Adventure Nannies Blog

Nanny Of The Week: Meet The Multi-Talented + Inimitable Lauren!

 

 

 

 

We are so fortunate to work with the most multi-talented, compassionate and dedicated nannies in the industry. This week we’re proud to feature one of the many exceptional childcare professionals we work with named Lauren.

 

In the next installment of our Nanny Of The Week series, we would like to introduce you to one particularly talented woman who we are so proud to work with.

 

Introducing: Lauren (aka Lolo)!

 

Lauren 2

 

Adventure Nannies: Tell us 5 fun facts about you!

Lauren:

  1. I play the violin! I have a string quartet of rocking ladies that plays weddings, fancy dinner parties, and backs-up bands. I’ve also been a part of some great recording sessions. Some of my favorites? The Lumineers, Vance Joy, and Blind Pilot.
  2. Everything I own (mostly cacti, cameras, and piñatas) fits in my little Toyota Echo named Bub.
  3. I LOVE taking film photos.
  4. I want to be a Speech-language pathologist when I grow-up.
  5. I enjoy swimming across large bodies of water.

Adventure Nannies: Describe your best “I love my job” moment.

Lauren: I have had so many “I love my job” moments through nannying. I think it’s so special to be a part of so many milestones in a child’s life and watch them constantly learn new things. I’m also a huge fan of random dance parties, so anytime I can get a kiddo into dancing and being silly, I’m loving life and my job.

Adventure Nannies: Tell us about your favorite adventure in “nannying.”

Lauren: My favorite nanny adventure was to Hawaii with a family. The kids were two and four at the time. Our days started with fresh fruit breakfasts, followed by hours of swimming above sea turtles and sandcastle building. The kids stayed in my room that we made into a huge fort. One of them threw-up almost every night of the trip and I had to bathe a sleepy, barfy kid at weird hours of the night, but the daytimes full of exploring adventure, and sunshine totally made-up for it.

 

 

Adventure Nannies: What are the top 3 things you have learned from being a nanny?

Lauren:

  1. APPRECIATION FOR PARENTS AND OTHER NANNIES. After I had my first 10-hour day with two kids, I called my mom and thanked her for everything she did to raise me. Child-care takes a lot of hard work and can be tough sometimes, but the benefits of the job are endless.
  2. CREATIVITY AND EXCITEMENT. Sometimes you’re on a big trip with a family and can’t pack every toy a child likes to play with. Build forts, make-up stories, have dance performances, sing songs, build a drum set out of pots and pans, play charades, whatever! And as long as a child senses excitement from you about an activity, they’re usually into at least trying it out.
  3. GO WITH THE FLOW! It’s hard to predict what mood a child is going to be in at every moment of the day. It’s good to have a schedule and activities planned with kids, but know that sometimes that schedule won’t always work out exactly as planned. Leave a little wiggle room for finding lost shoes, making sure you pack the right snacks, and for the occasional melt-down. Stay calm and try to make the little hiccups of children/life fun.

Adventure Nannies: What advice do you have for nannies who are just getting started in their careers?

Lauren:

My advice for new nannies: Get creative with the skills you have to offer! Along with having great care-taking skills and a love for children, most people have other hobbies and skills that make them valuable as a nanny. If you play an instrument or sing, start exposing the children you take care of to music and teach them some kids songs. If you’re an artist, have a new art activity or craft planned each day. Invite other kids and their parents over for an art class. Some nannies may think that they have to keep their hobbies and nanny job separate, but I have found that parents want well-rounded people to teach their children about everything exciting the world has to offer.

My advice for people who want to become nannies: Start by offering trust-gaining services to people you know with kids. This may start off with dog or house-sitting while a family is out of town. This shows your effort to help and look after things they care about. Then offer to watch the kids while the parents run errands or are getting work done around the house. Everyone will grow comfortable with each other in these times, and you will hopefully prove yourself as a good fit for their family, and your responsibilities will increase. This often leads to getting referred to other families! If you are aiming for travel jobs or more full-time placement, these first few families are crucial for excellent references. Apply to an agency (Adventure Nannies, of course!) to ensure you are taken care of as a nanny and that you are properly placed with a family. Gain experience with all different kinds of age groups and learn as much as you can about child safety and development!

 

 


 

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