NANNY SHARES

A past client of mine and their nanny are on the search for a family to complete a nanny share for their son, who is 2.5 years old!  They are looking for a family with a child around 18 months old to age 3 who is on a one-nap schedule.  They can accommodate either a part-time or full-time share for a minimum of 1 year.  They are thinking a schedule of 8:30 to 4:30, though they can be flexible.  They are excited to introduce their son to a more social environment.  He enjoys gym and music class and playing in their fenced backyard. They encourage our son to play musical instruments, color/draw, and go "catfishing" with our cat and her toy wand. During their free time, they like to visit the zoo, explore tide pools and beaches, and discover new parks in the Seattle region.  In an ideal situation, they would host the share, though they are flexible.  This is a gun-free home.

 

FAMILY VALUES:  As a family, they value kindness towards others, respect for nature, learning about different cultures, and trying new foods/recipes. They value limiting screen time and added sugar and foods low in nutrition.

 

ABOUT THE NANNY:  She is a very caring and compassionate person who is very engaging, honest, positive, down-to-earth, and creative. Katherine is responsible, reliable, and, most of all, someone they trust completely to care for their son. She finds or creates humor in random moments and can often be heard laughing and bringing positive energy to her interactions with their son. Her experience nannying for other families in the past has also helped them as new parents over these past couple of years as she has suggested new activities or different food ideas. She is on top of making sure their son has enough water, snacks, food, clean diapers, etc., and she keeps a log in an app of major activities. She also often shares pictures or videos throughout the day and has suggested fun new activities like planting seeds in the garden. She is now a part of the family.

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WORDS FROM THE NANNY: “I have LOVED working as his nanny since August 2021.  When I was deciding my next position, there was another family that lived much closer to me, but I didn’t get the same “good vibes” as I did when meeting the parents.  They are very kind, funny, easygoing people that make every day easy for me.  They know how they want to parent, but they are also very eager to learn from my experiences. I am extremely grateful to have met them and consider them dear friends as well as my employers.”

 

WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE THAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHER CHILDCARE PROVIDERS?
I have been a professional nanny for over 15 years now! Most of that was for nanny shares when that was still a “new” option for families and nannies, and I can honestly say I consider myself an expert in nanny shares at this point. I absolutely love watching children grow and develop, and what I enjoy most is being able to share the joy of that growth with the parents. I feel very honored when a family trusts me to be a part of their family, and it’s not something I take lightly. I think I bring a unique love for nature, cultures, and learning that past families have greatly appreciated.


WHAT ARE 1-3 CRITICAL APPROACHES TO HELPING RAISE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY CHILD?
1. Communication with the parents: this affects every aspect of the child’s life and my job as the nanny; nothing else can work if communication is failing between the nanny and family.
2. Understanding every child and family, is special and unique. What works for one kid may not be what another kid needs. I can share all my experience, knowledge, opinions, etc, that I have gained during my career and life in general, but I am STILL learning and discovering new aspects of childcare every day. It is critical to remain open to new and different ways to teach, guide, encourage, and support the children and their families.
3. Be happy! Sounds simple, but it can be hard to remember what sponges children can be. Demonstrating how we as adults handle big emotions and tough situations is super important for children. Yes, it’s ok for them to see us mad or sad or tired—it gives us a chance to talk about why we feel that way. All emotions are valid emotions; it’s just how we react to those big feelings that matter. Many adults don’t know how to deal with their feelings, so I think it’s critical to help the next generations be better prepared for a great life.


WHAT ACTIVITIES DO YOU ENJOY DOING WITH TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE HOME?
I love reading, listening to music, singing, and doing anything art-related like washable paints, markers, crayons, etc. I make believe with stuffies or Duplo or Little People figurines. Learning about nature through books and activities like gardening, nature walks, zoo, and aquarium trips. Love going to parks and playgrounds. Going to enrichment classes such as Little Gym (I’ve taken most of my kiddos to Little Gym!) and Music Together classes, nature classes, art classes, etc. Being physical by playing sports together, chasing each other, playground play, etc. I like to encourage independent play so they learn to entertain themselves while grownups can do dishes or change another baby, etc. But I’m always ready to come back and play.

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