Could it be because they are mainly women?

Paid by taxes, and ELCs require a lot of cost to operate I'd imagine. It's a shame, they're one of many professions that deserve more than what is deemed right by society.

It's same here in the UK unfortunately 😞😞😞😞😞😞😞

they lie to you when they said that can be a career not really (I found a recently that my co-workers make less than me); and that co-worker have extra responsibility sometimes because she take the responsibily of a director ( I was shoked). This is happening in USA. I myself I am considering a major change in my University because right now I am working toward a Bachelor Degree in Human Development and Child Service, but I had come to realize that I am not going to be making enough money working with Children.

Meanwhile politicians and celebrities are being paid millions - they don't need that much money.

So true!

yes!!!

@Valerie Daryl a diploma in early childhood education which then you are required to register with the college of early childhood educators ($160/year), plus first aid and cpr level c, and we are required by the college of early childhood educators to complete professional development as well.

@Valerie Daryl If you are a lead teacher you are required to have at least and AA degree. If you work for a federal or state program you need a Bachelors degree, plus 21 hours per school year of professional development. So, it's no zero training.

@Valerie Daryl As a Director I am required to have a BA and adult management classes along with professional development corsesses. All Educators are mandated reporters which needs to be renewed every two years along with our CPR, preventive health and safety, nutrition and lead poisoning, also handling of hazardous materials. We are being regulated by licensing and the department of Education. The point is we can make more income in different fields with less energy on our part.

That is truly awful and heartbreaking. I'm sorry to hear this. I hope Provincial governments will wake up. ECE are so critical to this country and the new generations.

I just got into ECE but what did you escape to?

P⁰9

our society has developed an odd way about us, where the jobs with the most work and the most to deal with get paid the lowest wages. Manager's/Supervisors don't do their jobs, they relay it onto the staff below them, I've worked a lot of jobs over my life so far, a lot of entry level, and I have seen how the responsibility is left to the bottom rung staff members...Even issues I know Managers should deal with, as I've also Managed many places.

Just be glad you live in a country where you can quit if you don’t like your job…most people on this planet do not have the freedom you do…

I am going to be in this 7 years now, but really considering becoming a nanny instead

I totally agree! When I first started in this field we were seen as glorified babysitters. That was 43 years ago. It feels to me that not much has changed. Science has since proven the importance of these early years and licensing bodies have significantly increased the regulations required for "quality early learning", instituted inclusive childcare, yet the lack of financial support and resources leave ECEs burnt out. This breaks my heart!!!

Im a current headstart pre-k teacher myself. I agree and feel the same. We are such an important role in a childs development and unfortunately underpaid.

@Valerie Daryl where did she say she thought we deserved to be paid as much as teachers? We are asking to be paid enough to support ourselves: the absolute bare minimum

Same thing happened to me when I was in my 20's. I was initially asked did I have a husband to take care of my bills because the pay was that low! I believe becoming a fully certified Teacher is the way to obtain a livable wage. All my friends who valued security within their profession became nurses btw. Education is not for everyone just like any field.

Once it was time for me to live on my own I realized I couldn’t keep working in child care centers so I decided to become a nanny and I make significantly more than I did previously. If you still want to work with kids that might be an option worth pursuing.

The only way I have seen people move up is to return to school and aim to be an OCT. If that is not a choice for you, do anything that you think you will be treated better. Everyone I know says the trades always makes a really good living however many people do not seem to want to do them for they lack the sexiness appeal or the glamour. If I had a college aged kid who was studying ECE, I would ask them if the pay was not good enough to support themselves and move out on their own, what is the reason? I think it is sort of based on how money gets divided up in the school system. But that is just a guess. But regardless of what you say, OCT certified teachers do not refer to you as a Teacher. You should really recognize why. Teachers are paid based on different skill sets. For example, it took me about 8 years of training to identify a student who is ADHD, Slow processing disorder, language impairment or physical impairment. I took about 50K worth of coursework in Educational Psychology, Literacy Methods, Assessment coursework , Special Education training and more. So really, you need to see things in the big picture. I wish everyone like you a lot of luck and always go for what you feel is right and you deserve. No matter what you earn, no one should take you for granted either!

