My First Job

After graduating with a bachelor's degree in child development I took a summer job as a nanny for a couple from a local preschool. That job was awesome...so much fun I can't really count that as my first real job. I mean they were members at a yatch club and I was able to take advantage of that everyday. My tan has never looked that good since!!

My first "real" job came that August at a privately owned child care center. All teachers that work for a state school or private school should start out this way so you can really appreciate the job they have. I was placed in a room with 12 (yes 12) 2 1/2 year olds. All by myself!!! I had no help, no assistant and nobody really ever checked in on me to make sure I was still alive. For all they knew those little munchkins could have eaten me alive. I had never been so tired in my entire life. I went in at 9 a.m and got off work at 6 p.m. Those were the longest days of my life!!! All 12 were in pull-ups. Needless to say those first few weeks I spent changing pull-ups and trying to stay sane.

I eventually got a routine down and managed to actually teach. I made a lifelong friend at that center. A person that I still work with today (at the university). She is older than me but we just kind of got each other although we are so different.

After about a year we were told that we were seeking to become accredited by NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) and things changed in a huge way. My classroom went down to 7 children because that was all that was allowed by NAEYC standards. Life and work became enjoyable again. It was hard but we actually did become accredited. Looking back now I really don't know how because the standards are very difficult to meet. Putting that I worked at an accredited center on my resume improved my chances greatly of finding a better job with better pay (we won't even go into that...it was not pretty). After 2 1/2 years at my first "real" job I applied for a teacher/lab instructor job at the university I graduated from and have been there for the last 8 years. About a year later I recommended my friend for an assistant job and she followed.

Although that first "real" job was almost unbearable to even think about, it did make me a stronger person, teacher and colleague. I appreciate my career, profession and salary more because of it. I feel very lucky to be where I am today but that doesn't mean there aren't hard times and very frustrating situations. My job now comes with many more responsibilities but I am thankful to have them!!!