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All
About Me
“I will
come when you need me but may not want me, and leave
when you want me but do not need me”
Nanny McPhee
When I
used to fill out nanny applications, there was
always this “what is your nanny philosophy”
question. It always made me pause, and I could never
come up with one good answer.
I have
always felt my philosophy is that there is no
single general nanny philosophy. Each family is
different! What works for one might not work for
another. My job is to mold my style to yours, and I
cannot do that if I am tied to one philosophy.
Parents have it harder today than ever, and I feel
they need a nanny that tunes into them as well as
the children. I know that parents are not perfect,
and I want to make them feel that it’s okay to just
be themselves. My job is to accept them and
appreciate them as parents doing their best. I want
to offer parents some space to relax and enjoy their
children.
I do believe in the honesty of children and their
ability to see right through people. I do not rush
them. I’m not there to impress anyone -- I am there
to offer some warmth and security, and I understand
that trust cannot be rushed. If a child is shy, I
don’t push them to come to me. I am content to make
eye contact now and then, smile and maybe bring
something out of my nanny bag that interests them.
I’ve never had a child that didn’t warm up to me
quickly but if I did, it would be okay. I am
entering their world, and I wait till they invite me
in.
My Story
It’s very difficult to sum up your life without
boring everyone to tears! However, I’m in such an
unusual occupation that you may want to know all the
roads I've traveled. The first eight years of my
working career was in business. It gave me a salary,
but I found myself bored and restless.
I was 26 when I started work as a teacher assistant
for a third grade class in California. I ran the
creative writing center, and found myself working
the most with the children who had behavior
problems. I was surprised and pleased when I
realized for the first time that that I had a
special way with children of all backgrounds,
talents and needs.
At the age of 29, I moved back to my hometown of
Louisville, KY to accommodate my husband's
education. I started work as a teacher's assistant
with delinquent teens in a school that was court
appointed. While I may have been frustrated with the
system, I loved my kids. It was quite a challenge,
but what I learned about behavior modification and
learning disabilities started a life long quest for
understanding children.
By the age of 33, I had two children and a husband
who had completed his degree. When he was hired by
IBM, we moved to upstate New York, where I geared
down to part time work as an administrative
assistant to the Rural and Migrant Ministry. I
worked with the director to organize a one-week
summer camp for rural and migrant children. Since
our camp was run by volunteers and free to the
children, I spent a good portion of each year
helping to fundraise and recruit counselors. I also
worked with our lay ministers for weekend programs
for children.
A few years down the road, I took on a Cadet and
Senior Girl Scout Troop. At one time I had 35
teen-age girls in my troop! My daughter was in the
troop, and we created some wonderful memories
together. I credit Girl Scouting for the leadership
skills I developed in those years. They taught me
how to write grants and dream big. I would
eventually write and get accepted for a Reader's
Digest Grant program that allowed me to take 8 teens
and two adults to the Girl Scout National Center
West camp site in Ten Sleep, Wyoming. Later I would
take 3 girls and myself to the Girl Scout/Girl Guide
World Center in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
At age 46, I found myself moving to Tallahassee,
Florida when my husband accepted a job there. I took
a part time job with a large church as their nursery
supervisor of birth to two. I also ran programs for
all ages on Wednesday night. It was a great two
years, but an offer to do private nanny work for one
of the church members appealed to me. I worked for
that family of four for two years, moving on when
the youngest child entered school full time.
My next job was with a family of twin boys for two
years. Twins will teach you to multi-task quickly!
What amazed me was that every skill I had acquired
in my years of working—from office management to
teaching assistant to motherhood—had prepared me for
this one fantastic career. Sometimes I wish I had
been a nanny earlier in my career but upon
reflection, I wouldn’t change a thing. I always tell
my teens who feel like they master nothing that
everything you learn prepares you for another step
in your life. Nothing is wasted if you use it.
I've traveled many roads during my years of working
with kids. I have worked with several disabilities
including Autistic, Williams Syndrome, and ADHD, as
well as a host of other learning and behavior
problems. The sensitivity it takes to work with
these children carries over into all my work. It has
helped me develop patience and put problems in
perspective.
I am also a member of the International Nanny
Association and a new organization called NANC that
brings agencies and nannies together. NANC is
working hard to establish criteria for nanny
accreditation that recognizes experience as well as
education.
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