1. What is your current Nanny Position?
I am currently a full-time nanny for a wonderful family in the Northern Kentucky area. The D Family! I care for 3 high energy girls. J, the oldest, just turned 9 years old this month and is in the third grade. She loves school and recently was invited to join the High Achievers Reading Club. She also plays basketball, sings in the choir, and was in the school play. A, the middle, is 6 years old and started Kindergarten this year. She has made the most improvement since I have been with the family. She is very outgoing and talkative. When she gets in trouble at school she tells me "it's just because I like to talk and the teacher doesn't like that." P, the youngest, is 4 years old and will start kindergarten this fall. She is a big cuddle bug, loves arts and crafts, and is one of the funniest little girls I know. Some of the things she says you would never expect to come from a 4 year olds mouth. My schedule is probably not as routine as most nannies. I always work 3 days a week including 1 night from 6:30pm to 8:30am and 2 days from 6:30am to 8:30pm. However, the days change from week to week and sometimes a work day for me may land on a weekend. The days I spend with the girls are long ones. On the days I work, right before bedtime is usually the first time the girls see their mother. My responsibilities are all related to the care of the girls. I make sure the older girls are up and ready for school, provide transportation to and from school as well as an occasional after-school activity, and provide a fun day for P, the youngest. During the day, I plan activities such as preschool work, art projects, play-time at the mall, story-time at the library, and when warmer weather comes around trips to the park and swimming. Oh, and of course more play-dates now that I have become apart of the CincyNanny Community. I also plan and prepare meals- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, help with homework, and give the girls baths. My housekeeping responsibilities are limited to making sure the girls and I pick up after ourselves. Occasionally I will run the dishwasher, wipe down the counters, and straighten up, but the primary focus of my job is always the girls.
2. How/Why did you decide to become a Nanny?
I didn't chose to be a nanny; the profession chose me and I learned I truly love working with children. I started caring for children first through babysitting jobs mostly for family, friends, and neighbors. Then around age 11 and for the next few years I worked for a local church's nursery caring for babies and younger children during service hours. This is where I met my first, nonrelation and no previous friendship, family. An actual real job. I remember being so excited! During my freshmen and sophmore years of high school, twice a week and most weekends, I cared for the family's 5 year old daughter, 3 year old son, and 6 month old baby girl. I was much more then just the babysitter. I remember doing my homework in the extra bedroom and hearing the kids outside the door waiting for me to finish up so we could play. I shared family dinners and celebrated many milestones. I trully became apart of the family. My last 2 years of high school I worked at a child care / preschool center. I started by floating around from room to room from one age group to another till I finally found the preschool room. I love working with preschoolers! By age 22 the nagging of my family to do something besides "wipe noses and butts" finally pressured me into taking a break from child care and get an office job. Yes I had normal hours, decent pay, and insurance, but something was missing. I was bored and the passion for my job was gone. Luckily the office job was a temp position ending around the same time that a family in my neighborhood was looking for an infant nanny. Of course I jumped all over it falling in love with Baby B. Even though the position didn't turn out to be long-term it lead me to find my current family that I have been with for almost 2 years.
3. Why are you passionate about working with children?
I am naturally a maternal person- I love children. I also love to teach and children are great students. They are always learning and very curious. I enjoy teaching a child something new, watching them try over and over again, and then finally seeing their face light up when they accomplish it. For example- A-the middle, finally learned how to snap her fingers. For weeks straight all I heard was snap snap snap... Miss Amy look what I can do (for the 10th time) snap snap snap. The other day, P-the youngest, blew her first bubble with bubble gum. It only lasted for a half of a second before her face was covered in gum, but it was worth seeing her face light up with excitment and then later hear her re-tell the story to her mom. Simple things to us, but mean the world to children. I am also excited how enthused the older sister, J, is about reading and learning; she loves school. I am also passionate about working with children, because they give me a new point of view on things. Children are so open minded, more understanding and forgiving then adults, and no matter how bad things seem the girls always give me a fresh look.
4. What is a misconception in your peers and/or family about the Nanny profession?
My family is always asking me "are you still babysitting for that family?" Sometimes I just want to scream- I am NOT a babysitter! I am a nanny; educated, experienced, and professional. I work along side the parents with a goal of raising physically, emotionally, and intellectually stable children. I feel as I am apart of the family, because I am, and have a genuine love for the children. I have also been told, many times, that I need to get a real job. In my opinion, providing care and education for children affects the future, so yes I do have a real job. Not to mention rewarding knowing that I am making a difference. The families I work for depend on me and trust me with their most precious gifts.
