Career Nanny

Interview Questions

2011-10-09T18:03:00.002-07:00

Interview Questions:
Interview Questions from the National Association of Nannies

1)      Is this a live-in or live-out position?

2)      What is the starting date?

3)      Do you see this as a long-term position?

4)       Parents’ occupations?

5)      Do you work outside the home ,or from your home?

6)      If the parents work at home, you need to set up guidelines for how to handle things
when you and they are there at the same time.

7)       Are other adults, besides the parents, living in the home?

8)      Children’s names and ages?

9)       What are the children’s interests and hobbies?

10)   Please describe your home and the area where you live.

11)    Is there a house alarm, gated entry or other system that requires a code?

12)   Do you anticipate moving in the near future?

13)    Do you plan to have more children in the near future?

14)   Will your nanny receive a raise when you have another baby, or

extra pay for extra children?

15)    Do you have pets?

16)   Do you plan to get any pets?

17)   What are nanny’s responsibilities regarding animals?

18)    What are your household rules?

19)    Can your nanny have guests? Such as nannies and moms with age-appropriate
children for play dates.

20)   Can your nanny have friends visit or spend the night during off time?

21)    Are any rooms in your house that are off limits to children or nanny?

22)   Is there any sort of dress code for nanny at work (i.e., no jeans)?

23)    Do the children or the parents have allergies I should be aware of?

24)   Special dietary needs?

25)    What is your discipline plan or child rearing philosophy?

26)   What values do you want taught and reinforced in your children?

27)    What religion are you, and how do you expect your nanny to participate in the child’s
religious teaching?

28)   How does your religion affect your daily life?

29)   What is your position on videotaping

30) Hours

31)    What hours and days do you want Nanny to work?

32)   Are these hours flexible, or does 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. mean precisely 8-6?

33)    Will your nanny be expected to work evenings or weekends?

34) Schedule

35)    What is the daily schedule of your typical day?

36)   How might your schedule change?

37)   Will your schedule change during the summer, over Christmas, etc?

38)    Will Nanny’s job description change along with a change in schedule?

39)    If so, how, and when?

(Example: Summer vs. school year.)

40)   Who makes the children’s schedules?

41)   - Parents, nanny, or is setting their schedule a combined effort?

42)   • What’s your procedure for spontaneous

Activities

Do you want Nanny to check in with you, leave a note or phone message, or is this

not an issue?

43)   •Do you want a daily journal or log kept?

(what happened today)?

44)   Will there be a nanny workstation - i.e. desk, area for files, bulletin board, monthly
calendar, computer with high-speed Internet connection?

Duties

45)    How would you describe the “ideal nanny”?

46)   Define your idea of your nanny’s role in your family.

47)    What are Nanny’s responsibilities as they relate to children?

48)    Are non-child-related tasks and responsibilities a part of the job you want performed?

49)   Laundry? - For children? For parents?

50)   Who makes and changes the children’s bedding?

51)    Who plans the meals, cooks, and shops for groceries?

52)   Will the nanny cook for the children, parents, or family?

53)   Who purchases the children’s clothes, toys, and supplies?

54)    What financial arrangements will be made to facilitate the shopping?

55)    Is there other household help?

56)   Who supervises them?

57)    Will I be expected to take the children to doctor appointments, music lessons, classes?

58) Car

59)    Is a car provided? Is the car available for the nanny’s personal use, or only for use
while

she is on duty? Will the vehicle

60)   be shared with the parents?

61)    Will your nanny be expected to use her own car? If yes, who will pay costs for
insurance, maintenance and gas?

62)    How is your nanny covered by insurance?

63) Travel

64)    Do you travel?

65)    Will your nanny be expected to travel with you?

66)   What is the pay rate for me traveling with your family?

67)    Taxes?

68)   Health insurance?

69)    IRA?

70)   Retirement benefits?

71)    Paid Holidays?

72)   Work holidays?

73)   Professional days?

74)    Childcare related classes and conferences?

75)    Gym membership?

76)   Separate phone provided?

77)   Will you provide me with a cell phone or pager, or will you pay my monthly bill if I get
one for myself? It will be to the family’s benefit that their nanny have a cell phone.)

78) Sick Pay

79)   Paid sick days?

80)    How many?

81)    What is your backup childcare plan if I am sick or on vacation?

PAY and Benefits

82)   Will I be paid hourly or salary?

83)   Is the salary you are offering a net figure or a gross amount?

84)   Will you be doing my taxes or using a tax service?

85)    I’d like to spend some time with your children before I make a decision; is this ok with
you?

86)    Are you willing to sign a work agreement with me that includes a 90-day trial period?

Communication

87)    is extremely important for nannies and their employers. Are you willing to meet with me
on a regular basis so we can discuss how things are going?

88)   Will I receive an evaluation from you, and raises on a yearly or bi-yearly basis?

89)    Will I receive severance pay if I am terminated early?

Vacation

90)   How many vacation days do I receive a year?

91)   Are those taken at the time of my choice or your choice?

92)   How much notice will I receive or should I give regarding vacation?

93)   When you vacation beyond my allotted time off and I am not traveling with you, will you
still pay me?

Questions for Live-In Nannies

94)    What accommodations are provided for Nanny (room, bath,.)?

95)    If your nanny is in a separate apartment, how will grocery expenses be handled?

96)   Who is responsible for cleaning Nanny’s area, and by what standards?

97)   What are Nanny’s days off?

98)   Are there any household rules Nanny or the children must observe on Nanny’s days
off?

99)   How does activities on nanny’s day off effect the households flow?

100) Do you have animals? What are nanny’s responsibilities regarding animals?

101)     Who will cover Nanny’s moving expenses to your hometown if she accepts this
position?

102) Who will cover moving expenses when the position is completed?

Better Nanny Interviews

2011-10-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

Better Nanny Interviews
By Karen Braschayko

You're ready for your nanny job interview. You're on time, resume
and portfolio in hand, thinking about your childcare style and
trying to feel out if this family will be a good match.

Yet, you're nervous. What will they ask this time?

Any nanny who has been to a few interviews knows that she is in for
anything. From boyfriends to STD tests to our childhoods, parents
and agencies ask nannies questions that are illegal in other realms.

Agency applications often contain similarly invasive questions. Do
you have any disabilities or congenital defects? Have these test
results filled out by your physician and returned to us with your
application. Will you submit to an HIV test? What medications do you
take? Have you ever been depressed? Have you ever been in an abusive
relationship?

Many nannies feel violated. We are neglectful child abusers, guilty
until proven innocent. These questions can put a nanny on trial for
her personal life and never allow her to display professional
knowledge.

Often, parents focus on personal issues and never reach the heart of
the matter: what will this caregiver actually do with my child all
day?

"They are too worried about whether or not I wear contacts to ask
about what I will feed their child," said a nanny in Kansas City,
Missouri.

Our profession is unlike any other. We are in someone's home, having
unsupervised contact with their children, their possessions and
their lives. Families rely on us, and a disruption in our lives
means a disruption in theirs. I absolutely want nannies screened
properly, better than we are now.

But the interview process can be degrading. I often ask myself: I
may love my job, but why do I subject myself to this? I have
multiple credentials, excellent references and 13 years of
experience with children, so why are people asking me if I have a
boyfriend?

Why are we talking about my childhood, when the real issue is what
kind of childhood do you want for your child?

With a little forethought and care, parents can find out what they
need to know, and agencies can help them find the right way to ask.

Plan First
So often I arrive at an interview and the parents have no idea where
to start. They are even unclear about what a professional nanny
does. Many parents ask invasive questions because they are new to
the process, understandably nervous and have not planned. Agencies
should guide clients to prepare.

Agencies screen nannies at different levels. Parents should find
exactly what an agency has done to select nanny candidates and what
background checks have been performed. From there, they can decide
where to focus.

Center on the aspects of having a nanny that matter most. What kind
of care do you want your child to receive? What do you want to
happen in your home each day?

Consider the qualities you would like in a nanny, and rank them.
What is your childcare style? A boisterous nanny may fit better than
a quiet one. Do you require an active nanny to swim with the
children, or a nanny with experience in music? Is a nanny a student
or a skilled caregiver? Should she spend every moment with the
children, or hang back and allow free play? Will she be a member of
the family, or would you prefer professional reserve? Would you like
a nanny with child development education, or a Montessori bias? Will
her infant care style fit with yours?

Discuss all aspects of daily care. Discipline, nutrition and
exercise are central topics. Ask how she deals with specific medical
emergencies, and if she treats a fever. If your child has a medical
condition, find out if she is knowledgeable and would follow proper
treatment. If she will be driving your children in her vehicle, ask
how she maintains it.

Will your nanny travel with you? It's not necessary to find out if
she is married if she is willing to be away from home for long
periods of time. If she is willing to commit to a one-year contract,
it's likewise not necessary to ask if she is planning to have a baby
anytime soon.

Once you have the vital topics, think of ways to ask. Are there
questions that would offend you if you were being interviewed? You
certainly need to protect your children and ask the questions that
will make you comfortable. But if you are going to ask a question
that would be illegal in a different employment situation, explain
why you would like to know and ask in a job-specific way.

Provide a statement of values for your children. Rather than asking
a nanny about her religion, tell her what religious base you provide
and ask her if she can support those beliefs. If you need a nanny
who is available on Sunday, ask if she is willing to work rather
than if she attends church. Draft the basic rules of your household.
In one family children may jump all over the furniture, while in
another running is punished. Rules vary widely, and you should let a
caregiver know what they are.

If the nanny will live in your home, think through the aspects of
having a new roommate that may bother you. Set rules accordingly.
Rather than ask your nanny if she is having sex with her boyfriend,
let her know that you do not allow overnight guests. Let the
potential nanny know what kind of behavior you expect in your home
and if you do not allow alcohol. Talk with other families who have
had a live-in nanny, research possible issues and stop them before
they occur.

A Nanny's Childhood
I have been asked often what my parents do for a living. How does
that matter to my job as a nanny, now that I am an adult? Even if my
parents had not gone to college, I have now gone to graduate school.
It baffles me when a potential employer asks what kind of house I
lived in or if my parents are divorced.

Parents often want to know about a nanny, "What kind of economic
status did her parents have? What is her cultural background?" If
social graces matter, ask about those instead.

A nanny cannot change what sort of family she was born into. She
should be judged for her choices now, not those of her parents. Ask
how a nanny continues her education and how she encourages learning
in children. Ask her where she takes children during the day, and
how often she reads to them.

Many parents and agencies would like to know even more about a
nanny's childhood, "Was she abused? How did her parents discipline?"
The cycle of child abuse is a dangerous one, and too many abusive
nannies have cared for children and perpetuated the cycle.

But many nannies go through dozens of interviews per year. Answering
such a personal, intrusive question is arduous.

If a caregiver has a long, glowing career and a well-developed
childcare perspective, does her childhood really matter anymore? If
she has let you know that she strongly opposes spanking and
precisely why, do you need to know if she was abused? Should she
have to talk about it yet again?

Instead, find out the depth of a nanny's knowledge about discipline.
Has she ever hit a child? Ask what she would do if your child ran
into the road, or if your infant would not stop crying and she felt
angry. Ask about a situation from the past and how she would manage
it differently now. Ask how she would discipline a two year old for
hitting verses a ten year old. Find out how she would ideally
discipline a child if no rules were set.

Think through the responses you would like to hear. A good nanny
will let you know that she is human, but she does her best to deal
with the situation. She should have reasonable expectations of child
behavior.

I have been asked more times than I can count if I am going to have
children. This is a delicate question. Some of the best caregivers I
have known did not wish to have children of their own. And, like me,
some nannies are not capable of having children. This question can
hurt.

Instead, find out the candidate's motivation. Ask how she chose this
profession, and why she has continued. Ask what her favorite aspects
of the job are, and the most challenging. Ask what strengths and
weaknesses she has as a nanny.

A Nanny's Health
A nanny is alone with children, and her health matters for their
safety. A parent should be aware of a serious condition, such as
heart disease. Parents should know how a diabetic controls her
condition, if an individual with epilepsy can safely drive or about
life-threatening allergy. I would think a parent remiss for not
respectfully asking these questions.

But there is a big difference between asking, "Do you have any
health conditions that affect your ability to care for children?"
and "What medications do you take?" Would a parent feel comfortable
telling his employer the medicines in his cabinet? Many private
medical concerns will never affect nanny work.

Drug and alcohol abuse are serious matters. Has your nanny been in
treatment for an addiction? Substance abuse often repeats, so this
is important information to have. But you can learn a lot from a
nanny's employment history. If a nanny has been on time and had few
sick days, chances are that she will also be a consistent employee
for you.

Eating disorders can affect children. Their attitudes about food are
modeled and shaped by those around them. Find out your nanny's views
on nutrition, and what she believes in teaching children about
eating. What is a typical lunch for her to prepare? How often does
she offer vegetables? How would she help a child who was becoming
overweight?

Fitness is also important, but ask in a job-specific way. Will a
nanny be able to safely lift a 30-pound child into a crib? Ask how
much physical activity she provides each day, and ask about her
favorite outdoor activities for children. Appearances can be
deceiving. Finding out an individual's views is a better plan.

Asking if a nanny has any physical limitations that affect her
ability to care for children is one thing. "Do you have any
disabilities or congenital defects?" is another. As someone who
cares about the fair and respectful treatment of others, this
question offends me.

One agency owner has placed a nanny several times who has an arm
severed above the elbow.

"She does a great job even with infants," she said.

Attention Deficit Disorder and mental health are also key. A nanny
with untreated bipolar disorder may not provide consistent care, but
a nanny who occasionally suffers from depression and gets
appropriate help may do a terrific job. If this issue is important
to you, ask respectfully and let the nanny know why. Speak with
references in depth about the quality and consistency of childcare
the nanny provided.

