I work at a daycare part time and have since oct 2020. I got hired at 12/hr having no prior daycare experience, im also male so they never have high hopes for men staying long. Almost 2 years later I've received two raises and now make ~13.50/hr. The kids love me and I love them, I'm always told how great I am in the rooms and since I float around all of the rooms teachers are always asking for me to be in their room because I can control a classroom well. When we get new male hires they stick them with me for a few days so I can teach them.
I'm finding out new hires have been getting hired at 15/hr, two males that only last 3 months and 2 months before being fired.
Lead teachers who work full time are making ~16/hr and teachers who have been there less time making just as much as them and they're not leads. One teacher who is part time topd them he found another daycare hiring for 19/hr so they gave him 19 to stay (he didn't have anything else lined up).
They're creating such a wage disparity and it's a bit annoying to find out I'm making the least.
I work at least 16 hours a week because I do full time school. Over this last summer I picked up at least 8 extra hours a week and on my break now Ive been working 32 hours a week. So I pick up when I can just to help out because I know were so short staffed. My 19m.o son goes here and I get 75% off tuition. Instead of paying 1600 I pay 400/month. This is why I want to be careful when asking for a raise, although I don't expect them to use this against me.
I'm 29 and was a late start to college because I was in the military. My wife has her BSN and makes good money so I've never thought too much about my wage, but now I am. I'm in an IT degree and finish my associates this next spring. The only thing stopping me from going somewhere else right now is they let me work whatever hours I need for school and my 1200 savings a month on daycare (14400/yr). The wife and I took covid hard as I lost my contracting job that I made 138k in 2019 with, we had our first child and bought a 230k house a week before his birth. So for the past year and a half finances have been tight. We can't really afford to not send our kid to this daycare for just 400/month.
What do you suggest?