I have to agree. I worked in a government run daycare back in the late 80's. There were so many kids. Many of them from low income families that lived at home in terrible conditions, including abuse and neglect. And we had our hands tied as to what we could do about it. I made it a year before I could no longer stand it and I moved on to private care for children. Something new in Canada. Live-out Nannies. I loved that and raised many children in their own homes for over 30 years, including my own two kids born when I was in my 30's. After that I ran a private dayhome so I could be home with my own kids. I did that until my kids were around 11 or 12 and didn't want a dayhome anymore. So I went to work in an office. Worst mistake of my life. If I could go back, I would have kept the dayhome and worked something else out for my kids so they would not feel like it was interfering with them (it actually never did because my dayhome was in the basement and my kids rooms upstairs and they didn't have to be with the dayhome kids. But they liked to hang out with the older kids their age. It was a wonderful set up. Anyway, our childcare systems across our country need more support, as to our schools. For those kids that need extra care. And to realize when kids just are not going to be able to integrate and need their own school, or at least a classroom. And better trained teachers and better paid 'helpers' that are really 'specialists'.

In BC, ECE's are getting a much better hourly wage than 12 years ago --- Currently, I've seen ECE's being paid between $18 - $30/hour. $30 for an ECE Senior ED or Manager. We have top-ups ($4). 12 years ago, it was terrible. Only $15-$16/hour on top of dealing with a host of other difficult factors (Emotional, physical and often getting sick because of children's immune systems).

I hear you Jessica! As a director I see this every single day. Parents are afraid to set boundaries and we see this daily in their child's behavior. They expect instant gratification. I cannot tell you how many times parents pop in to view the cameras and then call me to say that I need to go tell one of my very busy educators to put their child's hat or mitts back on, (probably for the 20th time).

ECE is not an easy job whatsoever. And that’s what I was telling my sister as well. And I told her, if you want to work in the ECE field, you have to make sure what you’re getting yourself into. I’ve worked in the ECE field for 5+years. I enjoyed watching the kids learn and grow to become well rounded individuals. As a teacher, it’s such an underpaid (low pay job) for all the amount of work I have to do, and other educators as well. Also, teachers are not being appreciated enough for all the hard work they do with the kids. I have a BS degree, I don’t have my CDA or teacher certification. I was going to attend college for my masters degree in early childhood education, to make an impact in the lives of young children. Early childhood education is way more than changing diapers, ect. It’s about teaching children to learn how to interact with others, explore the world, and understand and express their own emotions.

😢😭

No doubt. Like the Indian Residential School system with many abusers assaulting kids? Predators would be drawn to it. Overlooking the low pay for the victims available.

Women get away with casual child abuse daily. I've worked in a Child Development Center as well

@@dmwanderer9454 I know how it happens, I’ve seen it firsthand. A colleague who was obviously very disappointed that she wasn’t able to climb the corporate ladder within our daycare. She became incredibly insecure and would kind of take her bitterness out on the kids whenever we’d be in stressful situations. Like not interrupting when two toddlers would literally fight, only when she’d ‘observed’ enough she would come between them. Or one time she spit water on a 1,5 year old as a ‘joke’ and quickly wiped it off of him. Now when she finally did get promoted to assistant manager, it only became worse with her new ‘power’. She would blatantly order the kids around in a rude way or make weird remarks about the parents and be passive aggressive towards the interns. It was awful. The pay was so little for the amount of work pressure and ungrateful parents, this is why we rarely had workers older than 40 because nobody can keep such a stressful job where there seems to always be a shortage of workers. God I loved the kids, I would do anything for them but it’s hard when you’re left unappreciated and looked down upon, you start to quickly long for a better paid job that isn’t so physically intensive (because physical pains since you’re carrying babies and taking care of toddlers wasn’t uncommon).

