Benefits of Becoming a Child Care Provider

When children are well cared-for and their parents can pursue work or school, families thrive and communities prosper. Brighter futures begin with partnerships between caregivers and families, enabling both to achieve success.

The benefits of becoming a child care provider vary from person to person. For some, the feeling of helping others in need can be the biggest benefit, while for others it can be the income they earn to support their family. Some other benefits of being a child care provider can include the following.

• The kids! It's the best part of the job. While other people deal with grumpy bosses or co-workers, you get to hang out with kids who are happy to see you, spending your day sharing giant smiles, hugs and kisses. 
• Your job is meaningful. Caring for children is more than just fun, it's truly rewarding. There are so many things to teach: manners, hygiene, letters, colors, how the world works... Each stage of learning brings children another step closer to learning to live independently.
• Being a positive role model. Children look up to those who provide their care on a regular basis. With the amount of time children spend in child care, providers have the opportunity to impact children for the rest of their lives and teach them positive lessons in sharing, playing with others and picking up after themselves. As a child care provider, you play a part in what type of person each child becomes.
• Working in a child care setting allows you to explore your creativity as you come up with activities that engage young children in learning, creating and playing. Days are filled with reading, drawing, painting and games. Essentially, your job requires you to play with young children, and play is an important part of a child's development.
• Days are not routine. No two days are alike; each day presents different challenges and joys.
• The opportunity to learn new skills, both from other child care providers as well as the training and professional development offered through Weld County and our affiliated partners.
• Pride and satisfaction from helping another family be successful by enabling parents to pursue work or school, which helps them achieve self-sufficiency to be better providers for their children.
• Forming close bonds and lasting relationships with the children and families in your care.
• Getting to watch the children in your care grow and develop new skills.
• Having the privilege of guiding children and participating in their quest for knowledge.
• Your job will always be in-demand and will become even more so as our population grows.

Benefits for home child care providers

• The weather. You won't have to shovel and scrape the car on winter days to get to work, and you won't have to drive on slippery and snow-covered roads. Best of all, on those beautiful spring and summer days when everyone else is enviously staring out of the windows at work, you can spend large portions of sunny days outside playing with children.
• No commutes, no getting up early just to get stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, no road construction to deal with and no worries about high gas prices.
• The satisfaction of being your own boss and owning your own business. No more supervisors to deal with, no punching a time clock, no deadlines, no boring jobs, no having your day planned for you. You're in full control of how your program is run. You can choose your hours of operation, the children you want to care for and the activities you will participate in.
• Being able to raise your own children, and being home before and after school and all summer long with them. On days when they're not feeling well, there's no need to miss work or drag them somewhere else. They can recuperate and feel better in their own home and their own bed.
• Saving money on child care costs for your own children. Plus, they'll gain valuable socialization from being around other children.
• Making a living without leaving home. What could be better than being at home and still being able to pay the bills?
• Potential tax benefits and write-offs.

Not everyone is cut out for a career in child care; there are challenges that come with the rewards of caring for little ones and watching them learn and grow. But if you can handle the hard stuff, it's a career that will keep you smiling and satisfied!