Hi OP
I'm an Early Years teacher and have taught in Reception and Nursery for several years and have taught lower key stage 2.
I loved the job for years when I first joined and do still love it now but there is stress and a lot of it at times in the year. The pay off though is that you get enough holidays that you can really enjoy time away from it as well. I work long hours during school term time but only usually go in once in the summer holiday and might need to do some planning every now and again during holidays.
If you've worked in childcare for a long time you will know lots of the great things about the job and how lovely it is to spend your days with little children who can be hilarious and lovely (and sometimes make you want to pull your hair out!) I think you will know if you have the characteristics needed from your work already like patience, calmness, kindness to children etc.
My TA's take on many of the same tasks as a teacher in delivering sessions to key groups, making observations, liaising with parents but I think the big difference is that they finish at 3.00 and I have to stay until the job is done. So some nights I do end up staying until 6 and working at home after.
The other difference is the burden of pressure to ensure the provision is good quality. As a teacher you will sit in front of management, advisors etc. And will be expected to justify and explain why you have made the choices you have and why children maybe haven't made the progress they should have (and then generate what you're going to do about it!) whereas in a support role you act more on direction from management/ class teacher.
I regularly get to a point of thinking, that's it I'm leaving! But I can never think of anything else I want to do or that would allow me the holidays.
Also just to add, I much prefer early years to key stage 2! In EYFS the children are so happy to be in school and love it, I felt like I was a real baddy in KS2!