The number of agency applications and families asking for HIV tests
amazes and offends me. The risk is miniscule that a child could
contract HIV from a caregiver, but the risk is great that a child
will later develop skin cancer due to inconsistent care. Yet I am
never asked if I keep children out of the midday sun or apply
sunscreen every two hours.

Personal Life
I was recently asked during a phone interview, "Why aren't you
married yet?" I diverted the conversation, but I wanted to
scream, "Because he DIED. Why does that matter?"

I was also told in an interview, "You've entered domestic service,
so you need to be honest about anything I ask." That one I laughed
at. And of course I declined to go any farther with the interview.

Should these things matter when choosing a nanny? Certainly not as
much as the care your child will be receiving. Sometimes parents are
simply curious, but assessing a nanny for childcare skills is far
more important than personal choices.

Asking the last five articles a nanny has read and how she spends
her free time can be innocuous ways to find out more about her.
Hobbies are an import clue, and a perfectly acceptable topic.

If you are concerned about the people a nanny may expose your
children to, let her know that you would like to meet any friends or
family first.

It is imperative to ask a nanny if there are any situations in her
life that may affect your children's or your family's safety. It is
a rare occurrence, but it is possible that someone may wish your
nanny harm.

An agency owner related this story: "We had a nanny placed - her
background check was perfect and she was doing a great job for the
family when her husband showed up at the house one day and beat her
up and even pulled a gun on her in front of the children. It was
horrific. If we or the parents had asked her if she had any spousal
or boyfriend problems we would have been aware of this character
(she had reported him for domestic violence previously) and probably
learned that they were going through a messy divorce and no longer
living together. Maybe she would have gotten the job and maybe the
parents would have warned her to not give their address to anyone or
to let anyone into their home. No one asked and on one knew about
him."

Reverse Questions
Encourage a potential nanny to ask questions about your family, and
be open when answering reasonable ones. The initial interview is as
much an interview for the employer as it is for the nanny. An
experienced nanny will have an idea about the kind of family that is
a good match for her. A nanny might prefer to work for a family that
does not use physical discipline, or may not be comfortable with
certain religious values.

Just as you will be putting your faith in a nanny, she is also
relying on you. A nanny has to protect herself from sexual
harassment, abuse, marital problems and families who don't pay. An
unreliable employer can damage a nanny's credit or reputation,
affecting her life for years. Even on a basic level, inconsistent
hours and last minute changes affect our personal lives,
appointments, college classes and budgets.

Be open with the nanny about any potential difficulties within your
family. A pending divorce, a move, even home renovations will
greatly affect her work life, and she deserves to know. Encourage
her to talk with any former nannies and babysitters.

There are topics to cover for the benefit of both sides. But there
is a way to do it without being unkind. With a little thought, both
parties can find out what they need to know while respecting
individual privacy.

Parents and agencies should be reminded that a nanny is a person,
not a domestic servant drafted into not having a life or feelings.
Allowing a nanny to be a professional and to display her hard-earned
knowledge is a much better use of interview time.

Raising the level of interview questions is crucial to legitimizing
the nanny profession. Keeping the good nannies and weeding out the
bad depends on better, more accurate interviews. Let's start asking
the right questions, and leave the meddling ones behind.

Karen Braschayko is a nanny and freelance writer in Ypsilanti,
Michigan. karenbraschayko@hotmail.com

BMW Vs. Hyundai

2011-10-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

BMW vs. Hyundai

By Marni Kent

First, to those of you who drive a Hyundai, I am not making light or passing judgement on what type of vehicle you may drive. Good, now that you know I am by no means a automobile enthusiast, we can expound on my aforementioned comparison.

Since my arrival here in the Sunshine State, I’ve had the sometimes pleasure, and sometimes pain of having to endure the arduous interview process. I know a lot of you, like me, from time to time have left these interviews with a sense of bewilderment and inexplicable disbelief. Agencies in large part have all of our best interests at heart. However, they also have a business to run with the end result being the “ bottom line “. What this means to you and me, is that while most agencies do their level best to place us with the right family, sometimes the nanny and the client’s best interest get’s overlooked in an effort to meet their economic business demands. This brings me to my automotive point of view. I, like many of you, have car shopped and purchased a variety of different vehicles over the years. Generally, I do my budget and car pricing homework before I venture out shopping. I know well in advance if I can afford that BMW or Hyundai. Additionally, I know about standard and optional equipment. That said, too many times I have interviewed with client families who want every option under the sun but are only willing to pay for the standard model. In many of these instances the agency was the primary component in this misinformation. The agency, like the initial car salesman has to sell you to the prospective client. Unfortunately, like car buying half truths and embellishment is too often the order of the day. So if I am well armed with critical information I will not find myself in the wrong dealership, right. Not so fast, frustration is only one of many emotions I feel when I get in the middle of an interview and I hear this famous phrase,“ salary is not an issue.” Whatever your feelings are when and if you hear that phrase just be sure your sitting down because in my twenty years in this business I have only once had that statement be the case. Too many times erroneous salary needs and the budget of the prospective client are like buying that BMW or Hyundai. If the agency and the nanny are conveying accurate information, either verbal or written, these time consuming mishaps won’t happen. If the client cannot afford that BMW type nanny, then don’t waste everyone’s time by sending her to a Hyundai budget family who has no hope of hiring her due to their budgetary constraints. Nanny window shopping tends to erode the clients confidence and heighten their anxiety about finding the right nanny.

In closing, be passionate about what we do, but also be prepared, and always do your best to get into the right dealership.

Surviving a Bad Reference

2011-10-09T18:01:00.001-07:00

Surviving a Bad Reference by Glenda Propst
Recently, a good friend emailed me for advice on what to do.
She had decided to leave her "not so great job" and try to find a new family.
She called her agency, filled out the paperwork, listed her references and waited for the phone to start to ring.

She went on a few interviews but nothing came of any of them. Even the ones where she felt she really connected with the parents never called her back.
Finally, one day her agency called and asked her if she knew that her former employers were giving her a bad reference. She had been with the family for 2 years, and even though things were not perfect, she could not believe the parents were giving her a bad reference.
She asked me for advice, and I turned to my panel of experts, a list for parents, nannies and agencies that I moderate for Yahoogroups.
Not only did I get great feedback, but I found that this is something that happens to nannies often, with and sometimes without their knowledge.
Most of the parents said that if a nanny had been with a family for 2 years, and the parents had kept her employed, they often felt that was a sign that things were not as bad as they had indicated and the length of employment spoke for itself. They also said that they checked all the nanny's references before making a final decision and that often times that was the only bad reference they got. If that was the case, they would not let that keep them from hiring the nanny. They also said when they specifically asked what the problem with the nanny was, the problems were most often not related to the care they gave the children.
The nannies and the parents all said that honesty is the best policy. It is never good to start a trust based relationship with a lie.
If the nanny knows that the parents are giving her a bad reference, and not using the reference would create a big gap in her work history, it is best to be honest and say that this was not a good family match but that she loved the children and that was why she stayed.
The nanny should always take the high road and even when confronted with what the former employer is saying, say only as much as is absolutely necessary and refrain from opening up to any potential employer about the personal lives of former employers just to expose the real picture of what went on there to justify your exit.
There are other ways to get reference from previous jobs besides using the parents. If the children went to pre-school, or school, you might be able to get the teachers to write a short letter of reference. They could simply state your time of employment and their observation of your interaction with the children. Sometimes in situations like this you can use a neighbor, a soccer coach, etc.
When you list your references, list your good references first with contact information.
List your bad reference on the sheet and when the potential employer questions the lack of contact information you can simply say that they were upset when you left and so are not giving you the best reference. so when they contact them, if they focus on your childcare abilities, then you are sure that they will get a better reference.
When a former employer is slandering you, you do of course have a choice to take legal action but if you are a nanny that has other good references, that should be your very last option. Sometimes legal action will only make a bad situation worse and even if you stop them from slandering you, you may very well put an end to your nanny career.
You can never go wrong taking the high road, but refrain from trying to get "even" with your former employer because in the long run, it will only hurt you.
Always project the most professional image you possibly can.

Growing as a Professional

2011-10-09T18:00:00.001-07:00

Growing as a Professional by: Glenda Propst

How do you feel about what you do?
Do you see yourself as a professional?
How do your employers treat you?
How do your employers' friends and family treat you?

Many of our feelings of self worth come from our employers. How you see yourself has a lot to do with how others treat you. Whether you realize it or not, people do see you, and they watch you. It may be a friend of your employer who recognizes the children, or it may just be someone who knows you are a nanny. Everywhere you go -- the grocery store, the mall, the dry cleaner, the park -- you never know where you're going to meet someone whom you know or someone who knows you.
You may be the only nanny someone knows. You are a representative of nannies everywhere. We owe it to each other to always conduct ourselves as professionals, no matter where we are.
I know it's hard to feel professional when you have no office, wear casual clothes to work, and get paid to read books, play peek-a-boo, and go to the zoo. We have no lunch hour except naptime (which our charges eventually outgrow). There is no one in the next room to whom we can run over and tell a joke, and our real bosses are usually under the age of five! As important as our work is, it's extremely isolating and lonely at times. A nanny who is not happy is not going to do a very good job. It's important for you to take care of yourself and to make sure your needs are met.
Nannies need to have a life outside of their job. Nannies also need to find other nannies with whom they can network. No one understands your frustrations like a nanny does; not because they don't want to, but because they don't do what you do. Nannies can offer support to each other and can help each other work out solutions to problems.
We all came to this road on a different path. No matter what brought you to this profession, whether you went to nanny school or just had childcare experience, finding a job was only the beginning of being a nanny. If you want to learn and grow as a professional, you must work on your professional development.
It's important to keep abreast of what's going on in the field of child care and child development. There are several ways you can do this:

	Read Child Care Books.
	Take a class. Many local hospitals have First Aid and CPR classes.
	Join NAEYC, the local affiliate offers many excellent workshops relating to different areas of child care, and community colleges offer child development classes.
	Take an assertiveness training class
	Join a professional organization
	If you have access to a computer, check out the Internet. There are web pages for nannies, nanny message boards, and even nanny chat rooms.

The more you know about your profession, the more secure you'll be in who you are. When you see yourself as a professional ... others will too

Communication by Glenda Propst

2011-10-09T17:59:00.001-07:00

Communication Article by Glenda Propst
Good relationships must have a foundation. Communication is the foundation of a good employer/employee relationship. Communication begins with the first interview, and is an ongoing process between the nanny and the parents.
During the interview, expectations of both parties need to be clearly defined and understood.
¨ Guidelines regarding discipline must be established and agreed upon in the beginning, and they need to be refined and adjusted as the need arises.
¨ Consistency is crucial.
¨ Children need to know they can take you at your word.
¨ Children need limits. it is important for the nanny and the parents to present a united front. This means that if one of the parents has a problem with the way the nanny is disciplining, they will discuss it in private, not in front of the children.
Communication must be implemented into the daily schedule.
Some ways to do this :
¨ Notes
¨ Journals,
¨ Conversation,
¨ Phone calls throughout the day.
¨ Short talks (come 10 minutes early, stay IO minutes late)
¨ Dinner away from the house without the children (this is relaxing, non-threatening, neutral territory.
¨ Family meetings
Things to Remember:
¨ As nannies especially when we live in, we have a tendency to take everything personally.
¨ Try not take everything personally. Sometimes your employer is in a bad mood because he/she ( or they both) had a bad day, not because of something you did or did not do.
¨ Sometimes parents don't even realize that what they are doing is upsetting us.
¨ Don't assume your employer can read your mind.
¨ Say the words.
¨ Learn to stand up for yourself.
¨ When you finally have the opportunity to sit and talk to the parents about a concern or a problem, here are some suggestions for making the most of the opportunity.
¨ Be Prepared
¨ Learn to distinguish between what is important what is not important.
¨ Take time to prepare an agenda of what you want to talk about.
¨ Under each item make a list of the points you want to make.
¨ If you write it down, you will not forget anything.
¨ The other advantage to writing things down is that it sends a very clear message to your employers that his was important to you and you prepared for it.
¨ Try to balance the negative with the positive.
¨ Try to create win/win resolutions.
¨ If you present a problem, offer some solutions.
¨ Do not place blame.
¨ Keep in mind that if you have a concern or a problem it is not going to go away. You must learn to deal with it like an adult.( isn't that one of the very important character traits you are trying to teach your charges?)
If you have a difficult time learning how to communicate effectively, take an assertiveness training class. It will be worth the time and money and it will benefit you in every area of your life for years to come.

Be A Great Communicator

2011-10-09T17:58:00.001-07:00

BE A GREAT COMMUNICATOR by Marni Kent

I believe that there is not a better subject than to talk about than possessing good communication skills. Communication does not happen by itself, and it certainly does not begin when you are in a position of having to renegotiate your contract, by then it’s probably too late. Remember, good communication needs to take place daily. I know this sounds redundant, but it never fails, when I have the opportunity to speak to other nannies, one of the first questions I am asked, What or how do I approach my employers about the need for changes. Contrary, to what you may think, many large corporations pay huge sums of money to outside consultants to come in to their place of business and provide detailed instruction on the importance of maintaining good and open lines of communication. As it applies to us nannies, in order to be an instrumental part of your employer’s family, you must communicate with both parents.

KNOWING THE DYNAMICS OF THE FAMILY BEFORE NEGOTIATING

This is probably going to be one of the most difficult challenges you will face when you go to renegotiate your contract. What does this mean (knowing the dynamics of the family) Basically, it means you have a clear and concise understanding of the likes, dislikes, needs and desires of the family you are working for. By possessing and maintaining a thorough working knowledge of what is important to your employer will significantly define your commitment and dedication you have to your employer. As a result, the confidence your employer has in your abilities will only be strengthened and your standards rose. Lastly, one subject that seems to be regularly overlooked is the importance is the importance of respecting your employer’s privacy. To put it simply, what is said or heard in the employer’s home needs to stay there. Don’t put yourself in a position of having to explain why you compromised your employer’s private matters.

