The summer after I graduated from high school, I worked in a day care center, watching over children from 18 months to 5 years old. Not yet responsible for my own expenses, I felt lucky to have a job that sometimes took me outdoors and paychecks I could save for my college needs. My co-workers with children were in a different position. They loved every one of our charges and worked hard to keep them happy and safe and to help them develop. Yet they spoke frankly about the impossibility of supporting their own families on our low hourly wages.
 
The job had other challenges, like working without pay when parents were late for pickup. A cook prepared students’ meals, but teachers were not allowed to have one, even when a daily hot meal would have made a big difference. A regular lunch for one of my co-workers was a snack-size bag of chips.
 
DOWNLOAD THIS ARTICLE TO READ MORE