👏👏👏 I've seen so much in ECE... one of the most horrific a girl with ASD crying on the playground and a teacher taking full buckets of cold water and throwing it at her. . if I told the parent it would be my word against the schools and I knew they would make any excuse for this horrible teacher that was there for years.... it 👏 is 👏 so 👏 sad👏 what happens in child care facilities.

I can't understand how a parent will drop their child off to someone to care for and educate them and have no respect for that person. If the service was not provided they could not go to work and these parents don't have the patience for their children.

@@tocazuri4628 honestly it's sometimes awful the way parents/carers are just not polite to us. One time this nan was picking up their grandchild and was very friendly towards the teachers I come out with the child and the nan snaps at me (no hello) and asks where's their hat 😡😡. Parents/carers sometimes really look down on us Teachers assistants and we're respected even less than the teacher

Hi Kristi, you mentioned you get sick a lot, i was told that I'll get sick only for the first year of work is that true, I keep having the pink eye and cold from children and I just started for a couple of months

@Bibisha Bouayad Hi Bibisha, I was also told you only get sick the first year or two and then you get adjusted to the germs. From my experience... I do feel the beginning is the worst for getting sick and you build a tolerance. But I still get sick and I've been working with kids for 5 years now. Germs just spread like wildfire in childcare settings. Are you following hand washing protocol and sanitizing? We always use bleach water to clean every surface. I hope you start to feel better❤

@@LiftedMoonLight thank you dear Kristi, I'm following the cleaning protocols, I m thinking to start wearing the face shield that hopefully will prevent me from getting the pink eye from children when they are sneezing, I love working with children they are a lot of fun, I'm also pursuing an ECE degree, I hope I get better soon, thank you again ☺

I highly suggest that you open your own dayhome, with few children. In canada you can do it privately. I did for 7 years and it was way better than daycare. Before I opened my dayhome, I moved from daycare to private in-home care. Not live in. Just go for the day for one family and go home at night. Like a live-out nanny. Some other's worked for 2 families at a time. But it worked. After staying home with my own kids for a few years, I moved to private dayhome in my own home when my kids were about to start school. Best thing I ever did. I have many fond memories of giving kids a proper care experience and the parents were happy to pay. I didn't take any subsidized kids because I was private. There are other options to taking care of children if that's what you love. Maybe try a different way.

It's a man's world that's what

Yes, it's the system which is wrong, because it requires childcare workers to have a college degree while what most parents need is a babysitter to watch their kids while they are at work. Most parents can't afford a nanny or a private babysitter but they still need to go to work, so they put their kids in childcare which theoretically is able to drive the cost down because one childcare worker will watch several kids at the same time. The childcare worker doesn't need to have high qualifications like a teacher because the kids are still very young. By the age of 4, the kids will start their formal education (kindergarten) and they don't need to be in childcare anymore (except for after school program where the parents mostly work until 5 or 6 pm). To qualify for this kind of job, one needs only some basic training, unless he/she specializes in taking care of special need kids. The system which requires unnecessary degree to be a childcare worker has caused overqualification and underappreciation in the field.

@@fluffyblanket1398 well still the garbage man with far much less qualifications than a childcare worker earns more.... And you are wrong to think a childcare worker doesn't need to be qualified. They actually do need a high level of qualifications in order to "know what they are doing" those precious early years are essential for children's development.

@Chiye Nyumba Picking up garbage is disgusting and embarrassing for most people. If garbage men are not paid well, nobody will pick up our garbage. While a pay increase for childcare workers will quickly lead to diminishing returns. Because the more parents pay for the childcare, the more they will think "Why should I go to work if all the money I make I spend on childcare? I better stay home and take care my own child." And in this situation, everybody will lose out, because parents can't earn money and childcare gets no money. I myself am a mother, so I know taking care of children is often difficult and demanding, but it doesn't mean one needs a degree or formal education (except if he/she wants to work in a specialization, like becoming a therapist for children). I only received a little training at the beginning of motherhood, after that I can do everything myself.