Once you have this understanding, it doesn’t stop there, you need to always think of better ways and ideas to accomplish daily tasks. There maybe methods and or ideas that have been successful in the past and your existing family is unaware of them, more importantly, they may have been looking for an alternative anyway. Additionally, try not to limit yourself to doing what would be considered a past practice, be a resourceful and innovative as you can possibly be. Don’t be afraid to make suggestions to your employer, generally they will be appreciative that you put their interests first and always striving to enhance or refine day to day operations.

SELECTING THE RIGHT LOCATION

It’s important to select a location you are both comfortable with. However, if at all possible try and select a neutral location. By suggesting a neutral location you are hopefully creating a level playing field that is favorable to both parties. Try to and be accommodating to your employer but not intimidated. Two words, be prepared and don’t expect or assume anything. A raise or contract renewal is not an entitlement, it is earned. To this end, have all your ducks in a row regarding why you have earned consideration for a raise or an extended contract.

GIVE THE EMPLOYERS SOMETHING TO HANG THEIR HAT ON:

Know how the employer will benefit from awarding you with a form of compensation and be able to articulate this to them if needed. Put yourself in your employers shoes, try to see their perspective and they will be more receptive to seeing yours. If the employer feels as though you have provided them with viable reasons to give consideration to a raise or renewal of a contract, the entire process will be smoother and equitable for all concerned. Possible issues you can bring to the table are, Wow the last year has gone quickly, bring pictures of the kids to share, reminisce about your adventures with them and smile a lot.

HAVE A PACKAGE AND KNOW THE CONTENTS:

Bring to the table more than just a couple of options for ways to receive compensation regarding your current salary. Also be willing to offer something of yourself to the employer. It’s important to know that there are more ways to be compensated the with hourly increase i.e.; more sick days or vacation days, flex hour, vehicle allowance, one time cash bonus, just remember be flexible The most important thing to remember about this subject is be realistic, don’t over extend yourself and deliver on the agreed changes.

Seven Steps to a Great Interview

2011-10-09T17:57:00.003-07:00

Seven Steps to a Great Interview

by Marni Kent

· First Impressions. When you look good, you feel good. Make sure you look groomed and neat. If you were a book, would you want to read you?

· Casual but not sloppy, your clothes should be conservative, and neutral, not wild and bright. But comfortable.

· Nonverbal communication sometimes conveys a stronger message than verbal communication. When you slouch, whether sitting or standing, you’re saying volumes about you and your confidence level. Sit up straight – like your mother always told you to.

· Eye contact and smiles can indicate a confident and upbeat attitude. This is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your social and interpersonal skills as well as your excitement about the position you are interviewing for.

· Handshakes send a perceptible message. Whether your hands are hot and sweaty, or cold and clammy.

· Your voice and the volume of your speech convey a strong impression. Speak with enthusiasm and energy. Use a firm voice to demonstrate your confidence.

· Your vocabulary reveals your communication skills and ability to interact with people.

Mastering the Art of the Interview

2011-10-09T17:57:00.001-07:00

Mastering the Art of the Interview
The interview process is a compilation of proven established techniques
and personal style. By virtue of interchanging these methods, we arrive
at an individual skill that will enable us to achieve success with the most
difficult of interviews. Outlined below are some of the most common
and unusual interview techniques related to the family/agency interview.
Hopefully you will enhance your existing skills by employing some of
these methods.
First impressions: In all interviews, the initial impression you make on a potential
employer is the most important. While this sounds basic and simplistic, nannies
continue to misjudge the appropriate attire to wear for the family or agency interview.
Specifically, " dress for the job you want ", what does this mean?, In two words,
professional and conservative. Try to put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes, a well
groomed individual conveys preparation and confidence without having said a single
word. At the conclusion of your interview, exhibit graciousness but not desperation,
leave the interviewer with a sense that your interview was time well spent. Remember,
there is no substitute for integrity, be honest and be yourself.
Non-Verbal Communications: The proverbial handshake, will generally be your initial
interaction with the interviewer. While this gesture seems rather insignificant, it
actually will give your interviewer an indication of your readiness and deportment
before you speak your first sentence. Think about the last time you exchanged a
handshake with someone and you thought they just walked out of a meat locker, or a
sauna. Your immediate attention was probably on the condition of your hand.
I suspect it may not go over well if your interviewer is having to wipe their hands on a
towel or they are having to stick them in their pockets to warm them up. Be cognizant
of your epidermal situation.
Eye Contact: Initiating and maintaining eye contact is critical. However, try not to do
so in a starring or glaring manner, as this will only make interviewers uncomfortable.
Occasionally observe your interviewers body language, this will help you in
determining the importance of certain subjects. Most people have what gamblers refer
to as a "Tell". This non verbal gesture is unique to each individual. When people are
passionate about a specific issue, they tend to become more animated when they
express themselves about the subject. When these opportunities present themselves, it is
a rare moment for you to articulate to the interviewer about a specific skill or
experience that coincides with their views or needs.
Verbal Communication: Knowing what you want to say is critical, but the approach
and delivery for how you say it is paramount. While this sounds very elementary, it
can make or break your interview. Typically, your interviewer is going to have a pretty
good idea of your individual level of job expertise. Moreover, they likely had
conversations with your past and present references, so it’s a good bet they know more
about you than you think. It is a good practice to nonchalantly emulate your
interviewers body language and behavior. Specifically, an energetic and outgoing
interviewer probably will not think positive thoughts about a prospective nanny who
slouches in her chair and answers most of questions in a apathetic or torpid manner.
However, don’t try so hard do this and ultimately make the atmosphere uncomfortable
for both you. Rehearse what you want to say at home in front of your spouse or a
friend. By doing so will only enhance your speaking ability, especially with the tough
questions. Finally, utilize voice inflection, this allows you to emphasize points of
interest as it relates to skills, techniques and experience you possess that would be
beneficial to the potential employer.

Healthy Transitions

2011-10-09T17:56:00.001-07:00

Healthy Transitions by Marni Kent and Glenda Propst
The transition period for a nanny commences at the very moment she gives her notice. Most nannies try to give a minimum of a 30 day notice as opposed to the traditional 2 week notice because of the nature of our jobs. This gives the parents time to find someone, bring them, and ideally, allow the old nanny to transition with the new nanny
Sometimes when a nanny gives notice, the parents seem angry because the nanny is choosing to leave them.
Often, what appears to be anger is really a feeling of rejection, frustration and despair because most parents rely on their nanny to help them balance the demands of their family life.
It really does not matter how long a nanny has been with a family, or even how long she has been in the nanny profession. Any nanny who gives notice will have deal with the transition time which can be difficult to downright unbearable.
When a nanny has been with a family long term, she might expect the parents reaction to be one of sadness, but many times the parents react by shutting the nanny out.
They might be trying to send the nanny the message, you choose to leave us, so we will act like we don’t need you anyway.
During your employment you might have heard things like: "We could not do it without you" "You are so wonderful!" "We hope you never leave".
Now that you have given your notice, their words and actions may be saying "We don’t care" when deep down they are saying "What did we do to make you leave us?"
.It’s going to be a long 30 days.
Of course your first instinct is to walk out early, but as a professional you don’t want to do that to the children
To overcome the difficulty of the situation, the nanny needs to reflect back to what is and always will be the most important aspect of any nanny position, the children.
The nanny needs to remember that these last days with the children are important and that as hard as it might be at times, you have to take the high road. Saying goodbye to a family goes hand in hand with enhancing your career advancement opportunities. The end is just as important as the beginning.
You will never regret taking the high road but taking the low road will always come back to haunt you.
Someday you might hear through the nanny grapevine that the family has been through 4 nannies since you left. You might hear that they had to hire an extra nanny to do the work you used to do alone. Someday that family may come back to you and say "We are so sorry for the way it ended, we should have done it differently"
So as you endure those last few days with those children you love so much, make a special effort to talk about your feelings, create some memories, and build your bridge.

13 Rules of Life

2011-10-09T17:54:00.001-07:00

Colin Powell's 13 Rules of Life from :
My American Journey (Random House).
1. It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
2. Get mad, and then get over it.
3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.
4. It can be done!
5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it.
6. Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
7. You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone else make yours.
8. Check small things.
9. Share credit.
10. Remain calm. Be kind.
11. Have a vision. Be demanding.
12. Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

A Nanny's Worst Nightmare

2011-10-09T17:53:00.001-07:00

A Nanny’s Worst Nightmare

This is an appeal to all of you nannies out there: If you haven’t already, Get CPR/First Aid Certified. I’m so grateful that I did.

I do nanny-share for two infant boys.

One day in February I put the 10 wk. old in the crib with a baby monitor close by. I then went to the kitchen to feed the 6 mo. old. After awhile, I heard on the monitor, which was right next to me, that the little one was waking up. He was fussing a little, so I told the 6 mo. old “Eat up – we need to go get your buddy!”. Then the sound from the monitor changed. Nothing really alarming, just didn’t “sound right”.

I picked up the big boy, took him upstairs and sat him in his crib. I walked into the room where the little one was. He was laying on his back, his back was arched and his eyes were wide open. He was a pale color of blue. I ran and picked him up, flipped him over frantically patted him on the back. I tried to put my finger in his mouth, but his jaws were clinched shut! He was very rigid and wasn’t making a sound. I grabbed him and ran to the parents bedroom. I laid him on his side like I was taught at the infant CPR class, and called 911. I screamed into the phone “Help me! The baby is not breathing!” The woman on the other end very calmly said “Is he laying on his side?” Yes. “Open his mouth and see if there is anything in there”. Although I had tried before, this time I pried his little gums open. Saliva came out and he made a small sound. The 911 operator said “Yes! I heard that! That’s good!” After giving her the address (I can’t believe I remembered it!) she said “The ambulance is on the way.” I didn’t even hang up the phone. The baby was still very rigid and his color was terrible. I ran down the stairs, laid him on his side and waited for the ambulance, patting and rubbing his back, and whispering in his ear that it was going to be okay, even though I didn’t believe it. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and the Sheriff burst in. He picked up the baby and called on his radio – presumably to the ambulance that was en-route. He said “The baby is still in distress” and then he ran outside with the baby to meet the ambulance that was just pulling up.

I have no idea what the Paramedics did – they wouldn’t let me look in the ambulance. But I do know that I was absolutely sure that that little baby was going to die.

They told me to meet them at the hospital. I called the baby’s mom, told her what happened in a calm voice (I didn’t know where it came from, but now I’m convinced that all nannies have one in there to use to reassure the parents even when we ourselves are terrified.). I told her which hospital to meet us at, hung up the phone and for the first time since this started burst into tears. I grabbed the other baby and headed on auto pilot to a hospital I had never been to before. I called my husband on my cell phone as I drove and between sobs I told him what happened. I said I was sure that the baby would be dead when I got to the hospital, and I was already crying for his parents who would surely be grieving by now. My husband wanted me to pull the car over, he was afraid I would get into an accident. When I told him I needed to keep driving, he told me he would meet me at the hospital (which, bless his heart, he did). I ran into the ER, carrying the 6 mo. old. I was crying so hard by then I had trouble asking where they had takn him. Finally, she pointed to the cubicle. I was terrified to walk in there. A doctor walked out, saw me approaching with my blotchy, teary face. He looked confused for a second and then smiled and put his thumb up. I walked past the curtain and was greeted by the other mom, who is a doctor (I had called her too). She hugged me and said “He’s okay!”

I had to hand her baby over to her because I honestly thought I would faint from relief. There on the examining table, with tubes coming out all over, was this tiny pink (yes, pink! My new favorite color!) sweetheart.

Everyone told me I had done everything right. This was a hard pill to swallow since at that moment I felt terribly inadequate. In fact, in my mind I was already going through all of the things that I might have done differently.

The medical people, including my doctor/mom insisted that I had handled the crises very well and that the baby was alive because of it. They put him on a monitor for 24 hours to make sure he didn’t stop breathing again. They said we may never know what caused it. He may have even spit up and aspirated. It has been almost 2 months and I still get chills thinking – what if I had been in another room and not heard the “not quite right” sound?

Ginger asked me to write about my experience to reinforce to all of you nannies, the importance of getting your CPR/First Aid certification and keeping it current. The parents of my babies said “Thank God you had that class” and I said “But I was still terrified and I still felt so helpless”. My doctor/mom convinced me with her next statement: “Think how you would have felt if this happened and you HAD NOT'’ had the training.” I can’t even imagine. I don’t know what would have happened. Would instinct alone have been enough? I didn’t have to perform CPR, but if the 911 operator had told me to, I could have, and I knew it.

With all my heart I hope that none of you ever have to go through something like this, and if you have already, my heart goes out to you.

Now take a peek at that CPR card in your wallet and see if you are coming due for re-certification. If you don’t have one, take the class and get one.

CPR Classes are available through the Red Cross. You can also find classes at the YMCA, and most local hospitals offer CPR classes to the community. There are also certified CPR counselors that will come to your home and help you get your certification.

Believe it or not, you can even get your certification online.

Here are a couple of links.

CPR Pros

CPRToday
You can also practice your CPR here on this simulator.
CPR Simulator

Avoiding the Sophomore Slump!

