Opinion: In My View - What kind of a job this is
Andrew Savva, early years practitioner, London
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
My first day at nursery was a nervous one, but I relaxed as soon as I started interacting with the children. I went home feeling dazed and slowly began to feel I had embarked on something very special. That was almost three years ago.
Childcare is one of the hardest jobs I've had, but certainly the most rewarding and fun. My former job as a freelance artist was not earning me enough money, and I felt detached from reality due to the many late nights working at my computer. I saw the nursery position advertised at the job centre and it seemed an interesting option.
All my male friends say they would never consider working in a nursery. Yet when I ask them if they know what the job entails, they respond with common misconceptions and comments such as, 'The children just do stuff, like painting.' I think this explains why there are so few men working in nurseries - they don't understand what the work involves and don't realise what a good and rewarding job it actually is.
Through working in a nursery, I have seen the effect that an absent father can have on a child and realised the importance of positive male role models in children's lives.
More men need to be encouraged to work in nurseries to guide children and have a positive influence on them. But this will only happen if more people are made aware of this issue through the media. Politicians should also highlight this important work.
Working with children has brought nothing but fun and joy to my life; it's incomparable to anything else. Having a positive effect on a child has made me realise the importance of life. It's such a worthwhile job. I love going to work.
