Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/caregiver-mental-health/5014044/
Child care is challenging work, physically and mentally. The science of early brain development emphasizes the key role caregivers play in providing warm, responsive care for children. Not only is child care labor-intensive, it is highly interactive - both on the adult-child and adult-adult level. Staff interact with other staff, parents, and with members of the larger community on a daily basis.All the public and professional attention focused on the problems of quality in child care puts everyone who works in this field on the defensive. Competent caregivers are in a constant state of alert to meet the needs of children - ready to restructure the environment and social situations to maintain positive experiences for children. As all workers do, caregivers come to the job with personal life concerns. Nobody parks their worries at the door when they leave home. Navigating through the day takes a lot of skill and energy.
During the usual work day in child care, directors and caregivers are expected to do more than care for children. They support parents and co-workers, too. Parents often seek support from child care staff. Many parents find their multi-tasking lives barely manageable. Some are hungry for emotional support ...