I have worked childcare for the past three years I loved it when I started, but now I feel as though it is too stressful to handle. I have been to two different companies the past two months solely because management has been awful to me. I have mostly been working with kids with disabilities/behavioral issues and it has been taking a toll on me because I feel as though I cannot breathe. I have training from a previous job to work with these kids, but because of a few state laws I am not allowed to use that training unless the new companies I go with provide it as well. As a result of this I have had my phone completely broken by a student (was not compensated by the company), I have been stabbed with a pencil, I have had a little girl try and yank me down by my hair to the ground, and I’ve had several runners whom I am not allowed to bring back into the facility just talk. All of that was just the first company. The second one I am at currently does not offer the training either, but I was told after an incident a few days ago that they are going to try their best to get it. I had a student swing a pool stick at me. I had to step in the way and almost get hit because they were getting ready to hit another student with it. This is not elementary age, this was high school. That was my last straw and my body cannot physically take the stress anymore. I’m constantly shaking with anxiety, I can barely sleep, and I lost my appetite completely for the last two weeks.

What I am mostly here for is for any advise on which way to go with switching my career. I have made up my mind and I can no longer afford to lose my mental health to this career because of how bad the companies are with support for workers. I am willing to go back to school and do just about anything but I’m not too sure where to go for now with the experience that I have job wise.

If you have any advice please share I am willing to listen to anyone about anything they have to say.