@@fluffyblanket1398 you as a mother taking care of "your own" child is different to someone doing it for a job.... Hence the need for qualifications. At the end of the day the childcare worker buys in same shops and pays same bills as the working parent, the garbage collection man. Iff we worked we looked at it as "embrassing" would you say a job that involves taking care of people's toileting needs is "embrassing" such as care work... But still carers earn less than our example here if garbage collecting guys. If a parent is in a job that they can quit look after theitmr child then perhaps the better because young children fair well in the care of their own parents. However, that doesn't mean child care workers won't have jobs because they will always be families that can afford. Childcare work is a huge responsibility as a job.

If this is in Ontario, right now Doug Ford is claiming he wants to bring in immigrants to take all the jobs so they can get paid almost nothing. This is the value in unions- to strike for fair wages and working conditions.

And parents would be hard pressed to pay the fees it's a vicious circle.... And the proprietor needs to make profits

@@chiyenyumba7135 There needs to be an accord. Parents should expect a pretty big fee for good, critical service (unless childcare is considered pointless, like flipping burgers). If it is to be a public system, fine, but pay the workers in that industry- anyone who cares for young children - fairly per hour for their time and skillset. The ECEs are paid little more than McDonald's workers, and that is wrong. Also, any stay at home parent would also fall into that childcare sector, with some caveats, for the same work during the workday (perhaps greater pay for greater qualifications - I.e. a stay at home parent with teaching or ECE skills is paid more per workday hour of work than one with no relevant skills for childcare). That makes a lot more childcare spots available in home and center settings, rewards all childcare workers fairly, and offers flexibility. Of course more funding for centre's may be justified to help handle overhead costs that are not perxse incurred by non-centre childcare workers.

Wow! I’m homeschooling for this reason. Public education wasn’t great, too much overcrowding and bullying

@@bodnarova05 I could never homeschool. I could never be that organized. Plus I had a child with Tourette’s who apparently, according to his Psychiatrist ( meds for OCD and ADD. ) needed to go to school for social reasons. My kids went to Catholic school, French immersion for some. Between helping then with homework, in French and English and getting them ready for the Sacraments ( parent’s job - not the schools ) plus fitting in sports, dance, etc, I would never have kept up. I had enough trouble trying to teach them piano, lol But we did extra curricular things ( mostly free stuff like my Dad had done for all his nine kids ). I wanted them to appreciate music, the arts and anything else that was free. They had very full and interesting childhoods. I grew up pretty poor, but my siblings and I managed to come out very well educated. It was the atmosphere in our house - the library was our second home. It’s not the house you live in or the area you come from. It’s from what goes on in the family. Many of our neighborhood friends came from alcoholic homes. We knew we were blessed. We wished they could live with us, but that doesn’t happen. 😕

@@pjsmith4369 check the stats, homeschooled kids do very well. The psychiatrist lied to you. I’d never medicate my kid either

@@bodnarova05 Well, you do what you feel is right. Do you have a child with Tourette’s Syndrome? How many psychiatrists have you dealt with on your child’s behalf? We have had a number, for different reasons. Dropped by one, turned 18 and could no longer go to the clinic, found one at the University. Then was referred to the worst psychiatrist that I have ever encountered. He should have been struck off - we reported him, but he lied about everything. My son is 33 and is still on medication for OCD and ADD. Doing very well. Medication did not affect his growth - 6”1’. Many people from my Church were homeschooling. It was a clique. I had to have my son in homeschooling for 3 months while we were changing schools. It was very depressing. No one would include him at their “ fun “ meeting times. A terrible time for us both. And I had 3 other children to deal with - 2 were exhausting. Do you think you can homeschool a Math genius? How about an alcoholic daughter who rarely goes to school and no law can force her? So I guess we’ll agree to disagree. BTW, my 8 siblings and I all went to school. Between 9 kids and taking care of our Grandpa who was an invalid and with whom we lived, I doubt my Mom could have even considered such a thing. Cloth diapers only; think 1950 and 1960’s.

