Not everyone is good with children, so not everyone would want to have a career that features a lot of interaction with them, no matter how much you might want to help people in general. If you don’t feel comfortable or confident around children, don’t worry – there are many careers you can have that will still allow you to help many different people (adults) and ensure their lives are as positive and happy as can be.
If you do enjoy spending time with children and perhaps you even feel you have a natural affinity with them because you can bond easily and are able to get on their wavelength quickly and naturally, then it could be that, assuming you want a career that helps people, you decide to pick a job that will allow you to be with children and assist them in the best way possible, turning what could potentially be a negative situation into a positive one. If that is the case, there are many different avenues you could go down, and although this is actually a good thing – there is sure to be something that suits you – it could also feel rather overwhelming. For some, it might mean they change their minds altogether and opt for a career that has nothing to do with children at all just because it’s so hard to choose.
That would be a shame. Children need adults who can help them at every step of their lives, and if you have an affinity with children and a desire to make a difference, it would be disappointing to have to go into a career in any other field, not just for you, but for those whom you might have otherwise helped. With that in mind, it’s clear that the more you know about your various options when it comes to careers for people who want to help children, the better. Here are some of the best to choose from – there are more, but these will help you to focus and understand more about your options. Read on to find out more.
Teacher
When you think of careers that link to children, teaching is probably the first thing that will come to mind. There is nothing more iconic when it comes to careers that help children, although, by the time you reach the end of this list, you may well feel that teaching has some stiff competition.
Teaching is a crucial career because it starts every child’s life off in the same way, giving them all the same chances and opportunities as everyone else. When a teacher is not giving it their all and doesn’t care about the children they are teaching, this is where things can go very wrong, and the outcome is an adult who never enjoyed school and who doesn’t want to learn. This will lead them to bad jobs, poor decision-making, and other problems. Of course, this is certainly a generalization, and not every child who was taught badly will have a negative life, just as not every child with a great teacher will do well, but it is something to consider.
The thing to remember about why teaching is so important is that without teachers, there would be nothing. Perhaps this is over-dramatic, but without school, how would children learn about the world, themselves, and what they can do as an adult? How will they develop the skills to move forward and do great things? Parents can do a lot, but even so, it usually takes a dedicated, full-time teacher and a school environment (potentially home school) to really allow a child to be themselves and fulfill their potential. It’s safe to say that without teachers, there would be no other careers.
When you are a teacher, you’ll find the career to be an extremely rewarding one. You’ll be able to see first-hand how much of a difference you are making in children’s lives, and no matter whether you choose to teach those in kindergarten, seniors, or anyone in between, you can have a positive impact and ensure they find their place in the world.
Social Worker
If you were to ask most people what it is that a social worker does, they might have a vague idea about working with adopted or fostered children or helping those who were abused in some way. They wouldn’t know the full extent of what a social worker can really do, and that means that many who might be wonderful social workers – and be able to help children in some very profound ways – never get the chance. This is why it’s so important to explore every career related to children, because you never know what it is that will stick out and be the one you really want to get involved with.
Once you start investigating why being a social worker is special and could be worth your while, you’ll realize there is a lot to think about. You won’t be alone, though; social work is a popular career choice for people who want to work with children, and you might be surprised to find there have been many famous social workers in the past, all of whom loved their jobs and made the most of the opportunities they had.
As a social worker, one of your main aims (among many) is to make sure that the children you are responsible for are happy and healthy. This might sound easy, but it takes a lot of thought and effort, and sometimes plenty of lateral thinking too. Children may not want to talk about how they’re feeling, and they might be wary of strangers. You need to make them feel at ease in order to help them in the best way, and this is where your affinity for children will come in useful.
When you are a social worker, you’ll need to be extremely responsible, and you’ll often have to work long hours or be on call a lot of the time. This means the job is not for everyone, but if you are the kind of person who could truly see themselves making this big difference in children’s lives, then social work could be the best way to go about it.
Pediatric Nurse
Nursing is a fantastic career, no matter who you are taking care of. When you are a nurse, you can truly make all the difference in the world to someone, whether they are in need of surgery, they have an illness, or they are scared and hurt and simply need someone to talk to. The great thing about nursing is that you can choose any of a multitude of different branches to work in and being a pediatric nurse – a nurse who takes care of children – is just one of those options.
To begin with, you need to get your general nursing qualification (known as an RN), after which, once you’ve got enough experience, you can obtain qualifications in specialisms, such as pediatric nursing. This allows you to experience many different types of nursing before making up your mind about what you want to do, but if you already know you want to work with children, this will certainly help, as you can focus your learning and experience in that direction.
When adults are in hospital, they are often scared and worried about what is happening, but for the most part, they are able to understand what has to be done and why they are sick. Children will also be scared, but they may not understand why, and this makes things a lot harder for them. That’s why they desperately need nurses who can carry out the practical work but who also are able to talk to children on a level they will understand. This combination is very special, and if you have these skills, becoming a pediatric nurse is a great option for you; you’ll find the work hugely rewarding, and you’ll also be helping many children on a daily basis.
Child Psychologist
Many people find that going to therapy helps them a lot in their lives. The world is a busy, sometimes scary, often confusing place, and it’s hard to know how to feel about things or how to process emotions sometimes. Somehow, a certain set of rules has developed that means if we don’t fit into the standard mold, it’s possible that our lives won’t be as positive or as important (or so it might feel) as others.
Adults feel this, and they seek out therapy. Children also feel this, and although you might wish they didn’t because they need to enjoy their childhoods without worrying about these negative ideas, the fact is that it still happens. This is why child psychologists are needed.
Child psychologists are there to talk to children and to help them through the situations and feelings that are causing them pain. On top of this, they will do plenty of research about different milestones, mental health, emotional wellbeing, and so on. By doing this, they can work out exactly the right way to help different children since everyone is different, ensuring that they are able to live full and happy lives. Again, it’s a fulfilling and rewarding career and one that can turn a negative into a positive thanks to training, experience, and an innate understanding and love of children.
