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July 29, 2025

My Doodle Bugs! Story: Turning an Interest into a Career

Bridget Wolff, Director of Learning and Development | NYS T-TAP Professional Development Specialist, Early Childhood

It was the start of my senior year of college, and like many other students, I found myself thinking a lot about life after graduation. What would my first job out of school be? What kind of career did I even want? Would I end up working in a field I truly loved? I kept reminding myself I still had two more semesters to decide – though there was always a bit of fear lingering in the back of my mind.

Fast forward to a few weeks into my spring semester in early 2015 – I was sitting in an early childhood education class. The professor asked if anyone had worked in the early childhood field and someone shared their recent experience at Doodle Bugs!, a local childcare center. “I’ve never heard of Doodle Bugs!,” I remember thinking to myself as I began to Google it. I had been looking for a part-time job and always enjoyed working with children. After scrolling through the website, I decided to apply that evening.

By the end of the week, I had an interview set up at our Orchard Park location and… I got the job! I would be working as a part-time Teacher Assistant while I finished up my last semester of college. I remember walking into the building for the first time and being blown away. Not only was the facility amazing, but everyone that worked there was so welcoming, kind, and over time, taught me more about early childhood than I ever anticipated.

As my senior year came to an end, I struggled with committing to a career path. After meeting all the children, teachers, and families at Doodle Bugs!, I couldn’t imagine walking away to chase another job that I wasn’t even sure I wanted. It felt like fate when a full-time position opened that summer. I immediately applied and became a full-time Teacher Assistant for the 2015-2016 school year.

It was that year when I began to truly understand the importance of early childhood educators. Not only did I realize the time, effort, and heart that it takes to be a teacher, but I also discovered just how rewarding it can be. I developed meaningful relationships with children and their families, and each day felt so loved and appreciated. There was no better feeling than walking into my classroom each morning and being greeted by ten smiling faces running to the door to give me a hug.

In January of 2016, I had the opportunity to advance again – this time beginning my journey as a Lead Toddler Teacher. Anyone that has worked with toddlers – or has one of their own – knows that caring for two-year-olds is not for the faint of heart. But what I will say is: the hugs, belly laughs, and moments of pure learning made coming to work each day so exciting and worthwhile.

Working in a Doodle Bugs! classroom also helped me grow in ways I never expected. I learned how to express my creativity, how to be a leader, and how to spread joy and positivity to those around me. I was constantly inspired and motivated to do better – for both the children and for myself.

After four rewarding years in the classroom, I began to realize that my passion for teaching had grown into something more – a desire to help others create the same meaningful experiences that I had as a teacher, within their own classrooms and programs. In July 2019, I joined the Doodle Bugs! Learning and Development Team – starting as a Specialist and eventually growing into my current role as Director – where I design and deliver high-quality training that helps other early childhood professionals grow and succeed in their roles. Since beginning on this team, I’ve had the opportunity to work with teachers and managers company-wide, and have accomplished things I could have only dreamed of ten years ago, including:

  • Earning my New York State Training and Technical Assistance Professional (T-TAP) Credential as a Professional Development Specialist in Early Childhood.
  • Leading Doodle Bugs! through the Middle States Association (MSA) accreditation process – and becoming a volunteer peer reviewer for MSA in the process.
  • Contributing to our first children’s book, “My First Day at Doodle Bugs!”.
  • Presenting at the New York Association for the Education of Young Children (NYAEYC) Conference.

As cliché as it sounds, working at Doodle Bugs! has changed my life. What started off as a part-time job quickly turned into a purpose, passion, and career. Over the past ten years, I’ve taught the most incredible children, built meaningful bonds with families, and worked alongside some of the most hardworking and inspiring educators I know.

I am so grateful to be living out the quote, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

* Originally published in September 2019. Updated in July 2025.