@@bodnarova05 Tourette’s Syndrome with OCD, ADD and Anxiety disorder is probably not in your world and I doubt you have any idea what is involved. BTW, did you homeschool them for high school? Physics, chemistry, math, calculus, LA, French, etc.? All the matriculation courses?

Salalikoum sister, I just started this job a couple of months ago and I can't stop getting sick (the pink eye and the cold), from your experience do you know if that will get better after a period of time

So wrong!

I fully acknowledge that my son is with his ECEs more than he is with us. I'm so sorry that many other parents don't get that. It takes a village, ECEs are my village. I'm so grateful for everything they give him, every moment they spend with him. Without ECEs, he'd be light years behind, because I as a 40 year old working Mother simply cannot do more. I give gift cards and lunches to my ECEs, I always listen and take everything said very seriously. I never attack or accuse his teachers. Is there anything else I can do to support you?

I agree 100% when we do SO MUCH for these kids. my whole life changed dramatically... no money, to exhausted and poor for a social life, no benefits, no health care and kids coming in sick, a handful of vacation days... sometimes I see the kids eating lunch and want to cry because I can't even afford to eat lunch.... it needs to stop.

You nailed it hard. Why would parents, governments and the society at large, impoverish and insult those who stake it all, to care for the children, whom they claim to love so much. ? ? ?

Unfortunately our society is based on money and success is you making most money. Sad, sick.

Japan is a horrible example of how to run society

France too. There s a shortage. They pay people a little bit above minimum wage ,you need a degree and certifications. They want you to speak English and don't pay you enough. I make more in factories with a better work environment. I can take my breaks, it's safe. We have bonuses when we are more productive. They need to stop treating women like crap. We deserve a living wage.

Oo dear it is all true I am really ready to leave my career I love ! I have been hit bit kicked been accused of hurting a child and not to mention how rude and mean some parents can be.The parents have thrown things at me called my boss about stuff they should have known if they read the handbook! I could go on but I won't ! Good night

@@esthervarney4011 I’ve recently got a new job in healthcare so hopefully I’ll never have to work in the childcare industry ever again. I’m nervous about the career change but excited too.

It's a man's world..... sadly we are not valued

Historically, early childhood educators have been undervalued and underpaid. They are mostly women...

@@jasmine6975 that's the same in care homes for elderly.... Women's work always undervalued

@Chiye Nyumba I'm sure you are absolutely spot on. What a crying shame.

I live in Melbourne, I used to be a ECE worker, and used to earn 24$/h. Used to work so much that I burned out. Was crying almost everyday out of stress. I decided to quit. Now I work as a babysitter and earn 35$/h. Flexible hours. The parents are lovely and understandable if I can't go. Best decision of my life. It's a shame though, I loved my work, but living like that was humiliating.

In the USA is exactly the same thing. A McDonald's employee makes $17.00 per hour flipping burgers or making french fries, but an ECE teacher's assistant or sometimes even the lead teacher start at $14 or $15 per hour. And the parents see you as their personal baby sitter or maid. The administrators don't care whether teachers have the appropriate materials to teacher. Many times we have to spend our some of our small pay check to buy supplies. So, my advice to young people is to never get into Early Childhood Education or they'll starve.

@@Mar-lz5xn I’m a lead ECE of a Montessori twos class. I have a BA in Social Science with an Education Concentration and a MA in Early Childhood Education leadership. I only make $12.75/hr. It’s terrible how little they pay us.

ssjup81 where to you live? That is a horrible wage. I live in Canada and it’s not great but I made 12.75 an hour 25 to 30 yrs ago. As a Montessori teacher here you would be in the $25 plus per hour. It really interests me how ECE are treated in other parts of the world.

@@jodibirdsall3139 Central Virginia in the US. There was another job I could’ve taken at about $18/hr but it was an assistant teaching job, no benefits and no guaranteed hours. Military base position.

