*This is a collaborative guest post. 

5 Jobs for People that Love Children

Some people love children more than others, and while many people have a soft spot for cooing babies or cheeky-grinned infants – it takes a special kind of person to want to spend every moment of their working day with them.

Patience, compassion and a great sense of humour are just some of the attributes that are needed to have a career that includes interacting with children every day. Creativity and a strong stomach are prerequisites too when it comes to child-centred professions.

It is also worth keeping in mind that you are unlikely to become a millionaire if you choose a career with children, but that’s not the point is it? It is also perhaps one of the reasons why the people who choose these professions are such a great fit for their job roles.

Here are some of the best careers for people that love children:

1. Teacher

Elementary or primary school teaching is one of the most popular jobs for people that want to work with kids. Teaching requires huge amounts of patience, creativity and a mild temper. It is a challenging but highly rewarding career for those who really love children.

For people that have high hopes of moulding the minds of the next generation, this is possibly their best chance, apart from having their own kids of course.

2. Social Worker

If you really want to make a difference in the world then becoming a social worker should be the path that you take. As rewarding as this career can be, you should also keep in mind that it can be emotionally scarring.

You will have to deal with disturbing and inhumane circumstances at times, but you have to stay strong, and by doing your job properly, you will truly be saving and changing children’s lives. If you’re a newly qualified social worker, there is a growing need for people with your skills so finding work shouldn’t be a problem.

3. Paediatrician

Becoming a doctor that specialised in child healthcare might take many years of studying, but it’s one of the best-paying and rewarding jobs that you could possibly get with children.

There are also possibilities of becoming a paediatric nurse or carer if you don’t want to go all the way to the level of doctor.

4. Child Psychologist

If it’s the mind of children that interests you, then you should look into becoming a child psychologist. If you work in a school, you will generally deal with children’s behaviours and providing solutions for problematic habits.

If you choose to have your own practice rather, then you can focus on family therapy sessions, or mental/psychological issues found in children. This is also a career with children that pays very well, but that needs extensive education.

5. Sports Coach

If you are good at sport and love children, then becoming a sports coach is a natural transition to make. The great thing about coaching is that it often happens in the afternoons, weekends or evenings, which means that it could also be a side-job.

You could be able to keep your full-time job and choose to coach as something that gives you extra money and an opportunity to spend time with children.