Many of my classmates, women being over 99% of the early educators in my area, have asked me why there are not more men in early education and my response is always two-fold: men have always been considered the bread or bacon earners, the ones required by society to make the money or have the resources to provide for a family and on the salary of a teacher it can be frustrating and difficult, however, on the salary of an economist or banker it is easy; the other reason is that society has painted a negative image of males being around children who are not their own— they are perverts and sex offenders, and only want that one thing from the child.

    There are some other reasons as to why more men forgo early education for prospects of a higher salary, it requires: patience, enormous amounts of energy, an understanding of not only the children but yourself, that sometimes you will have to hug a child and listen to them cry about another child simply walking near them, that you might have to change your personality at the drop of a hat to adapt to changes in the emotional climate of the children and classroom, that you might have to change a diaper or help a child wipe, love.

     Society also dictates, among other gender roles, that boys should not play with dolls and/or babies. It is considered feminine for a boy to take care of a baby doll or to have a tea party with Barbie. It is considered anti-masculine for boys to show emotions, emotions being a sign of weakness, that sympathy and empathy are not necessary emotions to possess and understand. Let your son, or that child in your class take care of a pretend life and they will understand themselves more, they will have a better idea how to care for another being, and they might even know how to change a diaper when they have their own child.

     I truly believe that if America would evolve or abandon these gender role, “societal norms,” that more men would be more inclined to educate and, obviously, if educators had a higher salary and/or the economy was not centered so much on business, finance, and derivatives, but one step at a time America.

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