People aren’t thinking before shelling out the money and going into debt. Going into trades is smarter nowadays

@@bodnarova05 Yes, but then what about the children who will miss out because of a shortage of ECEs? The government needs to think and value the profession so that people will not have to leave it.

@@NeverEnough1 hopefully more mothers and fathers will be able to educate their own children then, and start coop groups. Children learn best from their parents and grandparents. Maybe more daycares will be available

@@NeverEnough1 who fault is that. Not their

@@bodnarova05 Honestly, how exactly is that supposed to happen and on what money? Do you know how much the work force would be impacted by a mass exodus of working parents? Parents are doctors, nurses, teachers, ECEs, cashier's, lawyers, scientists, construction workers, law enforcement, principals, therapists, engineers, chefs, servers, flight attendants, psws. Every service that you need and benefit from, parents work there. Who is going to give them money to stay home and educate their kids and still be able to keep a roof over their heads? The government? The government does not even want to pay the people who are in the workforce educating the children now.

Agreed. The Government needs to pay educators more OR start assistance program for a parent to stay at home to live comfortably until the child is school age if they can't provide proper educators. I feel like everyday our society gets worse I think we will all rebel at once one day and hold the Government accountable.

My school district is starting to accept people with just a high school diploma (minimum used to be a Bachelor's degree) because of how few people are willing to teach. And I definetly had my fair run in with terrible teachers, and witnessed all of the good teachers either change to schools with better pay or just flat out quit. It's horrible how undervalued educators are here in the U.S., and apparently in Canada too.

That is exactly what is happening already. I had applied as a receptionist at a preschool but was offered a position as an assistant teacher and absolutely loved the time I spent with the infants in my care. I also had seen the burnout from staff who had been there longer (only three people with over 3+ years there) and could not believe how little the directors cared about the staff. I had to leave the environment as the state set ratios are very large and wasn’t receiving help when asking questions.

I agree, then next parents will become stress because classrooms may have to be combined or closed in order to run the centers.

Oh it begun in the pandemic Every daycare I've seen here is run by random people. There's no structure, just getting by. The good people get pushed to the brink on hours

Are they forced against their will? Don't take the job & complain. Either do the job or don't. -Probably an unpopular opinion, but if no one takes the job change will happen.

@@chutch332 lol…so if no one takes the job what will happen?

Supply & demand. They will pay more to attract talent.

I hope that was not in Canada.

Wow! As a teacher, we love it when parents appreciate us. Even a simple “thank you” will make our day!

Same here unfortunately😢

Don’t do it, the poverty isn’t worth it … you will never get financially ahead . I’m in it for 10 years and still grossly underpaid. If I were to do it again , I would go into a more lucrative career and work with young children through volunteer like a church Sunday school or something, but not as my main source of income .

Really think about it. Its draining, just being honest

As someone who studied it and left it don't do ece not worth it. All my classmates left ECE no money.

even the textbooks tell you that it's underpaid and undervalued work, so it is only worth it if you have a passion. i'm lucky that i have a supportive partner who will let me work part time, as that is as much as i can handle with 12 toddlers at a time, while i study for a degree in another field where i will be truly valued for the effort and hard work i put in.

Truth!

In what city are you parents ECEs?

@@mahadohussein4618 New Zealand

@@Nancy-pt7hi if its non profit who will finance/fund them

It's better to start your own centre

@@Nancy-pt7hi if you start your own I'm sure it will be great

@@Nancy-pt7hi that is really bad what about regulators???? Do they not get inspections. On any case if they kept real child adult ratios and still break even without profits parents would have to pay more and be hard pressed...

@@Nancy-pt7hi lol I'm not a boss yet I want to start my own out in Africa and am terrified reading this happening in Oz "1st world" country

The average person now is staying in the boards in Ontario 29 years because they have to fund a child's college tuition. Hope you enjoy retirement!

@@darlinspaces thanks!!