Men Working in the Daycare Profession essay

The most fearful part of men working in daycare profession is the possibility of children’s abuse. However, this proved to be another prejudice in a number of situations. According to statistics, children are more likely to be abused at home, rather than in some institutions where men are their caretakers. 90% of abused children are more likely to suffer from their parents or relatives. Besides, there are many special programs for caretakers which prevent the possibility of child abuse in a certain institution, which proves the prejudice against men working with children to have no basis.

Most women want to have loving and caring men in their lives. However, there is an opinion that men should not be involved in professions dealing with childcare. According to the statistics, nearly 97% of NAEYC members consider that it is important to involve men into such professions (Nelson, 2004). It may be explained by the fact that the majority of children are excited at receiving attention from male caretakers. They like to cooperate with men in a number of activities, and consider them nurturing and caring enough to be excellent caretakers. It has been proved by real experience that the benefit of male influence on children exceeds all expectations. In such a way, most children feel that they need caring and nurturing male caregivers. And it is obvious that the attitude to men involved in daycare professions should be changed for the best, while all myths, stereotypes and prejudice should be challenged.

1.                             I.     Advantages of men being child caregivers.

There can be seen certain changes in the role of men in childcare. Some people consider that women have certain advantages in caretaking in comparison with men. However, men are known to have the same biological impulses as women do. This includes a physiological response to a child’s cry. Among the differences between male and female caretakers is the fact that men are physically more playful than women, and they tend to involve children in more physical activities than women do. Besides, men are no less sensitive to children than women. There are certain disadvantages of men having a daycare profession. However, the advantages of men working with young children cannot be ignored.

According to Dave Riley, the involvement of men into childcare deals with certain advantages for children, particularly sons, in intellectual development, study, social growth and self-esteem (Riley, 2001). Young sons’ development is identified with caring and nurturing male caretakers, where an important role is played by the relations between a child and a man. Besides, it is a great advantage for women who are engaged in maintaining a house. Most women practically push their husbands to take care of children being too busy with other work. Men, however, have their own reasons to become involved in childcare professions. Most of them are just looking for a life full of not only breadwinning, but also some other pleasant things. And for most of them, childcare means a lot of fun.

Men who are involved in daycare professions tend to be healthier and better adjusted than those who occupy other positions. Profession of a child caretaker means first of all self-esteem and personal growth. Men play an important part both in family functioning and in the upbringing of children (Rolfe, 2005). Some people may say that men in daycare professions are a social accident, but it is not so. They are a social invention which continues to do well in the sphere of childcare.

Year after year families throughout the world are looking for proper childcare for their children. And qualified caretakers are greatly valued in any society. However, there are a number of non-qualified workers in this sphere, some of them lacking experience or having none at all. It is hard to find a proper caretaker nowadays, and most people have certain prejudice towards men in the role of child caretakers. Nowadays, men who are seeking a job of a babysitter can rarely find it. Even a certain experience in this sphere is not likely to help.

The majority of parents feel uneasy in regard to the idea of a man taking care of their children, stating that men are not nurturing enough, or saying that men are perverts and may abuse their children. All of these stereotypes prove to be not true in most cases. It is predicted that in a few years “manny” (male nanny) is likely to become a household word. According to the employee in one of the oldest agencies in the USA, European people have long been aware that men can be as nurturing as women in childcare (Barovick, 2002).

A great number of people think that women can do a better job than man in a daycare profession. Women also encountered this sort of stereotypes in previous years when they tried to apply for jobs in construction or the military. And some of them feel the influence of those stereotypes even now. Gender stereotyping becomes a real problem in the contemporary society, and this situation should be altered.

Boys and girls are in equal need for male influence in their lives, and it has been proved that men are able to provide great childcare to children, who need positive male models of behavior (Owen, 2003). It is well-known that children who are deprived of father’s care might feel incompleteness in their future lives. Although men are likely to get engaged in abuse of children and other kinds of inappropriate behavior, women may also be included into this category. People do not often hear news of women accused for the same things as men, but the patterns of child abuse happen with women as often as with men.

Many parents feel uncomfortable with male teachers. Even awards for a great teaching experience do not help to change attitude of parents towards male caregivers. A lot of “mannies” can improve the lives of young boys and girls in a positive way (Barovick, 2002). Many male caregivers have good relations not only with boys, but also with girls, and this tendency is long-lived. The majority of men in daycare industry show extremely positive results, but many of them are not highly appreciated due to the biased attitude towards themselves.

Conclusion

There should be no bias against male caregivers as they can be as loving and nurturing to children as women. Children are deprived of male attention due to such stereotyping. The research has analyzed certain myths in regard to male caretakers as well as the advantages of men being involved in childcare activities. The research is based on the fact that both men and women who have enough experience, qualifications and skills for working with young children must be encouraged to occupy the position of caretakers. Along with the changes of traditional gender roles and jobs related with childcare, society still does not easily accept men as nurses or teachers. However, those families who employ men as child caretakers often show great satisfaction with the level of nurturing provided to their children. Such families often say about the positive influence of male caregivers on their children.  Having analyzed a number of examples of men occupying positions of child caretakers, it is important to conclude stating that men may be as nurturing and caring as women in the daycare profession.