2011-10-09T17:52:00.001-07:00

AVOIDING THE SOPHOMORE SLUMP!
By Marni Kent
Ok, you have just completed your Freshman year, you survived the honeymoon period, you have relentlessly demonstrated your knowledge, skills and abilities. Your employer gave you a serious vote of confidence by offering you a raise and a contract extension.
How do you avoid complacency and overconfidence with your new found wealth and job security. Simply put, you continue to give an effort as though you were on the verge of being replaced by a new and more efficient model. As long as we all approach our employer families with the vigor and motivation, we can be sure to enjoy success and prosperity for years to come. Remember, your employer only owes you your paycheck, nothing more. It's up to us as nannies to position our selves in a manner that gives your employer a belief that you are the mechanism that makes the household machine run. Strive to be the last thing your employer has to lend thought too. Most employer families that are fortunate enough to have a professional nanny at their disposal, have extremely busy lives, and for your employer to have the luxury of not worrying about you and your performance should be the goal of every nanny. While none of us are indispensable, you should approach your job with the mission of attempting make yourself irreplaceable. I suspect that is exactly the sort of effort you put forth in your " freshman " year. Always remember, the past is actually the present. Efforts and decisions we make today, will shape your job and career of tomorrow.

Leaving a Family

2011-10-09T17:51:00.004-07:00

Leaving a family: by Glenda Propst

These tips on how to survive leaving a family were part of the "Gentle Transitions" workshop at the 1999 NAN Conference .Thanks to all of the great survivors out there who wrote to me and shared their tips on how they got through it.
I hope this information is helpful to all nannies.

v Maintain Contact.

v If at all possible, take some time for yourself to re-energize and clear your head. Try to avoid leaving a job on Friday and starting a new one on Monday. Even if you can only manage 2 or 3 days, take a break.

v Allow yourself to grieve. You have loved and cared for these children. You have a right to be sad, you have a right to feel a great loss and you need to grieve.

If you are moving away, you can send cards, or letters, or email. Many nannies say that this is what helped them the most.

v Keep your resume updates so that when it is time , you are ready.

v
Save some money out of your paycheck every week so that you don’t end up leaving a job with no prospects in sight and no money in the bank.

v Take lots of pictures so that you will always be able to go back and look at them.

v Make sure the children understand that it is not their fault that this is happening.

v It is not their parents fault either, it is just something that happened.

v Make sure that they understand that you will still love them and that they will be in your heart and you will be in theirs always.

v Have your picture taken together so they will have a visual memory of you with them.

v Keep one for yourself.

v Talk about the fun times you have had with them.

v Try to focus on the positive even the last few days.

v Make a memory book with them or for them (Make one for yourself too)

v Have a special song that they can sing when they miss you, and tell them when they sing it, know that you will be thinking of them too. (You could also do this with a book)

v Keep in touch with them. In the beginning this is crucial for all of you. As time goes by, it will get easier.

v Help them set up email accounts.

v Remember that the love you gave to these children is something no one else could have ever given them, and no one else can take away.

v Remember that a good nanny always works herself out of a job.

v Remember that these are not your children, and eventually you will have to leave.

v Teach them that you have come to do a job, and your job is to love them and care for them and teach them to be independent.

v Help them to understand that you will not be there forever but you will always be in their lives and you will always love them.

v Remember that time is a great healer.

v Remember that as nannies our job is to help give them roots, and those roots will always be there.

v Remember that you are a better person for loving them, as hard as it is to let them go.

v Keep your correspondence and actions with your employers as professional as possible up to the last day of employment. It is tempting to reciprocate "ugliness" or "rudeness" with the same behavior, but do not allow yourself to do that.

v Maintain your professionalism.

v Give your employers as much notice as possible in order to help them find another nanny.

v You could also provide them with lists from local sources and names of several people that have expressed an interest in the position.

v If you will be in the same area, make friends with the new nanny. If you like and respect the person who comes after you, it will help you to know that those children are in good loving hands.

v Remember that recovery from grief and loss is a zigzag. You will have good days and bad days especially in the beginning.

v Let go of your pain and anger.

v Keep a journal

v Remember that love looks forward.

v Believe that what happens is what is meant to be, and there is another wonderful family out there just waiting for you to come and be a part of their lives too.

v When you start to interview again, don’t try to compare one family to another family. There is no way to measure one family against another.

v Don’t hold back on your love. As painful as the end can be, remember what you learned from these children and how much you gained from the time you spent with them.

v "The roots of love sink down and deep and strike out far, and they are arteries that feed our lives, so we must see that they get the water and sun they need so they can nourish us. And when you put something good into the world, something good comes back to you (Merle Shain)

v I would like to leave you with one final thought from the movie “Hope Floats”
Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad. The best part is in the middle and hope floats. You just have to wait for it to rise.

Return to professional wisdom page

Dream Job

2011-10-09T17:51:00.002-07:00

By Marni Kent

Professional Nanny
Dream Job

In December of 2006, I accepted what I thought to be the ultimate position, to the pinnacle of my career as a nanny. I thought this was a family of values, morales, and integrity, only to discover it was the most dysfunctional high profile family I have encountered in my career.

Part of the thinking was manifested by myself, and falsehoods that were stated by the employer. The lesson to be learned here is to do the best work you can, also, always exceed not only your employers expectations but your own.

While it's very nice to hear an employer express their long term commitment to you, you should always remain cautious to the point of working like you are not going to be there the next day. From time to time, we want to believe our employer has our best interest at heart, and as a result of this belief we lose perspective of how empty those words can be a lot of the time.

It becomes a tough pill to swallow when though no fault of your own, your employer has a knee jerk reaction to a negative family event that costs you your job!

My point in sharing this with you is that sometimes we become so immersed in the family circle that we forget we are an employee only, and still an outsider looking in. To this end never forget you are an advocate for the children, and not a referee to the parents.

So stay focused, determined, keep doing what you love most in your profession.

Quotes

2011-10-09T17:51:00.000-07:00

These quotes were adapted by
Sarah from BC
Nannies should be honored for the lives left in their hands...
We need to give them credit for their 'footprints' in the sand.

Nannies are like heroes, for the difference that they make...
For investing more than hours, for giving more than they take.

A Nanny's job is priceless, such precious minds to reach...
A job done out of compassion and love for the ones they teach.

When a nanny values children, it shows in their attitude....
There's a sense of true compassion, in what they say and do.

What makes a nanny special, is the content of the heart...
It starts with a love of children, what a beautiful way to start.

A Nanny has a mission to make a difference in the world...
Instilling values in our children, every boy and every girl.

A Nanny looks at the face of innocence and light...
Give them strength and wisdom, to teach our children right.

A Nanny is an angel, who can touch a child's heart...
And make them feel their value to give them a wonderful start.

A Nanny shapes our children, in ways we will never know...
They challenge and inspire them and prepare them as they grow.

A Nanny puts no boundaries, when it comes to our children's minds...
The sky is surely the limit, imaginations an endless climb.

A Nanny serves with wisdom and helps children shine...
She teaches them to keep searching for the goals they hope to find.

A Nanny earns a child's respect by understanding what they say...
By listening to their problems, and being mindful of them every day.

Children, honor your nanny, and respect the work they do...
They aren't in it for the money, they are there for the love of you.

Most nannies have a story, about an extra ordinary child...
Each one holds special memories that makes their job worthwhile.

It takes grace to be a nanny with a heart for every child...
Knowing when to discipline and when to comfort with a smile.

The smartest kind of nanny, is the kind that truly knows...
Its not the clothes your wearing, its your attitude that shows.

What a difference for our children, when a nanny really cares...
A touch of understanding, can take them anywhere.

Nannies come and nannies go, but are never far away...
They leave a lasting impression, its their attitudes that stay.

The value of a nanny, is more than words can say...
They live to make a difference, they strive for a better day.

What makes a nanny special, is the content of the heart...
It starts with a love of children, what a beautiful way to start.

Thank you to our nanny, who gives her life each day...
In service to our children, to show them a better way.

Bless this special nanny,
Give her grace to see her through....
Bless the children she is teaching
And let love shine upon them, too.

FROM CHILD

Bless my nanny, who speaks the words of truth to me...
Let my nanny be an inspiration as I process and receive.

Memorial to Ana Maria

2011-10-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

In memory of

Ana Maria Montaño DeGimenez

who made the ultimate sacrifice as a nanny when she lost
her life, trying to save the life of the child in her care.

Our hearts and prayers go out to her family.

One hundred years from now

It will not matter what kind of car I drove,

What kind of house I lived in,

How much money I had in my bank account,

Nor what my clothes looked like.

But one hundred years from now

The world may be a little better

Because I was important

In the life of a child.

~Dr. Forest E. Witcraft

A gentle wind blew cross the land
Reaching out to take a hand
For on the winds the angels came
Calling out a nanny's name.
Left behind, the child's tears
Loving memories of the years
Of joy and love, a life well spent
And now to God a nanny is sent.
On angel's wings, a heavenly flight
The journey home, towards the light
To those who weep, a life is gone
But in God's love, 'tis but the dawn.

by~Terry Day

To the family of this wonderful human being, I offer my sincere condolences. We will never know her story, but we do know she did her very best and it cost her. We are humbled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Linda Cooper

Sorry for your loss. To a Nanny from a Nanny from Illinois!My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family!

Sarah's Story

2011-10-09T17:48:00.003-07:00

Why I decided to be a Career NannyHi. My name is Sarah and I am a career nanny in South Africa.
Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to work with children and always entertained the idea of working as the Royal Nanny in the UK! (Not any more though) I started enquiring about nanny schools and working as a nanny, but found that it is an almost unheard of thing in South Africa. Here, a nanny is a black woman who cleans your house and takes care of the kids for usually less than minimum wage and not so great working conditions. In the last 10 years, things have been changing, but are changing very slowly. I am trying to get the message across about the differences in childcare and it is slowly, but surely, working. Many girls working as aupairs in SA are only doing it because they need a part-time job that fits around their studies and many think that childcare is an easy, well-paid job (which it isn’t in SA) Most girls work with school age children (fetching from school, homework etc) and babies go to crèche from 2 months old!!!
Once I found out that there is nowhere in South Africa to train to become a professional nanny, I started looking overseas. I found the Nanny and Governess School in Ohio, USA and various colleges in the UK offering the NNEB (now called DCE) as well as Princess Christian, Chiltern and Norland Nanny Schools which are very elite. All however were too expensive for me and my parents at the time. So, I started working as a mothers helper after school (for about 4 hours a day) everyday with 3 boys aged 1, 4 and 9 years. I spent 11 months (over 500 hours) with the family in the afternoons. I had sole charge as the mum was sick (very tired all the time) and she slept most of the days or went out. That was a lot of fun so after I finished high school I decided to take a year off from studying and I went to the USA as an aupair. Well, that was indeed an eye-opener as I cannot believe how many parents take advantage of a young girl in a foreign country. I was so glad that I spoke English fluently!
I stayed for a year and when I came home I got a job with a family in South Africa looking after 2 children aged 5 and 10 years mainly responsible for after school activities (bear in mind that our schools finish between noon and 2pm). This only lasted for a couple of months, because by now I knew that I really wanted to care for babies. I had also decided to pursue a teaching degree as I knew that it would give me the education I needed in child development and education to work as a nanny overseas.
Quite by accident, I found myself with a full-time job in a crèche responsible for 3 – 4 babies under 6 months. I was in heaven, except that it was just a temp job and the permanent staff were due to return after 4 months. Then, the one baby in the crèche who was often sick ended up in hospital and I was a full-time nanny! This started off as a temporary job because the family couldn’t afford a permanent nanny and had decided to send the baby back to crèche when she was better, so I set about finding myself a new job to start when this one ended – Jan 2004. Since I was starting my teaching degree, I decided to find work in a school setting as got a job working in a school as a teachers’ assistant. I signed the contract in late December and told my family who were rather upset because they had decided that they rather enjoyed their nanny especially since they hadn’t been back to the doctor once since I started! I helped them find a new nanny, but because of the lack of childcare professionals in South Africa, it took a long time. Eventually we found a great girl who although had some experience (2 weeks or so) with babies, still put the baby’s nappy/diaper on backwards the first time! She was rather nervous around baby especially for nap routines and bathing.
I started my new job, but still went to visit regularly and babysat often. I soon decided that my specialization as a nanny was going to be babies, the younger the better and I applied to attend the MNT (Maternity Nanny Training) course in the UK (in Dec 2004) to train as a maternity nurse (specializing in home care of newborns to 3 months).
I also got a job as a maternity/baby nanny in the afternoons for 5 – 6 hours a day to help with a little baby who was just 4 days when I started. When she was 6 weeks my agreement with the mum ended and I now have another maternity nanny position with a boy who was just 2 weeks when I started. The were eager for me to quit working at the school in the mornings, but I had signed a contract and I wanted to stick to it. I worked with them until the baby was 10 weeks and then they hired an aupair! Well, that didn’t last long and 5 hours later, I was re-hired as the permanent nanny.
I am now a nanny to a darling little boy in the afternoons soon to become full-time (Oct 2004) and I am loving every minute of it! I am also on a crusade to get Professional Nannies in South Africa (few that we are) recognized as such. I am also starting up a support group for nannies in the area, but there are not many of us.
I just love being a nanny and I can see myself working as a nanny for a very long time. I hope that in the near future, things turn around in South Africa and that we sort out better care for our children, who are our best assets!

Teresa's Story

2011-10-09T17:48:00.001-07:00

Teresa's StoryThis is my story. I am going to tell you about my recent career change. I am proud to call myself a CAREER NANNY!

Two and 1/2 years ago I decided to become a nanny. Strictly because of the economy I thought, that I made that choice. It was the best career move that I could have ever chosen. More recently, I decided to continue and become a career nanny!!! I am so completely happy with my decision to do so.

I'm not going to give you a play by play of every trauma, bad luck and negative situations I've been in. I believe all of which you've succeeded in your life has shaped you in to what you have become and what will be. We are constantly changing, learning, growing! I am blessed to have received such harsh reminders, (lessons) of my purpose and Gods' Will.

