Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Finding a Job

My little fairy tale is trying hard not to come to an end but sooner or later it has to happen. I need to find a job because we just can't survive on my husband's income alone but wow ... is it ever tough to find one in this small town. There just really isn't a lot out there right now and I as Murphy's Law prevails, I have managed to secure child care for the kids, but will have to give up those spots at the end of the month should I not find work. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to find something to do out of my house, administrative wise but at this point, I am starting to seriously consider taking in two children as a means of income.

I look back on that last sentence and it seems so cold but the thought of doing that does kind of excite me. It would allow me to stay at home with my children, it would give my children two other playmates and I could give other parents the security of knowing that their children are being well cared for. Yet, there is that part of me that is scared to take the leap because I know how hard it is to get back into the office atmosphere when you are out of it for a couple of years. I have worked in Human Resources and have seen the quiet shuffle of a short listed resume if that person hasn't been active in the work force. It is sad but true.

And when I start thinking of all sides of my situation (of having to go back to work) and thousands of other families out there in the same predicament, I get kind of irked that society is the way that it is. It irks me too that there is such a low priority placed on the importance of places for our children for working parents. We as working parents, will have to fork over a quarter (at least) of our monthly income for child care, yet that child care person is so grossly under paid for the job that they do. Being a child care provider is such an important job but there just isn't any monetary viability in it either. Hence, why many day home providers are closing their doors: they are burnt out and under paid. And for some, probably under appreciated and feel taken advantage of by continuous tardiness from a parent to pick up their child, which for the most part, the parent was stuck at work with expectations from their superiors. It is all a big vicious circle really.

In the short term, I will continue to savour each day with my children and relentlessly pound the pavement for an office job while doing the necessary steps to open my own day home for two children just waiting to find an exciting and loving home to play in when their parents go to work.

7 comments:

Andrea said...

I hope you can find a job soon!! But I definitely understand what you are saying about the whole child-care thing...I've worked in child-care before, and it is SUCH an important job...but at the same time, very tiring and you are right...lots of people are underpaid too.

Lesley said...

Well on the other side of the coin there's me - a dayhome provider who loves it :o)

I used to work for CBE as a librarian and school aide and decided after having my youngest son to stay at home with the boys. I fell into the dayhome by helping out a cousin and then discovered how much I loved it.

It works for our family - my boys have developed a lot of friendships with the other kids and I've developed a lot of friendships with my dayhome parents as well. Like Jenn and Lucas :o)

I guess the bonus would be that I spend my day with my children and I make more money running my dayhome than I did working full time.

Allie said...

Thanks for your insight Lesley!!

Is it mandated in Alberta with how many children you can have? It is mandated here in BC that I can only have a maximum of two children aside from my own because I don't have a degree in ECD. Not that I would want to have more than two with my kids being younger but still .... the rule kind of chaps my butt but I do understand why it is in place.

Jenn said...

Although I think it takes a certain personality to be really good at working with kids (like Lesley is) I think it's probably a very viable option. I think it would be great because you could really make it work for you. Find kids that are the same age as yours, get car seats and be able to take them to do the fun things you would take your kids to do. Also when I was looking for my dayhome there were ones that only took kids part time, for example not on Fridays. Then you'd still have a day for you and your kids.

But I think you have to be in it because you love kids.

We are so lucky to have Lesley. There are some boys there who are close in age to Lucas and he has learned some much from it.

Good Luck with your job hunt. =)

Jenn

Anonymous said...

This is really hard. You're very right - it's a vicious circle and an area where our culture could use some serious improvement.

I think you need to do what will make you happy. If you get excited about the thought of taking care of more children and that is feasible, don't worry about the later.

Anonymous said...

I took care of another families' children for a while out of our home. It was MUCH harder than I thought.

I hope you find the perfect job for you ASAP!

sari said...

I agree that it does take a special person to be able to provide daycare to others. I quit working when my six year old was born to stay home with my two boys and I tell you, I don't think I could take in other children. It would be tough for me to be tied to the house all day long.

I hope that you can find something (either an office job or some children to watch) so that you don't have the stress of it much longer!! Good luck!