Delayne Strand
I have been a child care provider for 20 years and I see the need for a change in my life. I have loved being a child care provider. I know that I have really made the difference in the life of many children. During the time that I was a child care provider I was chosen as Provider of the Year for my county, I was a mentor to new providers and I taught classes for other child care providers.
However: As a child care provider there is no chance for advancement, there are no real raises, and the most important factor in needing a change is the lack of benefits; there are none. There is no health care, no dental care, and no retirement program. With todays economy I have raised my rates by 3 percent last year while my expenses have gone up approximately 20 percent So I am actually making less of an income than I made last year.
The reality of having no benefits really hit home 2 years ago when my husband lost his job in manufacturing of 20 years. We went almost 1 year without any health insurance. That was a really tough time for our family. We have 3 sons, 2 of which suffer from chronic illnesses. We did not go to the doctor when we should have, we did without medications, and we really were living on the brink. What do you do when your cobra payment for health insurance is over $800.00 a month. Do you pay your mortgage, or do you pay for health insurance. During this time one of my children fell on ice and sprained his leg and broke 2 teeth in half. I believe that we are still making payments for this small; but very expensive fall.
After having gone through these difficult times, I know that the time has come for me to make a career change. Besides loving working with children, I love to work with numbers. I have always loved numbers, working with them and trying to put everything in order is like working on a puzzle. I love to reconcile statements and even doing Uncle Sam's taxes can be a very interesting experience.
As a working mother I believe that an online education is the perfect way to further your education. It can be flexible, you can still work, be a mom, and earn a degree. You can tailor your school schedule around your home life and your job. If you have to work an hour late, you can still go to classes that night and not miss a thing.
Twenty years ago I gave up my career in a retail store as a head bookkeeper/head cashier in order to stay home with my children. I had opportunities to climb the corporate ladder at that time, but I declined because the schedule was not family friendly. Having my children has been the greatest experience of my life. But now is the time for me to look forward into the future; my future. I need to increase my income, work for a company that can provide the benefits that everyone needs and I need to see what I can become.
I believe that the best thing that someone can do for themselves is to be educated. Whether it is going to a science class with your child or being online in a college course learning about the accounting cycle.
You can always learn something new.
I also believe that I still have a lot of working years ahead of me, and that it is never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. Getting a college education is probably financially impossible for me with my current career choice, it would be fantastic if you could grant me, the ultimate working mother a full scholarship. Because not only am I a mom of three sons, I am a daycare mom which means that I am the mom to many while their parents can work. Because of the many of thousands of daycare moms in this country; many, many other moms can work and keep their own families going.
So in closing I hope that you will be a part of my future, help me to gain a college education, and grant this wish to a very tired, but willing working mom.
And in closing; I wish to say to you my favorite way of signing a letter; "Remember, quiet women rarely make history."
Delayne Strand