I have worked in the professional office environment for over 14 years and witnessed the corporate back-stabbing and BS that finally drew the final straw. I became a massage therapist; to the opposite side of the spectrum of irate clients, the quality/productivity/quantity measuring stick, In that I found a need to serve people in a more caring, respectfully, holistic and spiritual way. 5 years later, I began having some carpal problems, which again lead to another transition, of which became a lay-off. And then....

Here I am. A career nanny!! I started searching the web for career nanny type agencies, which SUPPORT ($) the Professional Career Nanny!!! So, I am really just beginning the travel and cross country nannies of the world. I am happy to become apart of your world. I am ready to learn from my veteran compares...so don't hesitate to email me with advise and of your gracious wisdom!!! tmn_tesa @yahoo.com

I had not expected to fall in love with my job, but I did. I love children and all of their innocence. Seeing their eyes sparkle with pride from their first step, or word and song. Watching their intense concentration of experiencing finger-paint all over their hands, and seeing in their eyes, the planning of what shall I do with this paint...and it not involving the paper in front of them :) Making up stories and songs and not worrying if they are right or wrong. It doesn't matter they made them. Dancing to silly music with streamers, towels or socks. Learning....with the great educational books from Wal-Mart or teacher discount stores. Reading...drawing...laughing...chasing...having fun!!!!!! Even the bad days are not bad. There is always a reason behind the behavior. I even found, in the disequilibrium phases, Katie understood that she couldn't control those urges to 'act out' or 'whine' like a 3 1/2 yr old does, and all I would need to do is to look at her and she would just laugh. Or the times when she just needed to cry....she didn't know why...sometimes we don't always know...and it was always ok. We had a great understanding.

I don't know if all my future jobs will be like that. And I don't know what is in HIS plans but I do know that I have a unique gift and connection, an empathetic desire to protect, love, advocate, teach, care and educate my charges. That as I proceed and investigate other child-care careers, I would not be granted such liberties and freedoms as we so have.

I am currently learning, how to say good-bye as I approach the end of my contract. I decided to write a very personal letter with my hopes she will keep, and cherish it as well as our memories. I am inserting the letter and a picture of the two of us in a book-type photo frame. I am also including a package of some treasures that I hope serve as a reminder of our great times together.

Tina's Story

2011-10-09T17:47:00.003-07:00

Tina's StoryTina is my name. I guess you could say I have been a nanny in training my entire life. Professionally I have been a Nanny for nearly 9 years and in the early childhood education field for 19 years. I live in Golden, Colorado and have lived within 15 minutes of here since I was 4 years old. I began volunteering as a swimming instructors aide at the age of 10 and fell in love with teaching.

I started in daycare when I was 14 as an aide. I worked for a few centers in my time and have seen the good and the rotten. I really didn’t go looking for a nanny position because I thought that nanny = maid. Cleaning an entire house didn’t seem fun to me.

In 1996, a good friend of mine told me about her adventures as a career nanny. She was a real part of a family and loved to go to work everyday, even Mondays. I wanted that, the connection with a child or children and working along side parents. I visualized the difference I could make.

My first position was for 4 children and an old golden retriever. (The puppy came later!) I learned to be quick and efficient. I learned the word multitasking! Those children gave me a great sense of accomplishment and love.

In 1998, I nannied for a couple with an 8 month old baby. I had an open relationship with my employers and any conflict was resolved quickly. Baby number 2 came along 2 1/2 years later. Even today, I keep in touch with these two wonderful children. I was with this family for 5 years.

Just this year, 2003, I was hired on with a new family with a 2 yr old and newborn baby girls. I am enjoying this extension of my journey and have bonded well with this family.

Do I know what the future hold for me? No. But I do know, as long as I am on earth, children will be a part.

Kari's Story

2011-10-09T17:47:00.001-07:00

Kari's StoryWhen I was younger, I loved going to the neighbors who had toddlers and hanging out with them. I have always enjoyed the company of younger children! When I was 10-11 I started babysitting for families in the neighborhood, and my sister and I took on a full time babysitting job in the evenings for a family that lived nearby.
We were young and that job did not last very long. It was too much for us at that young of an age I think we were 13 at the time, I am not sure of the age but I know we were young! I babysat for various families in the community and really enjoyed the children. I think the most I made babysitting was $2.00 an hour! I had an older sister who had always told me I should go to Nanny school. I was like nanny school? I really didn't think much of it.
We had neighbors that had 4 younger children and I was always watching them. Some weeks in the summer I was watching them full time and I was making $2.00 an hour for 4 kids but, I enjoyed those kids, I even went over and played with them even when I wasn't supposed to be babysitting. I had no idea what I was going to do after I graduated from high school.. I just knew the thing to do was to college.
Nanny school was in the back of my head, but I didn't think I would ever make enough money to survive on being a nanny. I took care of children full time through all my summers in college I don't think I ever even made $100.00 a week, but I enjoyed what I was doing and I was getting paid to have fun. I took on full time jobs when I was done working a full days work with the children.
When I was away at college I had no idea what I was going to major in, I changed my major every month. One day I discovered Family Life/Child Development program at school, So I thought I would pursue that and get my Parenting Ed Licensure to go with it. So I got my BS and graduated, but now what?
I was working full time at a local Super market and worked my way into management, so when I graduated, I moved to Rochester and worked in the grocery chain. I worked 6 months as a supervisor and I thought to myself,
I want to take care of young children not teenagers! I found a job as a toddler teacher at a local day care, but the day care was poorly run so I thought I would find a job in one of those fancy national chain centers. Big mistake. I then realized the small poorly run day care center was more on target.
At my new job, the children were treated like little robots, they had to stay on their cots for 3 hours no matter what and every child had to do the same thing as everyone else day in and day out. I was looking through the want ads in the local newspaper and found a nanny job that was going to pay me as much as I was making as a teacher. I decided I would give it a shot!
It is the best move I have ever made! It was for a family with a set of twins who were 20 months when I started out and a 3 year old girl. The children got individual attention and it was a great job. Two and a half years later I became pregnant with my daughter and was having a rough spot with my family, so I thought I would look for a family that paid well.. Big mistake! I quickly learned that the amount of money that I made was not as important as my relationship with the family and the children. I went back to my old employers after my daughter Maddie was born. I went back and worked with the family for almost another year. Some of the reasons why I quit the 2nd time around was because I didn't feel it was fair for the children I was taking care of or for my daughter. They were all in different stages of their lives. The twins were giving up their naps and they were involved in activities and wanted to hang out at the pool more. The children loved Maddie and Maddie loved the children, but I felt I wasn't being fair to either.
I quit that family and took my time finding my current employers. I have been with them for almost 3 years. When I started working for them, my charge was 3 months, my daughter was 15 months. My daughter and my charge were exactly 1 year apart. It was the best arrangement and still is! Maddie and my charge are just like brother and sister. My employers love the relationship the 2 have formed, and because they were both close in age I didn't feel like I was neglecting either one. My husband gets off work at 3 so he will come and get Maddie so I can have the one on one time with my charge. I have the best of both worlds! There have been times where I have thought of quitting to find a more "professional job" cause people commented all the time I have a 4 year degree and I am nannying, why don't I find a better job? What they don't realize is that I have the best job I could have right now! I have a great relationship with my employers where I am respected.
People ask me all the time what makes a great nanny/employer relationship. I know there are many that don't agree with me, but I say treat it like a marriage. Each side gives and takes a little. When I do have problems I have learned that communication is the best solution! The most important thing I have learned from being a parent and a nanny is that it is a lot easier being a nanny than a parent. I used to be so judgmental and critical of parents and I have learned it is so different on the other side of the fence. I love my job and could not ask for a better job or better employers!

Susan's Lehman

2011-10-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

Greetings to all.
My name is Susan Lehman and I've been a career nanny for 18 years. I remember very clearly seeing the movie Mary Poppins when I was 5yrs old. I was amazed!
When I was out of college and wondering about a career move, I saw an article in the St.Louis newspaper about a new nanny program. I was
intrigued! I enrolled along with Glenda and several others and graduated with a certification at the end of 1984. I was thrilled,it truly felt like mycalling.
In the spring of 1985,I packed a few belongings, and flew across country to work in Malibu,California.
I thought I had died and gone to heaven! I was in charge of two infants, the children of research scientists. Baby Heaven!
A few years later, I was ready to try my hand at a different aspect, nanny placement. I was hired to be an administrator ,then worked my way up to
placement, and teaching at a nanny school in Beverly Hills. It was fun and exciting,but I longed to be back in the home with an infant.
My next job was with an actor/producer couple with a baby girl in Santa Monica. I stayed almost 6 yrs!
I traveled with them, went on location to do films, and had a wonderful time. We got along famously!
Then the Los Angeles riots hit and I was ready to make a move.
On to northern California where I took a position with another infant. From Hollywood to Silicon Valley! What a change. Again I stayed a long time, almost 7 years, which takes me to my present position with 2 wonderful little girls that I've been with for 4 years. (Madison is 4 and Sydney is 2 and one half)
What an exciting 18 years it's been, I can't imagine doing anything else. I love it. Thank you!

Harriette's Story

2011-10-09T17:45:00.001-07:00

Harriette's Story
Harriette Grant passed away on June 30, 2002. She had been a nanny for 40 years. You can read her story in the book Like a Second Mother but here is my tribute to her life and her enormous contribution to nannies everywhere.
The following article about Harriette Grant first appeared in the NAN Newsletter in June of 2001.
A nanny for the ages by Glenda Willm Propst
These are some newspaper headlines from 1961:
U.S. Breaks Off Diplomatic Relations With Cuba;
John F. Kennedy Inaugurated as President of the U.S.
Peace Corps Established by Kennedy;
UN General Assembly Condemns Apartheid;
‘Freedom Riders’Attacked by White Citizens in Anniston and Birmingham;
Bay of Pigs Invasion;
Kennedy and Khrushchev Meet in Vienna to Discuss Disarmament;
Berlin Wall Constructed; Actor Gary Cooper Dies at Age 60.
These are some popular books from 1961:Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein;
Catch-22, by Joseph Heller; and
Tropic of Cancer, by Henry Miller (the first legal publication in the U.S.).
Some of the popular movies that year were:
"West Side Story,"
"The Hustler," and "Judgment at Nuremberg."
And among the most popular songs were:"Love makes the World Go Round,"
"Moon River,"
"Where the Boys Are,"
and "Exodus."
How many of you remember any of these events and cultural markers? How many of you were even born in 1961?
Well, even if we are among those who were not yet born in1961, there was an event that in some way affected all our lives that year. This event did not make the headlines, but it changed our lives all the same.In July, 1961,Harriette Grant began her career as a nanny. At that time there were no newspaper articles about nanny salaries or benefits there were no formal nanny training programs in the United States, there were no nanny support groups, and there were no nanny organizations.
Harriette was just 19 when she started taking care of Sylvia Whitman. In the book "Like a Second Mother," Sylvia writes about a very different Harriette from the person we know. Sylvia’s "Rat," as she affectionately called her, changed her hair color every week, and their house was the best patrolled in the neighborhood because all the policemen had a crush on Harriette.
Harriette was with the Whitmans nine years, and she maintains a close relationship with Sylvia Whitman, who is now all grown up with a child of her own.
In 1970 Harriette moved to Washington, DC, to care for the Brown children, with whom she stayed for 20 years. Even after the children were teenagers, Harriette remained and helped the Browns part time (she took a second part time job with another family in the neighborhood).
Harriette was there when one of the Brown children graduated from Princeton University, and when her other "child" graduated from High School. While she was in DC, Harriette began to get serious about solving the problems surrounding the lack of support nannies had.
Harriette Grant was one of the founders of the very first nanny support group in the USA. It was called ADCAN - the Association of DC Area Nannies. The group still runs strong today, and prides itself on being the oldest nanny support group in the nation.
Harriette was also a founding member of International Nanny Association, served on its board of directors, and was the INA’s first Nanny of the Year in 1990.
She was one of the three co-founders of NAN in 1992.
When Harriette moved to New York City in 1999, she became one of the founders of the Professional Nannies of New York.
I first met Harriette Grant at the INA conference in Vail, Colorado, in 1988. We were going to be serving on the INA Board together. It did not take long for us to realize that we had the same concerns, the same vision, and the same passion for the nanny profession. After the conference, we burned up the phone lines on a regular basis.
We became very good friends, and in 1992, along with Eva Harkness, we founded the National Association of Nannies.
In 1997, when Harriette asked me to run with her for Co-President of NAN, one of my greatest concerns was that it might hurt our friendship. We promised each other not to let that happen. I think we’d both admit that at times it has been a struggle, but we served as Co-Presidents for the last four years, and we are still on speaking terms. We did not always agree, but we always respected each other and we have always tried to make what was best for NAN our top priority.
NAN benefited from her vision, her professionalism, her steadfastness, her wisdom, and her commitment to the Nanny profession.
It’s a little overwhelming to think of all the things that have happened in the last 40 years, and of how far the nanny profession has come. I think of all the changes Harriette saw and of all the nannies she encountered on her journey.
When I think of Harriette Grant, I think of the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:
"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail."
Harriette led the way where there was no path. She blazed a trail for 40 years, .As her torch is passed, we can all learn a valuable lesson from her life, her example, and her dedication to her career.
It is up to each of us to continue the work that Harriette started. We are pioneers of the nanny profession, and it is our job to continue to blaze the trail.
Harriette, you have been our friend, our leader, and our inspiration. We will never forget you and we will work hard to continue your legacy.
You leave us with many wonderful memories but a hole in our heart that only you could fill.
Rest in peace dear friend.

