While single motherhood can be challenging, there are certainly triumphs along the way. The journey leads to resilience, innovation, confidence, compassion, and more. These are the exact traits needed in the field of early childhood education. So who better to educate and help develop the next generation of leaders than moms? Early childhood education also comes with opportunities for career advancement and flexibility. Your Career, Our Future, a joint initiative from the Early Excellence Project and Trying Together is working to redefine what it means to be an early childhood educator and shine a light on current educators and the families they serve. To recruit and retain as many early childhood educators as possible, the campaign compiled stories from teachers and families to inspire new and existing educators to join and remain in this transformative field.
Ra’naa Billingsley, who became a single mother at a young age, is featured in the campaign. Knowing her son was well cared for while she continued her education and worked towards her career goals was a top priority. That loving care taught her the importance of having passionate educators and also helped her to make a decision about her own career path.
“At a crossroads, I was faced with changing my career path due to being a mother with limited hours of child care. It was a stressful time. I was carrying the weight of career decisions and rushing from classes to pick up my son at the end of each day. But when I entered the child care center, I was always filled with joy. Seeing the bright decorations on the walls of the center; the kind and caring teachers; and the children thoroughly enjoying each other’s company in organized play, I knew what I needed to do–enter the field of education.”
Why Early Childhood Education?
- Rewarding Work: Early Childhood Education is more than a job. It’s a joy for both educators and families. In fact, teachers are often considered part of their students’ families and support systems. Early childhood educators are helping to shape our future leaders and play an important role in building and strengthening their communities.
- Flexibility: Early childhood education jobs often offer flexible schedules that may meet the needs of single moms. This flexibility allows for easier pickup and drop-off times and the ability to even work from home.
Stable Employment: The field of early childhood education is not going anywhere. There will always be a high demand for quality child care. This means that single moms can often find stable employment with opportunities for advancement.
Lindsey Ramsey found just that. She started her career in early childhood education as a 19-year-old single mother.
“As a newly single mother, I faced the daunting challenge of providing for my daughter while navigating the complexities of young adulthood. Dropping out of college, I took a job as an aide in an infant room, earning $7.50 an hour. Despite the modest pay and the demanding nature of the work, I was determined to create a better future for myself and my daughter.”
Today, Lindsey is the director of the Shady Lane School and working towards a Doctorate in School Public Administration. She has also been a TEDx Speaker.
Single Mothers As Educators Support Other Single Mothers
“As a single mother, I know the difference the support from a caring child care provider can make in a mother’s life, and I’m thankful to be able to support families in this way. I developed my business plan to cater to the non-traditional needs of families.” – Brooke Barry, in-home child care owner
Brooke received support from The Early Excellence Project, an initiative that uplifts and mentors early child care providers. The initiative helped achieve her business goals and gain license credentials and professional certifications.
The saying “it takes a village” certainly applies to single mothers that have built community together. This community includes the teachers and centers that support their children. An educator who is also a single mother knows what it takes to take care of your families, balance work or education, and address your own self-care needs.
Tips for Success
- To succeed in an early childhood education career, single moms should build a supportive network with other single moms in the field and consider finding a mentor with more experience. Bonus if that mentor has made advancements in their own career.
- Work towards career advancement by taking courses, earning an advanced degree, and seeking certifications. The Institute for Early Childhood Career Pathways, provides comprehensive support for early educators, from new hire orientations and professional development to certification and credentialing. Early childhood educators are able to explore a variety of courses and meet with career advisors to enhance education quality and meet Keystone STARS standards.
- Prioritize self-care. Even something as simple as walking briskly during a lunch break can help physically and emotionally.
- Along with self-care, setting boundaries between work and personal life is important. Avoid bringing work home and make time for quality family time.
Early childhood education can be a rewarding career path for single moms. Combining their passion for children with their best practices as single moms will surely bring them success in their chosen careers as educators. Career fulfillment also helps provide stability and a loving life for their families.
