Men in Childcare - A Secondary Concern

Hi,

- Primary Focus Good Childcarers -
I too am a childcarer (period). From my perspective it doesn't matter 
whether I should be male or female. The primary focus is the children 
getting the best care and it should not matter if the setting is 100% 
female, a mixture or 100% male so long as that primary focus is being 
served.

- Secondary Focus Male Role Models Needed -
It is however of secondary importance that men should be in childcare 
enviornments.  This stems from the children's needs themselves. Some 
people relate to men better than women, for instance if they have close
brothers and fathers. Some even look upon a man as a role model to 
replace an absent or deceased father.

- Let's not get political -
I just don't want to see the primary focus fogged as I have felt 
sidelined by femminism in the past being misused and people saying 
'i'm a woman so...'. I really would not like to see childcare become 
politically charged in this way. The original idea is always well 
meaning, as in the case of this site, but is likely to be taken in the
future to mean 'I'm a man so....' or worse 'I didn't get this job because 
he's a man and i'm a woman'.  It will happen.  We don't need it. 

The issue of gender should be put aside as government adverts quite 
rightly show people in childcare roles, born either male or female, 
working with children without raising the issue of gender.

- Settings Should Reflect Real World Environment -
To reflect the natural environment of the real world it is apparent that 
more men should work in childcare. 

It is important that their gender not be used to displace a more 
suitable applicant who may be female. This has happened to men in other 
working environments lets not use this to reverse the tables on women.

- Caring People in Childcare -
I'd love to see this site be about Caring People in Childcare as all 
the information here is great for both sexes and automatically includes 
the notion of men and women without drawing a dividing line. :)

Good luck :)

Cheers
Steve