Cindy's Story

2011-10-09T17:44:00.001-07:00

Cindy's Story

I have been a nanny for 6 years and worked for a family for ten years as a babysitter and then as their nanny. I went to college and got my degree in Special Education, but I didn't like the lesson plans. I hated it. I loved working with children who have disabilities though. I have been doing that since I was 14 years old and now I am 24. It has been 10 years and I still love it. I decided that I liked being a nanny and wanted to continue with it. I loved working with a family and the relationship that you gain from it. Right now I work for two different families and I like it that way. I also baby sit for families at night and on the weekends. I love it. Children are just a part of me. At church I do the nursery for the children for our women's meeting. I teach Sunday School to the 4 and 5 year olds. My life wouldn't be the same without the decision I made to be a career nanny.

Cindy Piper

Myrna's Story

2011-10-09T17:43:00.001-07:00

How the nanny profession chose me…by Myrna

I am honored to stand before my peers as an example of a professional nanny. In 1990, I would not have imagined for myself that this day would come that I would be chosen to speak to you about my personal story of success in our chosen profession. Indeed, the emphasis on choices is poignant in how I arrived to this point.

I am the youngest of two children born to Haitian immigrant parents devoted to giving their children a better chance to surpass the disappointments of lacking opportunities in their homeland. So my mother left behind her nursing career and my father, principle of a private school in Port au Prince to start a new life. Little did I know at my conception that I would mirror many of their persecutions that they so hoped to avoid for us through my choice of pursing a nanny career. You see, around the time they came to New York in the 1960’s was at the height of turbulent times in the US particularly for minorities. They overcame language barriers, learning new cultural norms, and discrimination to attempt to have a better chance. Despite this, they taught us pride in our heritage, self confidence, respect for all people, and the driven focus it takes to achieve your dreams. My father was a success as a telecommunications engineer and my mother as an RN and most importantly her career as mother. I didn’t make things easy for her as my selfish need for her caused her to postpone her own personal ambitions and raise us full time. Every time I saw her nurse’s uniform, stockings, and shoes I would dissolve into tears because I knew she would be leaving. Who would make my oatmeal just the way I liked, or braid my hair with pretty ribbons to match my dress…. I will always be grateful to her for this sacrifice because her patient nurturing has directly influenced how I care for my charges. I choose to empathize with my charges when they cry out for their mom and try to find a positive way to smooth over the transition because I understand the depth of this bond. Little did I know that as soon as I could recognize the difference between myself and a younger child that I would naturally focus my attention on them in a mothering way. My mom always said that she always knew I would work with children one day, deep down I knew it too.

I assumed that I would become a pediatrician one day. If you understood Caribbean parents, they instilled in us very early on that a white collar profession is the ultimate symbol of success. I subconsciously carried this training with me as I achieved great success academically through my school years. Naturally, I rebelled against my parents conservative ways in my teens as I tried to formulate my own opinions and thoughts about the world and my place in it. I remember a volatile conversation with my father at one point when one of those ah ha moments struck my core. I wanted a fancy pink & green polo shirt to match my asymmetrical hair do and gold hoop earrings. He emphatically told me he would not give me the money for one and that when I earned my own money that I could have whatever I wanted. So my reply was, “so when I have my own money I can do whatever I want”. I think that I still live by those words today. I started babysitting at the age of 13. First in the summer, then I became a walking weekend rolodex for the neighborhood by high school. However, it wasn’t until my freshman year in college that the tables were turned around with exactly how I would work with children. I heard for the first time in Chapel Hill , NC the word “nanny”. It came from a classmate who told me about how she was working for a university professor and his wife as their nanny. She earned a weekly stipend along with room and board. So, I put an ad up through the campus job postings and my first nanny job came along soon after. My first position was with a newly divorced mother of two with sole custody who needed a nanny for her children when she traveled as a flight attendant. I would work for the 48 hour shift, 2 & a half days a week, have a car to use, and room and board plus $90 a week net after taxes! Man, this was sweet! I couldn’t believe my fortune. I stayed with this family through 4 changes in my major and graduation 4 years later! I never anticipated as their novice nanny, the need to understand the complexities of divorce and working with a single mom. It was a rewarding experience and impacted my final selection to major and graduate with a degree in psychology. This spring, I have the honor of being a part of my first charges college graduation in the field of aeronautical engineering.

I quickly grew tired of becoming a live-in nanny and longed to live on my own. With the help of my best friend as my roommate and mentor, I left behind the glory days of my cushy life and sought another nanny position. I was fortunate to find a neighbor in Chapel Hill who needed a nanny after the birth of her daughter. I took the position full time at $5 an hour, full medical coverage, a car, and annual bonuses for performance reviews. In NC, this was sufficient for me to live on my own. I learned a great deal about infant care during this time and the catalyst that changed the direction of my nanny career occurred during this position. I was earning 50cent incremental raises every 6 months but during my tenure with this position I was still struggling to make ends meet and wanted to step up my work performance to earn more. So, I sought another certificate in child development in evening classes and began to look at curriculum models to use with preschoolers. It was at this time that I assumed that my path was taking me towards opening up my own daycare center but with the centers that I visited I felt something vital was missing. The wonderful connection of working with a child one on one. So, I developed curriculum to use in home with my toddler charge. I created a weekly schedule that I followed around a theme. It was so much fun and reduced the monotony that I felt when I was working in a reactive mode around her feeding and sleep schedule. Despite familial pressures that I was working as a “domestic” which was against everything they had worked hard to avoid for me I loved what I was doing and felt at last that I had a career developing here. I chose to find a way to make nannying work for me beyond just getting by. So, in my 2^ndyear with the family, I requested a meeting to augment my salary and was told by my employer, “Myrna, you’re earning $6.50 an hour here, you’re not going find anyone else who will pay you as much as we are”. I felt like I was back in the living room with my pops, and the words came back to me, money provides options. I submitted my resignation without forseeing the devasting pain of loss that I would experience as a part of a nanny’s career vowing to never allow myself to get so emotionally attached to my charges again. My best gift to her was exposing her to the hobby she treasures to this day, trains.

I found my 3^rd family at double the salary for two adopted children with full benefits. This position was perhaps my most unique job as I was hired by the mother’s power of attorney while the mother was away for several months. I learned over the course of this position the Montessori philosophy that I embrace to this day, managing household employees when the principle was away, and the delicate balance of parent consulting. I was a part of nurturing this family back to stable ground and have a beautiful god daughter that I never expected to have.

As a result of my honing in on professional household service skills through nanny manager training along with an internship at a local Montessori preschool, I felt that I was ready for another challenge. I relocated to the DC area, driven to bring to life my namesake’s acronym, (MYRNA)Multicultural Youth Respect oNe Another. I had almost ten years experience as a nanny by this time and was fortunate to be a part of a professional nanny organization that supported my career endeavors. I learned the power of professional integrity, professional approach, and the beauty of crafting this career over time despite public perception that this is a short lived career. I assumed by this time that success as a nanny meant making the biggest salaries that the field allows and I pursued it ambitiously. I interviewed with celebrities, wealthy business moguls, and some of our countries well known successful self starters. During a working trial period for a family in the DC area, I was surprised to feel discontent in nurturing a child who was served her sippy cup on a silver platter, the request to avoid baking in the kitchen, so not to disturb the chef’s schedule, and the need to be on call at a moment’s notice and ready to travel anywhere around the world with little schedule advance. Again, my personal growth & maturity would show me another path. Hesitant to turn down a lucrative salary, I took a lower paying position with a family with adopted Russian children and it turned out superb! For 5 years, I nurtured their sense of imagination, exposed them to social settings, stimulated their cognitive abilities through my homeschool program, School in the Woods and most importantly gave them consistent loving care during their parents tumultuous divorce. With consistent parent consulting sessions I worked as the stabilizing force between both households until remarriage changed my work arrangement. I managed to forget my golden rule as I tried to mend my broken heart in yet another position. This position is where I am today.

Imagine a job description with 5 children, 60 hours a week, two busy executive parents and a request for damage control as three of the girls are entering their teen years. I had often said in the past that my position with any family would end as soon as the children hit puberty, well I was going to start this one with teen woes from day one. I didn’t have much in common with the parents when it came to philosophy in child rearing in fact this family was the exact opposite of many things I stood for. My serene days of make believe, homemade crafts, and organic cooking was replaced with frequent television, guilt ridden materialism, harried soccer schedules and chef boy r’dee. YIKES! With years of experience I knew that the close to 6 figure salary package along with the generic all 5 children have no issues, SURE…. Should have been warning enough Well, I chose to give it my best shot. Within 6 months, I was able to bring calm stability to these children and vicariously enjoy the roller coaster experiences of teenagers and 2 preschoolers. I am proud to be their nanny and they are so full of light. They have motivated me to shed 20 pounds, run my first 10K race, and purchase a 1920’s rowhouse that I have recently restored.

Through each nanny position I have gained far more than an agreed upon financial arrangement. I have gotten 15+gifts that are priceless. They are woven in my heart, and have individually helped shape me in some permanent way. Each position was much like a journey revealing elements that I could never foresee, but have given me the sustenance to forge on even in times where I have felt self doubt in continuing as a nanny or my ability to put my heart out there once again. I am lucky to have contact with all my charges past and present, and look forward to the holidays especially when I get the annual photos! WOW. I say to myself, what a phenomenal ride, how did all this arise from a simple college ad. So I humbly say to you, I honestly did not choose to be a nanny, nannying chose me, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity.

(Myrna Alphonse is a former CO President of the National Association of Nannies and currently serves as the Education Committee Chairperson)

Glenda's Story

2011-10-09T17:41:00.001-07:00

Glenda

My name is Glenda and I wanted to share with you today about why I am proud to be a professional nanny

First I would like to tell you a little bit about myself, so that you will understand the road I took to get to this point in my life.

I have always loved children. I can remember my first baby sitting job when I was 10 years. I offered to sit in the backyard in the wading pool with her 2 year old, for .25 an hour. She was at home but since she had 3 other children, she welcomed a break. Later on, when I was 12, I babysat most of my summers. It was all I ever really wanted to do, and it was something that I was good at, and I enjoyed it.

I babysat all through High School and had quite a line up of families that I worked for. I made .50 an hour and back then I guess that was a lot of money. Mostly I babysat for families in the neighborhood or in my church.

I knew that no matter what I did in my life, it would involve working with children.

When I finished junior college, my church was getting ready to open a Child Care Center . This was 1975 and the need for child care was climbing.

I was appointed the Asst. Director of the Child Care Center , and then a year later, I was named Director when the Director decided to stay home after maternity leave. Child Care was very different back then. First of all, it was in a small town, and you knew everyone who brought their child there.You also knew their brothers and sisters and who they married, where they lived, and who their grandparents were.

The center opened with 12 children and I stayed there for 9 years. During the first 3 years we added 6 full time staff members. The thing that made our center unique was that we kept our original staff during the 9 years I was there, and added on more full time staff and part time workers. I liked my job, but I was almost 30 years old and the winds of change were blowing.

I cried every night the 2 weeks before I turned 30 years old.

I cried because I did not want to be 30.

I cried because I thought my life would be downhill from there.

And I cried because even though I loved my job, I lived in a small town, and there was no room for advancement.

There are times in our lives when we come to a crossroads, and we have to make a decision, I decided to do what we all do, when we want to change the course of our life

I went on a diet, colored my hair, and bought new nail polish. Unfortunately, this time, it was not enough. I knew that it was time to make a big change in my life and I was not sure what that change was going to be.

One Sunday afternoon, I was reading the paper and an article in Martha Carr’s column caught my eye. It was an Open House for the second round of the Child Day Care Associations Nanny Training Program. In the time that it took me to read the words, I knew in my heart what I was going to do.

I took the paper out to my parents and talked to my dad about it. He was not as excited as I was. He had questions. Questions, like what about insurance and what about benefits? And what about retirement? He also felt like I did not need to go to school, because of my background and my experience. I listened to him half heartedly because I knew already that this was what I was going to do. I would call and ask the questions he wanted answers to but some things, you know in your heart, and I knew in my heart that this was the next chapter in my life.

Suddenly, it did not matter to me that I would have to quit my job to do it, it did not matter to me that I would have work part time to pay my bills and my rent. It did not matter to me that I would have to drive on the highway in the city even though I had never done it before. The only thing that mattered to me, was that I was going to Nanny School , and I was going to be a Professional Nanny.

Thinking about being a nanny was easy, but as time went on, I began to realize that not everyone had the same understanding of a nanny’s role in the family. I began to realize that not everyone thought the fact that I was a nanny, was such a great thing.

People began to make comments like, “ I bet that baby thinks your it’s mother”

Oh, I hear you babysit now!

And so…as I began to dodge the bullets on the battleground of the mommy wars, I began to have a deep sense of injustice, and a seething anger, that I constantly had to defend and explain what I did, and why.

I also resented having to defend my employers especially the mother, for choosing to have a career and children.

One night, a friend of mine were out with some other friends , and a woman came over and sat down, uninvited, and started to ask us questions.Questions like: Where do you work? Who do you work for? Where is that? Etc , etc My friend Katie and I were trying really hard to be evasive because we did not want to go through the whole process of “We are professional nannies” Finally the woman just kept asking and prodding and we said “Well, actually we are professional nannies” The woman reacted very badly “ Oh my gosh, how can you stand that!, I would just go crazy if that was me, and on and on and on, until I could feel the built up anger rising out of my control.

Katie got me away from her before I lost it, but that night for me was a turning point. I decided that instead of going around being angry all the time about the injustice, and the lack of respect that nannies often get, I would channel my energy into educating the public about the nanny profession.

Shortly after that, my employer came back from California with an article about a woman who was going to be starting an organization called the International Nanny Association. She told me that I should call her, and find out more.

