Why are Nannies/ female childcare workers looked down upon? Seriously, this is bugging me and I'm going to lay all my thoughts out here to be dissected.

Currently I am a Nanny. Professional Child Care Taker is the fancy name I've titled myself as. Anywho, I am continuously told how I need to beef up my resume if I am ever going to get a job where children are not involved. Beef my resume up!? Do you have any idea how much work goes into childcare, how much patience and responsibility is required!? I mean, childcare workers are responsible for helping children develop as well as making sure they are safe. How can anyone say that's not a valuable profession!?

Here are my theories. Feel free to debate or comment.

1) Childcare is traditionally "women's work"
Going along with this theory I would just be utilizing my already existant maternal extincts. What's to respect about a woman doing what comes "naturally"? The ugliest thing about this is that it's unspoken. No one comes out and says this is the reason why childcare professions are not well respected in other fields either because they know it's not politically correct or they're not conciously aware that this is why they feel the way they do. I mean, traditionally women have taken care of children. No training required, no background checks are needed to give birth, no certification classes in motherhood. So it goes without saying, women are associated with children. According to society what I do is expected and therefore deserves no special recognition. And because it is expected, how dare I try to gain respect for doing something that is no more than my biological duty despite the fact that these are not my children I'm looking after.

The truth of the matter is that some women would not be good at what I do. There's no cookie cutter woman mold that I'm aware of that states "ALL WOMEN MUST SPAWN AND BE GOOD AT HANDLING CHILDREN". Some women, or people in general, should not be allowed near a child. Doesn't it say something wonderful when a person can love and care for a child, ensuring a positive, happy environment for them? That is not an innate ability, it is a talent, and I would appreciate this talent gaining the respect it deserves.

This also leads into my second point.

2) Childcare professions (Nannies and such) are not well respected because they work with children, and after all, who really listens to what a child has to say?
Our lovely advertising companies have no issue asking for children's opinions on ridiculous things like packaging labels, "cool" songs, and the fizziness of soda which will then be sold to them until they are 45 with 4 triple bi-pass surgeries, but there's no respect in this. Children, the future of our country, of the world, are not respected. Sure, people value their children, but on the whole, it doesn't seem as though the nation does the same. Walk into a Hudson County school. Overcrowded classrooms, outdated materials, burned out teachers marking every day off the calendar just praying for the end of June to get there already. This isn't the only place like that. We don't invest enough in our future generations, then bitch and complain about how much they lack as if it's their fault.Why would people working with children deserve respect if they're working with a group who is not respected?

I have been responsible for taking care of close to 50 children in the past two years and I don't take lightly to that being looked down upon.

Debating whether or not I should apply for the lead teacher position that will be opening up at the preschool I work at. I mean, more dinero and benefits is great, but I have side interests to pursue as well as grad school. Trying to decide if I can really give up my time like that. Besides, I like being able to give a large amount of attention to the children, the teachers don't always have the time to do that because of their other responsibilities.

Anywho, I made some lovely jewelry this past Sunday. Very proud of my first attempts. Only issue was that I forgot to buy clasps. So for now I close them with safety pins.

This is the aged gold Owl Necklace.

And this is the Nest Building Necklace.

Once I get more supplies and set up my own etsy shop I will be selling handmade jewelry and clothing online. Ebay is fun but the charges are ridiculous.

Speaking of which, new stuff is up!

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/missmetanoia_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZ


xoxoxo,

Miss Metanoia