Working with children can be an immensely rewarding career path. However, it’s not for everyone. Certain skills, personality traits and life experiences may indicate you’re well-suited for a job involving kids. If several of the following signs apply to you, a career working with children could allow you to make a real difference in young people’s lives.
Signs You Should Work with Children
- You’re Patient and Calm – Patience is crucial when working with children who can be rambunctious, distracted and prone to emotional outbursts. If you pride yourself on staying calm under pressure and have a high tolerance for chaos, you likely have the even-keeled disposition needed to succeed with kids.
- You’re Creative and Playful – Stimulating children’s imaginations and making learning fun requires creativity. An ideal candidate for working with kids has a playful, inventive side and can come up with engaging games, stories and activities on the fly.
- You’re Good at Explaining Things – Effectively educating and guiding children involves explaining things in simple, relatable ways.
- You’re Responsible and Dependable – Children require reliable role models they can trust. Responsible people who keep their word tend to succeed in working with kids.
- You have lots of energy – Keeping up with busy, tireless children requires ample energy and stamina. If you enjoy staying active and engaging in hands-on activities, you’ll flourish keeping kids stimulated and on the move.
- You’re empathetic – Understanding children’s perspectives and being attuned to their emotions is key. If you’re naturally empathetic, and children open up to you and feel heard, working with kids may come naturally.
- You want to make a difference – Maybe you had mentors who profoundly impacted your young life. Or perhaps you wish to provide children with the guidance and support you lacked. If your dream is to make a difference in kids’ lives, the motivation behind your work will shine through.
The Benefits of Working with Children
Jobs involving children offer many personal and professional rewards. You’ll play a pivotal role in young people’s development and get to witness the magic of children learning, growing and thriving under your care. A tremendous sense of purpose can boost your own well-being. You’ll also build valuable interpersonal skills while having fun and staying young at heart.
Different Roles Working with Children
Various careers allow you to make a difference for children. As a teacher, you’ll inspire students’ intellectual curiosity and guide their education. Social workers support at-risk kids and promote their welfare. Paediatricians care for children’s physical health, while psychologists tend to their mental health. Other roles like counsellors, speech therapists and occupational therapists address specific needs.
While more of a calling than a job, another popular choice is to become a foster carer with a fostering agency like Foster Care Associates. Fostering provides a safe and caring home environment for children who cannot live with their biological families. The rewards of fostering include stability, mentorship, and a sense of family for children facing adversity and upheaval. With patience and compassion, foster carers can help kids heal, thrive, and gain skills to brighten their futures.
Working closely with growing young minds comes with challenges but profoundly meaningful rewards. If the signs above resonate with you, a career educating, mentoring and supporting children could be your true calling.