That summer I went to my first INA conference with 4 of my St. Louis Nanny friends. This was a group that was just starting and the next year I was asked to serve on their Board of Directors. I served on their Board of Directors for 5 years, was also a Vice President, and was chosen their Second International Nanny Association’s Nanny of the Year in 1991.

I made many friends through my work in INA and in 1992, along with Harriette Grant who has been in this profession for 40 years this year, and Eva Harkness, who is now Dr. Eva Harkness, a nanny for 15 years who also taught in Community College Nanny Program founded the National Association of Nannies. We started NAN because we wanted an organization that would reach out and meet nannies where they were, and offer them support, educational opportunities and the benefit of mentoring from nannies who had been in the field for many years.

We offered a newsletter, that was done by nannies, and we held an annual conference. Through my work in NAN, I have met many nannies across the country, but another turning point for my professional life, came in 1997 when my husband and I bought our first computer and I was mesmerized by all the nannies online and all of the information online for nannies.

The internet offered an opportunity for me to network with nannies all over the world.

I was a member of the first online mailing list for nannies, I started a Chat room for nannies on AOL, and serve as a moderator for a wonderful group online called Parents with Nannies. This is a list of nannies, parents, and agencies who work together, give advice information and support. The parents can talk about the problems they have with their nanny and the nannies can offer suggestions and advice. Needless to say we have had some pretty heated discussions but it has been a wonderful chance to see the parents side of having a nanny, without being personally effected by it.

I tell you this because by channeling my anger into something positive, it has helped me to be able to grow as a professional.

In the last 18 years I have been with 2 families. They were both very different, but I learned a lot from both of them. I am still very close to my first family and when I got married 7 years ago,( a completely other wonderful chapter of my life) all of my charges past and present were in my wedding. I have always made sure that my employers knew about and understood my interest in the nanny profession on a national level, and make it very clear that the last weekend in September is the NAN Conference, and I need to have that time off.

I have found that by sharing my NAN newsletters with them, it helps them to understand how serious my profession is to me and how deep my commitment is. This also helps them to view me as , and respect me as a professional.

At that turning point in my life I came to the realization that some people get it, and some people don’t.

Some people will understand it if you explain it to them, and some people

Will never understand because they don’t want to.

*I am the one who has to be a peace with what I do, and I am proud to be a nanny.

*I am proud to be a nanny because I know that the children I care for need me, and I know that I need them.

*I know that for every thing I have taught a child, a child has taught me something in return.

* I believe that as nannies we care for the future and there can be no other job more important than this.

Marni's Story

2011-10-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

Marni's Story
I suppose everyone has their own ideas on what kind of person becomes a nanny or even better, what kind of person should become a nanny. I guess it is a good thing I didn’t know all those theories years ago or I would have been discouraged in becoming a nanny. Agencies, when interviewing nannies, want to know about your family background--was it happy, what kind of role models we had, etc. It goes along with the theory that a well-adjusted childhood with strong parental role models is preferred for those going into childcare. I suppose that is true, but there is something about having negative role models that tell you everything not to do! It makes you more sensitive to the simple things that can hurt a child.
The best way I can honestly describe the make up of my family growing up is to use the modern term dysfunctional. For a long time I was in danger of being dysfunctional too. I was emotionally and verbally frozen. I did not know what sitting down to a family dinner meant, have a parent hug me, ask how my day went or even that they were proud of me. I was told everyday of my life I would not amount to anything—so why even try? However, they did teach me about hard work. In junior high I worked in the cafeteria so I could have a hot lunch each day and during the summers I picked strawberries in the field and if I was lucky, made $30 a day. It did not take away my home chores which included shoveling out horse manure for 8 hours every Sunday. As I look back, I can say everything I went through helped to develop strong work ethics.
In high school I was in a class of 24 and my favorite class, the one that gave me joy, was my Child Development class. My insightful teacher suggested I go and volunteer at our local grade school. You might say it was there my true training as a nanny began.
I had no idea what to do after graduation. My hometown of Athena, Oregon, population 400, didn’t seem to be a well of opportunity. After graduation I did every odd job I could find from pet sitting, fast food, and driving a Pea and Wheat combines during harvest. The one thing I discovered about myself during this time was what I did not want to do. I didn’t want to be a farmer or a farmer’s wife. I dreamed instead of being able to leave and find a place where I could finally discover my potential. Despite being told I was nothing, I still had dreams.
The one job that I would do from time to time that I enjoyed the most was traveling with Rodeo families and their children. Now days they would call that being a travel nanny! It may have been those experiences that caused me to take a double take on an ad in the local paper. It was an advertisement for a nanny. I applied and the next thing I knew I was on my way to Colorado. Even with my year of travel nanny experience, my first official nanny job paid only $500 a month. I watched 4 children under the age of 8. I was also expected to do the cleaning and cooking. To compound matters, my employer was at times two months behind in paying me. There were no taxes taken out and I was too naive to know the importance of payroll taxes. I knew nothing about having a nanny contract or how to effectively communicate to her my needs or feelings. My small storage of self-esteem was quickly dwindling and finally I got the courage to leave. I hadn’t been paid for two months and needed a paycheck quickly. At this point I did not know that the job conditions were the exception—not the norm. But the job had taught me that I loved working with kids; they were my only bonus. I had so much love stored inside of me and found that children were eager to receive it.
I was truly blessed with my next family. The family gave me a paycheck before I even started. It was a live in position caring for two small boys 4 and 2. For the first time, I had a steady paycheck and was slowly learning to give and receive love. My two precious boys taught me the joy of saying I love you and gave me wonderful big sloppy hugs. I learned the true art of patience and discipline with love. I began to hunger for more knowledge because I was determined to be the best nanny I could be. I began to seek out educational childcare material and nanny resources. I found other nannies to talk with for support and knowledge and arranged mutual play dates for our charges. I wanted to be a positive role model as I realized how important I was to these children. I wanted to be a part of molding these wonderful boys into decent and caring souls. I sought out ways to provide a value system instilled with personal discipline.
Most of all, I learned the joy of being totally silly. Whether it was singing at the top of our lungs in the car, studying the animals in the zoo or trips to the Natural History Museum, I wanted life to be fun for them. I studied how they played, what made them laugh or marveled at how they wanted the same story read over and over! I often felt they give me my bachelor degree in childcare!
I realized early in working with this family the importance of liking yourself. Trouble was I didn’t like myself too much. I was up to 182 lbs.; I had buckteeth and a unibrow. I knew it was up to me to change me. How could I teach children to be brave and disciplined if I wasn’t? So I found a healthy way to lose weight, began to exercise and put myself in braces for 3 ½ years. I liked the cosmetic changes and it did make me feel better about the outside me. I also began self-help programs to work on raising my own self-esteem. Slowly I was learning the power of love and found graceful healing through playing with my children. Laughter is wonderful medicine for the soul. There’s no greater joy than waking up and realizing you love what you do and you are very very good at it! I honed my skills by working closely in conjunction with the parents to ensure the safety and well being of their children. I learned effective communication skills and became adept at working with parents’ preferred discipline styles. There was personal satisfaction working one on one relationship with the children and their parents.
The hardest part of my job is saying goodbye and it’s something we usually do when the children start school full time, a parent decides to stay home or an economic setback makes the decision to let the nanny go. It gets complicated when you love the parent and children. However, this job had helped me develop completely as a person. I was now slim and had gotten the confidence up to join a line dancing class. Eventually I even won a few trophies. I realized the time had come to try and balance my nanny life with a personal life. Living in the tiny town 40 miles away from Denver, there wasn’t much opportunity. So gathering up my courage and tears, I left to take that next step in life’s adventures. It never gets easy to say good bye but I learned how to do it graciously. I’ll probably always struggle with telling children good bye even when I know it is time to go. Children will always insist on growing up and not needing a nanny!
I have also had to learn that there are some jobs where no matter how hard you try, communication with parents just doesn’t happen. It’s their way and that’s it. They allow you no input and the employer seeks to control your every move including your personal life. Often your charges, which are seldom the problem, adore you to the point they want to be with you all the time. Without support from the parents, you find you have no off time.
Early in my nanny career I found out there were many ways to calculate your financial worth. I remember one job that had me really excited at first. I was going to be doubling my salary! They gave huge social parties with famous and other wealthy people. But soon I realized that taking care of 6 kids, helping with homework, social event planning, working with gardeners, vendors and house hold staff, that it wasn’t just my salary that got doubled as I was working 70 hours a week too! Once again, I realized I could moan or decide how to use this experience to learn. I quickly learned how to use my God given talents of thinking ahead, prioritizing jobs and finally, how to effectively communicate with demanding employers. I look back and wonder how and why I put up with employers that told me how to dress and even what brands to buy! There were so many things to learn and I often found that failure was associated with lack of knowledge on my part. I didn’t understand about asking for accountability concerning payroll taxes and found myself with a $2000 IRS bill when my employers failed to pay the taxes they originally said they were deducting for me. I ended up taking a second job to pay the taxes.
I was young and I had a lot to learn about contracts that put everyone’s expectations on the table before you started the job. But still, I loved the part about working with children. I found this unique gift was inside of me. I could bring a smile to a crying child, find the missing homework of another and still keep the house in order. This exhilaration I found working with children was what kept me working as a nanny in difficult times.
In 1992 my life changed forever. The confidence and secure love I had grown into through the years gave me the courage to love a man called David and his 2-½ year old son. I did what any sensible person would do-- I married him.
I know that people see me as this very upbeat happy nanny and think being a nanny means never getting discouraged. But in 1993 that is exactly what happened. My job had the stress of working with parents that were divorcing. I was also dealing with the devastating loss of a sister that year from Cancer. Then one of my favorite former charges who was only 8 died on the operating table while going for simple surgery to have tubes removed from his ears. I wondered how I could continue being a nanny when I was consumed with grief.
My husband was my sounding board and we had many lengthy discussions about the long hours, the daily struggles I was experiencing and I had to really reevaluate what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. My husband reminded me of the most important element to consider. That element was my passion as an advocate for children. I knew that I possessed a working knowledge of understanding individual and family dynamics in helping everyone to reach the goals of the family. I had the skills needed now to effectively communicate my needs as well. At the end, I could only reach one conclusion; this was the career and profession for me. What I had discovered is that the career picks the person, not the other way around.
I’ve never regretted that decision. Despite the image some people have of nannies—that they are just glorified babysitters—I know better. So I’ve developed some new passions. I joined INA because I wanted to have a voice in my profession and meet my peers. On a local level, I started to mentor other nannies. I felt that I had spent years in learning how to be a great nanny and I wanted to make the road a little easier for the next generation of nannies.
What are some of the first things I try to instill as a mentor? I guess if I were to list them, they would include:

	Get into a social circle of Nannies
	Encourage them to have passion in their profession
	Teach them good communicate skills
	How to set up talks with employers to avoid problems down the road
	Good negotiating skills where everyone wins

I tell them, “Be proud to be a nanny and work to be the best you can each day. Remember, it’s a child’s life and we get to play in it every day!”
I would encourage them to read Like a Second Mother, by Barbara Blouin. It talks about the nanny situation of past years and that are still real in our society today. I highly recommend this book for any Nanny's library.
There are wonderful perks in being a nanny. Sometimes it is the simple things that set my heart aglow. I still treasure the cards from employers who wrote, “thank you for choosing us” when I accepted the job.
When ABC Nannies out of Denver, nominated me for Nanny of the Year, I had to stop and think why I could possibly be so special? I didn’t think that working 50 hours a week in my nanny job and then doing weekend jobs for families that just needed a dinner out without the troops was that unusual. I knew my nickname was Mary Poppins and yes, I really do carry a carpetbag to work. It holds the usual Bob the Builder band aids that seems to heal the hurt along with the scratch, crafts and other items that help to entertain. I am constantly changing the contents till even the parents want to see what is in my bag today! And my mentoring and work with other nannies—well—that was something that just came natural to me. Yet, as I reflected on my road to becoming a nanny, I thought, maybe it was all about passion for children and THAT I knew, I qualified for in abundance.
A nanny can be nominated for INA’s Nanny of the year by another nanny, they can nominate themselves, employers or Agencies can nominate you or any one who has knowledge of a superb nanny can render a nomination. To start the process of nomination you must be:

	Current member for one year
	Currently employed as a nanny
	5 years nanny experience
	Be able to attend the conference that year and the next

Then comes the hard work of submitting letters of employers, references—by the time I had the packet together it was almost an inch in height! It was a joy to read what the kids had to say about me and I guess I treasure those remarks the most. It was also awesome to read about the other nannies that had been nominated. Each candidate's qualifications were so impressive.
I had arranged to attend the INA conference in Florida and had roommates all set up when I got the call I had won!
The day I found out I had won The International Nanny Association Nanny Of The Year, I cried with joy. I was scared, and happy and overwhelmed. Later that evening I got to speak to Carol Anderson who was the INA’s NOTY 2001. It was an honor for me to speak to her. I will always remember her words on my phone message and my lengthy conversation with her. I hope to make the next NOTY 2003-04 feel just as special.
My hotel room would be paid for and I would be presented the award at the last dinner. I think I had a hard time taking it all in and realizing it was real—someone had recognized the importance of what I do.
Being NOTY is exhilarating; it’s the best word to describe being selected as Nanny Of The Year. I believe that I won this national award because I am an unwavering, dedicated and committed nanny representing the childcare profession. It affords me the opportunity to make a positive influential impression on existing and prospective nannies. My true passion is working to heighten awareness, commitment and respect for our profession. I think regulating our profession would be a great move. If there were mandatory minimums maybe the incidents of “Nanny gate” and Louise Woodward would be far less. There have been so many things in my life and career as a nanny that I cherished.
Some have made me cry with joy and pride, and some have reminded me it is time to move towards another journey.
Where do I go from here? I want to truly advocate for changes I think we need in our profession. I believe that being selected as Nanny Of The Year will afford the opportunity of not only sharing my professional experiences with my industry peers, but also, allow me to expound on my passion and dedication to this fulfilling career. Moreover it will permit me to have a voice in representing an industry that is developing our future.
The industry as a whole is lacking in providing a defined long-term future with respect to retirement and upward mobility opportunities. Specifically the stigma of “a babysitter” that is sometimes associated with the nanny profession can diminish the aforementioned opportunities due to misinformation by employers and the industry alike. While the nanny profession has made significant progress in terms of salary, if health care compensation continues to grow at its current rate, nannies from all levels could experience financial hardship and career instability.
While some may think Mary Poppins only existed in books, I’d like to think there is a little bit of magic in all nannies. Like Mary Poppins, we examine the children’s needs first and do what it takes to nurture them and their parents. Mary Poppins knew that she was there to highlight the family, not take the place of it. Like Mary Poppins, I store away my favorite things like homework projects, field trips with my charges and classmates singing in the car. I enjoy cooking out of the INA cookbook with a group of friends. I still enjoy the sound of laughter or kissing the booboo. Despite the warnings of experts, I treasure the simplicity of rocking a sleeping child. And who doesn’t love reading with a child or two in your lap? I hope I never get too old to make silly faces and silly sounds as we read their favorite story over and over. I still dream of making a difference in a child’s life. So when kids yell, "Mary Poppins is back", I just smile and open up my carpetbag…..

