Six Subjects to Study in Honor of World Children's Day

Yesterday was World Children’s Day! Says Unicef of this annual observation, “We want to build a world where every child is in school and learning, safe from harm and able to fulfill their potential, and we know you do too. It's time to put children back on the agenda.”

If you’re interested in contributing to this important cause, there are many ways to do so. Read on for a roundup of six areas of study to consider if you’d like a career in which you can make a difference in the lives of children.

1. Education

No list of fields that affect children is complete without putting education on it. Teachers have the potential to change the lives of kids for the better every day. After all, today’s students are tomorrow’s Nobel prize winners, heads of state, and entrepreneurs. In this sense, as a teacher you’re not just helping kids, but also society at large.

Interested in studying education but not sure you want to be a teacher? Education’s interdisciplinary nature prepare graduates for many different professions, including everything from curriculum design to community service.

2. Psychotherapy

Child psychotherapists treat children with non-medical emotional and behavioral difficulties, which may include anxiety, developmental delays, phobias, depression, self-harming, gender dysphoria, eating disorders, learning difficulties, and psychosomatic disorders. In addition to seeing children individually, they may also see them with their family members and/or in a group with other children.

There’s a lot of emotional satisfaction to be found in helping children and their families overcome challenges, feel better about themselves, and lead happy and productive lives.

If you’re interested in performing this role in a medical context, child psychology -- a subspecialty of clinical psychology -- is also an option.

3. Children’s Literature

Says the Children’s Literature Association (ChLA) of the profound potential of children’s literature, “By bringing the paradigm of ‘the child’ into view, a course in children’s literature provides the student with a range of complex, interrelated discourses. Indeed, it invites one to consider and respond to questions at the heart of human culture: what are our responsibilities to children and to the future? What will equip young people for meaningful lives filled with rewarding experiences, enriching relationships, learning, intellectual and emotional growth, and self-understanding? What is the best kind of society to enable a healthy and happy future for all children? These are questions that enhance capacity for informed citizenship and critical thought.”

Said UK Children’s Laureate Michael Prest, meanwhile, of his children’s literature master’s degree, “Children's literature occupies a very different position from literature as a whole, largely because of two things: it's part of nurturing, in the anthropological sense, but it's also part of education. You can't say that of any other kind of literature.:

An appealing side benefit to studying children's lit? If you’re passionate about children’s books -- which you should be if you pursue studies in this area -- there’s nothing better than immersing yourself in what you love for a living.

4. Pediatrics

When it comes to promoting children’s health, pediatricians are on the front lines. Contends pediatrician Katie Gesbeck in a KevinMD blog entry, “I have learned so much from all of these children and their families. As a primary care physician, I look forward to really knowing my patients and coordinating their care with other providers or specialists when necessary. Each patient will have unique needs, and even for patients with the same medical problem, the care and management will not be the same. Following families over time and developing relationships with them will allow me to provide the best care and to help them improve and maintain their health.”

Sure, pediatrics is uniquely fulfilling, but it's also lucrative -- one of the many reasons why 82 percent of pediatricians report being “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their jobs, according to Verywell Health.

5. Child Nutrition

“Good nutrition is essential for survival, physical growth, mental development, performance, productivity, health and well-being across the entire life-span: from the earliest stages of fetal development, at birth, and through infancy, childhood, adolescence and on into adulthood,” says the World Health Organization (WHO).

Factor in the childhood obesity epidemic and the need for child nutritionists is higher than ever with demand expected to grow at a rate of 21 percent through the year 2022. With expertise in this area, you can help kids understand how to eat right, and why it matters.

6. Sports Coaching

Kids learn many things through sports participation, including everything from the value of exercise to how to be a team player. If you love a particular sport, coaching a youth team offers an ideal opportunity to continue to be involved while introducing the next generation to your favorite spot, as well.

John F. Kennedy once said, “Children are the living message we send to a time we will not see.” Pursuing studies in one of these child-centered fields can help you add your voice to that message.