Working with Children:
Finding a Fulfilling Career Path
A lot of us end up in careers we’re not suited to. Perhaps we didn’t choose wisely from the outset, or maybe our personalities and interests have changed. Over the years our roles no longer work for who we are. Perhaps money was an original motivator and now you’re looking for a sense of fulfillment. It’s never too late to make a change and working with children can be a very fulfilling career choice.
Medicine
Whether you can survive working with children in medicine will depend on a number of factors. You will of course need to be compassionate while at the same time be able to work without forming too strong of an emotional attachment. There’s also time to consider, it can take almost ten years to get started independently. If time is an issue, and the medical field is truly your calling, a career as a pediatric nurse might be something to consider. One of the benefits to becoming a nurse is that the medical training isn’t quite as long; you could be helping patients and children in a medical setting within a few years. If you’re already an actively practicing nurse but want to specialize in pediatrics, you could join an online neonatal nurse program to take your career in the path that you want.
Teaching
Another great career that involves working with children is Teaching. What’s most appealing about this is that after you gain your first degree you just need one more year of training. Once you have that you’ll be able to work in schools teaching classes. Your first degree can be anything you like, and you’ll still have the qualification you need to work in a class full of children. So, if you’ve done a degree and changed your mind about working in that field, this is a great opportunity to start on a completely new career path. People who are most suitable for this job will know how to connect with kids, interact on their level and still maintain their authority.
Nannying, Home Care
What makes nannying appealing is that you form a bond with one child and family rather than working with many children as in teaching. It’s a huge responsibility. You will be actively and personally involved with providing childcare on a daily basis. In some cases, you may even live full-time with the family. Qualifications involve experience with caring for children as well as a strong desire to work with children. A degree in psychology or experience in tutoring children is helpful as well as appealing to parents – and you’ll stand out over other candidates. Full-time child home care is a challenging and fulfilling career.
