learn a lot, but time is so limited and classes are so expensive. It wouldn’t provide any monetary benefit once I do complete it, it’s not worthwhile at this point in my life. 

The word “dumb” actually came up. Seriously?  No, I wasn’t too dumb to do a different job. I wasn’t interested in a different job. It wasn’t my primary focus to get 4.0 {I was an A/B student} in high school and I decided {yes I had a choice} not to go to 4 years of college, but I’m far from dumb.  Maybe I should have been more concerned about perfect grades, but honestly, I was bored. Couldn’t wait to be done. So much of it seemed like a waste of time and some of the kids so immature. 

I do wish I could still continue in the interior design field, but it’s basically sales. That doesn’t scare me but I’m done working nights and every weekend. It’s not like I’m doing child care because I can’t get a job in interior design. Although around here, options are limited. I still have my degree, work experience and success in the field. I did that.  I worked selling window treatments  doing shop at home sales – which I loved – sold furniture and then worked at a higher end store selling furniture and designing rooms. It was fun! Great fun.  And high stress. Think about – working with a bunch of women on commission? Nightmare!

Someday I hope to go back to it but for now I’m doing what’s best for my family and that’s to be at home.  Really, I’m not sure what I want to do in the future. I don’t expect to provide child care for the rest of my working years because it’s so much work and it’s easy to get burned out. I’d really like my house back one of these days! While I don’t know that I want to do child care “forever”, I can’t imagine working out of the house or for someone else any more! For now I’m happy. I don’t have any regrets.  I don’t need anyone to say how great I am at my job, etc, just needed to write down a few of these things.