Better Nanny Interviews By Karen Braschayko

2011-10-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

Why it is Important to be CPR Certified

2011-10-04T18:28:00.000-07:00

A Nanny’s Worst Nightmare

This is an appeal to all of you nannies out there:
If you haven’t already: Get CPR/First Aid Certified.
I’m so grateful that I did.

I do nanny-share for two infant boys.

I have no idea what the Paramedics did – they wouldn’t let me look in the ambulance. But I do know that I was absolutely sure that that little baby was going to die.

With all my heart I hope that none of you ever have to go through something like this, and if you have already, my heart goes out to you.

Now take a peek at that CPR card in your wallet and see if you are coming due for re-certification. If you don’t have one, take the class and get one.

Believe it or not, you can even get your certification online.

Here are a couple of links.

CPR Pros

You can also practice your CPR here on this simulator.
CPR Simulator

Avoiding Sophomore Slump! by Marni Kent

2011-10-04T18:25:00.000-07:00

Dream Job

2011-10-04T18:23:00.001-07:00

By Marni Kent

Professional Nanny Dream Job
In December of 2006, I accepted what I thought to be the ultimate position, to the pinnacle of my career as a nanny. I thought this was a family of values, morales, and integrity, only to discover it was the most dysfunctional high profile family I have encountered in my career.
Part of the thinking was manifested by myself, and falsehoods that were stated by the employer. The lesson to be learned here is to do the best work you can, also, always exceed not only your employers expectations but your own.
While it's very nice to hear an employer express their long term commitment to you, you should always remain cautious to the point of working like you are not going to be there the next day. From time to time, we want to believe our employer has our best interest at heart, and as a result of this belief we lose perspective of how empty those words can be a lot of the time.
It becomes a tough pill to swallow when though no fault of your own, your employer has a knee jerk reaction to a negative family event that costs you your job!
My point in sharing this with you is that sometimes we become so immersed in the family circle that we forget we are an employee only, and still an outsider looking in. To this end never forget you are an advocate for the children, and not a referee to the parents.

So stay focused, determined, keep doing what you love most in your profession.

Quotes about Nannies

2011-10-04T18:22:00.001-07:00

BMW vs. Hyundai by Marni Kent

2011-02-04T05:44:00.000-08:00

In closing, be passionate about what we do, but also be prepared, and always do your best to get into the right dealership.

Mastering the Art of the Interview by Marni Kent

2011-02-04T05:24:00.001-08:00

Mastering the Art of the Interview
The interview process is a compilation of proven established techniques and personal style. By virtue of interchanging these methods, we arrive at an individual skill that will enable us to achieve success with the most difficult of interviews. Outlined below are some of the most common and unusual interview techniques related to the family/agency interview. Hopefully you will enhance your existing skills by employing some of these methods.
First impressions:
In all interviews, the initial impression you make on a potentialemployer is the most important. While this sounds basic and simplistic, nannies continue to misjudge the appropriate attire to wear for the family or agency interview.Specifically, " dress for the job you want ", what does this mean?, In two words,professional and conservative. Try to put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes, a well groomed individual conveys preparation and confidence without having said a single word. At the conclusion of your interview, exhibit graciousness but not desperation,leave the interviewer with a sense that your interview was time well spent. Remember,there is no substitute for integrity, be honest and be yourself.
Non-Verbal Communications:
The proverbial handshake, will generally be your initialinteraction with the interviewer. While this gesture seems rather insignificant, it actually will give your interviewer an indication of your readiness and deportment before you speak your first sentence. Think about the last time you exchanged a handshake with someone and you thought they just walked out of a meat locker, or a sauna. Your immediate attention was probably on the condition of your hand.I suspect it may not go over well if your interviewer is having to wipe their hands on a towel or they are having to stick them in their pockets to warm them up. Be cognizant of your epidermal situation.

Eye Contact
Initiating and maintaining eye contact is critical. However, try not to do so in a starring or glaring manner, as this will only make interviewers uncomfortable. Occasionally observe your interviewers body language, this will help you in determining the importance of certain subjects. Most people have what gamblers refer to as a "Tell". This non verbal gesture is unique to each individual. When people are passionate about a specific issue, they tend to become more animated when they express themselves about the subject. When these opportunities present themselves, it is

a rare moment for you to articulate to the interviewer about a specific skill or experience that coincides with their views or needs.

Verbal Communication:
Knowing what you want to say is critical, but the approach and delivery for how you say it is paramount. While this sounds very elementary, it can make or break your interview. Typically, your interviewer is going to have a pretty good idea of your individual level of job expertise. Moreover, they likely had conversations with your past and present references, so it’s a good bet they know more about you than you think. It is a good practice to nonchalantly emulate your interviewers body language and behavior. Specifically, an energetic and outgoing interviewer probably will not think positive thoughts about a prospective nanny who slouches in her chair and answers most of questions in a apathetic or torpid manner. However, don’t try so hard do this and ultimately make the atmosphere uncomfortable for both you. Rehearse what you want to say at home in front of your spouse or a friend. By doing so will only enhance your speaking ability, especially with the tough questions.
Finally, utilize voice inflection, this allows you to emphasize points of interest as it relates to skills, techniques and experience you possess that would be beneficial to the potential employer.

Communication is the key

2009-06-16T05:32:00.000-07:00

Good relationships must have a foundation. Communication is the foundation of a good employer/employee relationship. Communication begins with the first interview, and is an ongoing process between the nanny and the parents.
During the interview, expectations of both parties need to be clearly defined and understood.
¨ Guidelines regarding discipline must be established and agreed upon in the beginning, and they need to be refined and adjusted as the need arises.
¨ Consistency is crucial.
¨ Children need to know they can take you at your word.
¨ Children need limits. it is important for the nanny and the parents to present a united front. This means that if one of the parents has a problem with the way the nanny is disciplining, they will discuss it in private, not in front of the children.
Communication must be implemented into the daily schedule.
Some ways to do this :
¨ Notes
¨ Journals,
¨ Conversation,
¨ Phone calls throughout the day.
¨ Short talks (come 10 minutes early, stay IO minutes late)
¨ Dinner away from the house without the children (this is relaxing, non-threatening, neutral territory.
¨ Family meetings
Things to Remember:
¨ As nannies especially when we live in, we have a tendency to take everything personally.
¨ Try not take everything personally. Sometimes your employer is in a bad mood because he/she ( or they both) had a bad day, not because of something you did or did not do.
¨ Sometimes parents don't even realize that what they are doing is upsetting us.
¨ Don't assume your employer can read your mind.
¨ Say the words.
¨ Learn to stand up for yourself.
¨ When you finally have the opportunity to sit and talk to the parents about a concern or a problem, here are some suggestions for making the most of the opportunity.
¨ Be Prepared
¨ Learn to distinguish between what is important what is not important.
¨ Take time to prepare an agenda of what you want to talk about.
¨ Under each item make a list of the points you want to make.
¨ If you write it down, you will not forget anything.
¨ The other advantage to writing things down is that it sends a very clear message to your employers that his was important to you and you prepared for it.
¨ Try to balance the negative with the positive.
¨ Try to create win/win resolutions.
¨ If you present a problem, offer some solutions.
¨ Do not place blame.
¨ Keep in mind that if you have a concern or a problem it is not going to go away. You must learn to deal with it like an adult.( isn't that one of the very important character traits you are trying to teach your charges?)
If you have a difficult time learning how to communicate effectively, take an assertiveness training class. It will be worth the time and money and it will benefit you in every area of your life for years to come

Healthy Transitions by Marni Kent and Glenda Propst

2009-06-11T09:08:00.000-07:00

Healthy Transitions by Marni Kent and Glenda Propst

The transition period for a nanny commences at the very moment she gives her notice. Most nannies try to give a minimum of a 30 day notice as opposed to the traditional 2 week notice because of the nature of our jobs. This gives the parents time to find someone, bring them, and ideally, allow the old nanny to transition with the new nanny
Sometimes when a nanny gives notice, the parents seem angry because the nanny is choosing to leave them.
Often, what appears to be anger is really a feeling of rejection, frustration and despair because most parents rely on their nanny to help them balance the demands of their family life.
It really does not matter how long a nanny has been with a family, or even how long she has been in the nanny profession. Any nanny who gives notice will have deal with the transition time which can be difficult to downright unbearable.
When a nanny has been with a family long term, she might expect the parents reaction to be one of sadness, but many times the parents react by shutting the nanny out.
They might be trying to send the nanny the message, you choose to leave us, so we will act like we don’t need you anyway.
During your employment you might have heard things like: "We could not do it without you" "You are so wonderful!" "We hope you never leave".
Now that you have given your notice, their words and actions may be saying "We don’t care" when deep down they are saying "What did we do to make you leave us?"
.It’s going to be a long 30 days.
Of course your first instinct is to walk out early, but as a professional you don’t want to do that to the children
To overcome the difficulty of the situation, the nanny needs to reflect back to what is and always will be the most important aspect of any nanny position, the children.
The nanny needs to remember that these last days with the children are important and that as hard as it might be at times, you have to take the high road. Saying goodbye to a family goes hand in hand with enhancing your career advancement opportunities. The end is just as important as the beginning.
You will never regret taking the high road but taking the low road will always come back to haunt you.
Someday you might hear through the nanny grapevine that the family has been through 4 nannies since you left. You might hear that they had to hire an extra nanny to do the work you used to do alone. Someday that family may come back to you and say "We are so sorry for the way it ended, we should have done it differently"
So as you endure those last few days with those children you love so much, make a special effort to talk about your feelings, create some memories, and build your bridge.

Seven Steps to a Great Interview

2009-05-23T09:36:00.000-07:00

Seven Steps to a Great Interview
by Marni Kent
· First Impressions. When you look good, you feel good. Make sure you look groomed and neat. If you were a book, would you want to read you?
· Casual but not sloppy, your clothes should be conservative, and neutral, not wild and bright. But comfortable.
· Nonverbal communication sometimes conveys a stronger message than verbal communication. When you slouch, whether sitting or standing, you’re saying volumes about you and your confidence level. Sit up straight – like your mother always told you to.
· Eye contact and smiles can indicate a confident and upbeat attitude. This is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your social and interpersonal skills as well as your excitement about the position you are interviewing for.
· Handshakes send a perceptible message. Whether your hands are hot and sweaty, or cold and clammy.
· Your voice and the volume of your speech convey a strong impression. Speak with enthusiasm and energy. Use a firm voice to demonstrate your confidence.
· Your vocabulary reveals your communication skills and ability to interact with people.

	How do you feel about what you do?
	Do you see yourself as a professional?
	How do your employers treat you?
	How do your employers' friends and family treat you?

Career Nanny

Interview Questions

Better Nanny Interviews

BMW Vs. Hyundai

Surviving a Bad Reference

Growing as a Professional

Growing as a Professional by: Glenda Propst

Communication by Glenda Propst

Be A Great Communicator

BE A GREAT COMMUNICATOR by Marni Kent

Seven Steps to a Great Interview

Mastering the Art of the Interview

Healthy Transitions

13 Rules of Life

A Nanny's Worst Nightmare

A Nanny’s Worst Nightmare

Avoiding the Sophomore Slump!

Leaving a Family

Leaving a family: by Glenda Propst

v I would like to leave you with one final thought from the movie “Hope Floats”Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad. The best part is in the middle and hope floats. You just have to wait for it to rise.

Dream Job

Quotes

Memorial to Ana Maria

~Dr. Forest E. Witcraft

Sarah's Story

Teresa's Story

Tina's Story

Kari's Story

Susan's Lehman

Harriette's Story

Cindy's Story

Myrna's Story

Glenda's Story

Some people will understand it if you explain it to them, and some people

Marni's Story

Better Nanny Interviews By Karen Braschayko

Why it is Important to be CPR Certified

A Nanny’s Worst Nightmare

Avoiding Sophomore Slump! by Marni Kent

Dream Job

Quotes about Nannies

BMW vs. Hyundai by Marni Kent

Mastering the Art of the Interview by Marni Kent

Communication is the key

Healthy Transitions by Marni Kent and Glenda Propst

Seven Steps to a Great Interview

v I would like to leave you with one final thought from the movie “Hope Floats”
Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad. The best part is in the middle and hope floats. You just have to wait for it to rise.