5. In what areas do you currently feel challenged?
I seem to always be challenged with one specific issue. I am a perfectinist. I like things organized and routined. Schedules, charts, lists, and post-it notes are my best friend. Structure is good for all children, but lets be honest things are not ever perfect with children. Which sometimes drives me crazy. With my current situation I am currently challenged with change. I have been stressed for the past few weeks thinking after this summer my current position was going to end. The youngest that I care for is going to be 5 years old this summer and start kindergarten this coming fall. I assumed the family would no longer need my services and stressed over bringing the issue up to the mother. I recently came up with the courage to speak with her and yes she would still need me, but there is a very good chance my hours will be reduced. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. She was very understanding and told me to do what was best for me. However, I am still faced with the challenge of making a decision that could lead to a lot of change in my life. I really love the girls, the whole family, and the mother makes me feel very comfortable. However, I am not sure if I can only work a few hours a day or a week. I have three options. One to stay with this family and let whatever happens happens. Two find a new family and move on. And three, which would be a really big change, my grandmother invited me to move to Florida living with her. I would still need a new job/family, but I would be away from home, couldn't visit my current family, and wouldn't have the support of Cincy Nanny. Change, I am just not very good at it.
6. What about CincyNanny has been a benefit to you?
I am so happy to have found the CincyNanny Community. I feel benefited in more ways then one. I now have access to resources, ideas, and support right at my finger tips. For example- Recently I have been working on updating and improving my resume. With a few clicks on the CincyNanny Forum I was able to get help and suggestions from other nannies. I am able to join and organize play-dates. P, and I have already been to a few. I am excited to become more involved and continue connecting with amazing nannies in the area.
7. What is something in your life (separate from your Nanny position), that is affecting your life in a positive way, and therefore affecting the children in your care?
Family is very important to me, especially my mother. I am very close to her as she is also my best friend and influences me in many ways. Just as I have become apart of the girls' family they have also become apart of mine. Occasionaly we pop in on my mom for a visit. The girls are now even calling her Grandma Karen- that drives her crazy! My mother has enjoyed dinners with us, celebrated the girls' birthdays, and has even watched them for me a few times. Another thing that is important to me is volunteering. My love for helping people and enjoyment of volunteering has spilled over to the girls. J, the oldest, understands the most. Everytime the commercial of abused pets come on she starts crying and asks if we can help them too. All the girls love to help me write letters, make cards, color pictures, and mail packages to our deployed troops.
8. What is a goal for the future?
I enjoy being a nanny, however I do want to go back to school. Of course, I want to stay in a child related field. I love children and enjoy working with them. It truly is rewarding. I would like to study early childhood education- one day being able to teach. I would love if I was able to continue nannying while attending classes and studying. I want to have a family of my own one day. I say lets have a big family, maybe 7, and the response I get is lets just see how we do with one first.
9. How do you refresh/re-coop/prepare from and for your Nanny position?
First of all I, of course, get organzied- make a schedule, prepare activities, gather supplies- This allows me to feel prepared and ready for the next day. Then I spend a little time for me- 15 minutes in a hot tub of water relaxes me. Sometimes I will read a few chapters of a book or close my eyes listening to music. Usually there is a few of our regular shows on television that I enjoy watching.- Perhaps addicted to! Then I make sure to get a goodnight sleep and have breakfast in the morning. From experience, I have learned that if I don't get enough sleep the night before I am dragging through the day and a bit cranky. I also have learned that if I don't have breakfast in the morning, by midmorning, I am starving and usually end up with a headache, which is not fun for any of us.
10. What changes would you like to see changed OR questions to be answered in the Nanny Industry?
I wish there was more information on nanny taxes. I wouldn't even know where to begin- is it better to be paid under the table or have nanny taxes taken out? If it is better to have nanny taxes taken out what is the process? What do I need to do? What does the family need to do? So many questions! I would also like to see more affordable nanny health insurance available. There is one good change that is already in progress. I am excited for the growth of CincyNanny and other nanny communities; hopefully more nannies will become involved and we can continue to support one another.
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Closing Notes...
Thanks so much to Amy for sharing your thoughts and experiences!
If you enjoyed reading Amy's thoughts, please leave positive comments for this Nanny!
Next week is "Teacher Appreciation Week" - May 3-7. One of my favorite teachers is my husband's Aunt Mary. She is the most classic example of the teacher - organized, sweet, patient, loves children... always seems put together and in control. Each year at our family Christmas "gift" exchange (the white elephant type), you always wonder who is going to receive Mary's box of recycled teacher gifts. There is always something with a bright red apple, something that says "#1 teacher", usually some type of lotion that is not pleasant to smell and of course the random object with a cartoon character on it. While I am sure that the children happily gave their teacher these gifts, Mary is left with no purpose for these pointless gifts but save them up and to pass them on to us and get the yearly laugh. 
