I enjoy children of all ages!  One of the greatest joys in life is to guide, inspire, and strengthen the growth and development of a child.  It is wonderful to have the opportunity to encourage a child to reach for a goal, to overcome a fear, to nurture a relationship, and to applaud them as they explore, discover, and celebrate who they are and the world around them.

Honestly, I cannot think of any activity I wouldn’t enjoy sharing with a child.  Every moment in life presents a learning experience, whether it is a social interaction, an intellectual curiosity, a recreational pursuit, or a creative expression.  When teachable moments present themselves, it is an opportunity to guide and nurture on many levels, i.e., learning a life-skill, taking care of their bodies (nutrition, exercise, safety, cleanliness), pursuing educational excellence, and learning to address their own emotional needs when meeting the challenges and disappointments that life, from time to time, will send their way.

Foremost, I believe in creating an environment that encourages positive behavior through respect, praise, example, and positive messages during teachable moments. It is in the teachable moments when a child is full of awareness and genuinely open that listening and learning take place. I believe in building a child’s confidence by demonstrating my belief in him/her. Listening carefully to a child, understanding, respecting, and talking to them about their thoughts and feelings. Explaining why I have asked them to follow certain guidelines will encourage an open dialogue, hopefully averting situations that would have eventually required discipline. It is always important to praise a child, reinforcing cooperation, good choices, and listening skills.

It is important for the nanny to address the philosophy of discipline with the parents so that both parties have the same understanding on this topic, and so the nanny can provide consistency when addressing the child. It is important to set age-appropriate limits for the child (especially where safety is concerned), and I would do so with the use of a serious voice and expression, and firm, understandable explanations to convey my expectations.

Consistency, communication, and caring are paramount when disciplining a child. Interacting with the child in a way that both guides and encourages the child toward self-discipline and acceptable expressions of emotion empowers them to understand and begin to resolve their own conflicts. I use multiple techniques such as redirection, positive reinforcement, modeling, conflict resolution, encouragement, natural consequences as appropriate, and caring interactions. Every disciplinary moment is always followed by a conversation about what transpired (action and consequence) along with a hug and an affirmation of the child’s own goodness.

In a multitude of capacities, I have been working with children and families for more than 30 years.

Listening to the child, guiding their growth and development, strengthening who they are as individuals, caring for their well-being, and being a support to their parents.

A person cannot successfully care for a child unless all the people that touch the child’s life communicate honestly and openly about the care of that child.  Communication about the health and well-being of a child should be extended to all those who touch the child’s life:  teachers, coaches, health care professionals, education specialists, the parents of a child’s friend, leaders of after school activities, etc.

When children know you genuinely care about them and that you have their best interests at heart, they respond with mutual respect.  The key elements to maintaining respect are communication, sincerity, fairness, setting age-appropriate behavior guidelines, and listening to their thoughts, beliefs, and feelings.

Yes. Either one of these experiences or any experience where there is a sense of loss, will change the landscape of a child’s life. The most important thing for a child to know when they are faced with a life-altering experience like death or divorce is that they are loved, appreciated, and accepted for who they are.

It is natural for all of us to experience sorrow and grief when confronted with loss. Every one of us grieves in our own way and in our own time. It is important for a child to understand that change is a natural part of our life experiences and that change can bring us a new perspective, and a new understanding of ourselves and of the relationships we nurture. It is just as important for a child to understand that they forge and nurture their own relationships in life, and that just because someone who has been close to them is no longer sharing their life with them as they once did, they can still feel and treasure the love they shared with that person.

Life is about relationships and the nurturing love we bring to those relationships. When a child experiences the loss of a relationship and/or the loss of what has been a comforting and reliable routine in life, they need to learn the skills that will help them understand, accept, and adapt to change. Healing takes time – knowing it is okay to talk though the sadness, taking the time to remember the joy, and letting oneself feel comforted and loved by others will all enhance the healing process. Grief is something we all experience in our lifetime. It is important to learn to grieve well.

A respectful, cooperative, caring bond of an employee-employer partnership focused on the care of the child. However, quite often relationships with families quickly develop into friendships that last well beyond a nanny assignment.

I have cared for children from infancy until well into their teenage years and worked for families with one child and families with up to six children.

I have traveled throughout the Continental United States, Hawaii, Europe, Caribbean, Asia, Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand. I am comfortable in any culture and get a great deal of pleasure from seeing the world through the eyes of a child.

Yes, but the care of your child always comes first. Frequently, when parents travel and leave their children at home with me, they will request I assume the additional responsibilities of managing the household, caring for the family’s pets, following through on scheduled appointments, and, on occasion, supporting extended family members.