Working in Childcare with Fibromyalgia.

[Klpompey]

Hi guys.
I recently left my career in Childcare after 17 years due to it being really physically exhausting and painful - this is due to me having the long term condition of Fibromyalgia.
Has anyone else or does anyone else have Fibromyalgia and work in Childcare? How did they cope and how did you cope working with the condition?

I think this will vary hugely depending on how severe your condition is, how much you have to do out of work vs how much you can rest, what kind of age and needs of kids you are looking after etc?

As the above poster said, there are so many variables that no one can really tell you what will work but a good friend of mine was a nanny, generally working with toddlers and babies, she had to leave as she found it too demanding and was regularly in pain or exhausted and having to take regular sick leave. She took some time out for about 6m and now does 3 school pick ups a week (Mon, Wed and Fri) with a 9 & 11yo, they are short walking distance to the school and obviously require much less physical care than babies and toddlers. She still has days where she struggles but with shorter days, less physical demand and a days break in between, she has carried on working in the job she adores.

Im not sure why you’re asking if you’ve already left, is it because you’re thinking of returning?

I haven’t got that condition but have been struggling with knee pain for a few years that is made worse by tiny chairs and the general need to be bending and moving at floor level a lot. I ended up moving sideways into a nursery admin role and cutting down on my time in the rooms, this helped quite a bit.