Tips & tricks I've learned along the way: diapering & feeding

These tips are mostly helpful for baby and toddler ages!

Diapering 

• Warm up baby wipes in the microwave for a few seconds if you don't have a wipe warmer. For times when I'm either already in the kitchen, or when I know I'll have a diaper to change (after naps, for example) this helps little ones - especially those who loathe diaper changes - be just a little more comfortable.
• When you're out and about with your little one and need to change their diaper, but there isn't a diaper changing table, use this trick: First, put a bunch of toilet paper or a seat cover on the seat to cover it. Sit on the toilet seat (clothed) holding the baby, keep your legs pressed together and put your legs out horizontally, then put your feet on the door to stabilize them. Voilà - a makeshift changing table in a pinch!
• Fold over the top front of boys' diapers before fastening it; this helps prevent leaks that boys can be more prone to.  
• A tried and true approach I use to treat/prevent diaper rash: 
• After changing cleaning baby's diaper area, let him/her air-dry completely before diapering again. (A main cause of diaper rash is lack of air circulation.) If diaper rash is already present or getting bad, you could put a tablecloth or shower curtain on the floor and let them lay/crawl on that for a while. I've noticed that the longer a baby can go without a diaper on, the faster the diaper rash will heal. (This is not always possible, but it really helps if you can make it work!)
• If the baby normally has regular bowel movements or is prone to diaper rash, use a thin layer of petroleum jelly to provide a barrier over their skin. For example, a little one I took care of normally had a bowel movement around 1:00-2:00 PM (after lunch/naptime), so before I put the baby down for their nap I would make sure to smooth on a thin layer of petroleum jelly.  Diaper changing was a cinch using this method because this also makes clean-up so easier because (to put it bluntly) less poo sticks to the skin!
• If a diaper rash does not get better by using diaper rash creme and airing out, it could be a yeast infection. Go ahead and buy a yeast infection treatment creme, but also call your doctor to schedule an appointment so they can properly diagnose. 
• If you don't like petroleum products or your baby's skin reacts poorly to them, check out Alba Botanica Multi-Purpose Un-Petroleum Jelly 

Feeding

• Shake up some applesauce or yogurt with a little water, juice, or other liquid in a sippy-cup for a mess-free, convenient snack. 
• Super messy eater? Before you put a bib on them, wrap a dish towel around their torso so it loosely covers the stomach and lap area. All of the food that the bib does not catch will fall onto the dish town instead of their clothes! 
• Money saving tip: buy one big container of applesauce and mix in jelly/preserves to flavor it (instead of buying flavored applesauce). Kids also have fun by mixing in diced fruit, jelly/preserves, nut butters, and other fun stuff to liven up their applesauce or yogurt. 
• Squirt or dollop yogurt, or fruit purées, onto a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil then freeze. When completely frozen, scrape the dots off and store them in a ziplock bag. This snack is especially fun for summertime or kids who are bored with their snack options! This can also be used as a great leaning activity to teach how liquids behave differently at different temperatures.  

How to build and maintain professionalism in the nannying field

Finding professionalism within the in-home caregiving industry can be overwhelming at first; it's not a regulated career (compared to standards set in place for daycare centers, schools, ect), there's no nanny union, and each nanny job varies depending on many different circumstances. That being said, you can still maintain a higher level of professionalism as a nanny, and you should.

Employers want to see that you take your profession seriously, and having high standards for yourself and carrying yourself as a professional is one way to convey that. You're also helping better the nannying field as a whole when you take your career seriously. People have a hard time differentiating between nannies and babysitters, and it's up to us to educate them on the differences. If the only difference you can name is that you're scheduled regularly, then you should consider reevaluating what exactly makes you a professional. 

Without further ado, here are some ways you can bring more professionalism into your nannying career:

• Be organized
• Keep a Daily Care Report that details the type of care you provide throughout the day. The one I made can be seen here.
• A nanny binder can be a really useful tool. In mine I keep past Daily Care Reports, blank Daily Care Reports, resources for things like milestones and development, emergency contact info, and a communication section where the nanny can write notes to the parents and vice versa. It should be left at the families house so they can reference the information whenever they want/need to.
• Plan what you are going to do and why you are going to do it. I make sure to allow plenty of time for free-play because that's something that's beneficial to the ages of children I work with, but things like playdates and outings should be planned (unless, of course, the parents prefer otherwise). 
• Join nanny organizations and use them to network
• While the International Nanny Association is probably the most widely respected nanny support organization, there are plenty of options to choose from. I would recommend joining a few - one international or national organization (like the INA), and at least one local organization. Both groups are great for staying up-to-date on industry information and upcoming conferences, and local groups will help tremendously with networking. 
• Professional development
• Attend conferences: this is probably one of the most beneficial things you can do to become a better and more professional nanny. Conferences provide it all: workshops and speakers to educate, a great atmosphere to network in both planned and organic environments, and an opportunity to speak to the most successful nannies in the field and get insider knowledge. 
• Get certified: Aside from First Aid and Infant/Child/Adult CPR (which all nannies and childcare workers should have), there is a multitude of other certifications and classes you can take to help you better understand the needs of the children you are caring for and what to do in emergency situations. 
• Get a membership to Coursera. This is a website that provides free online education for accredited universities. There are other similar websites, but this one is by far the most popular. Search for any classes having to do with child psychology, nutrition, or early childhood education. If there aren't any currently being taught, search that database and read over class descriptions; a lot of times different subjects can be applicable to childcare. If you work for a family who values organic food and a natural lifestyle, for example, and find a class that aligns with that, take it! You will never be penalized for being more knowledgeable about a particular subject, so by all means use this free education to your advantage. 
• Get a membership to Better Kid Care. This is an on-demand education platform from Penn State Extension and it has been tremendously useful in my career as a nanny thus far. Most early education classes are geared toward preschool or elementary education, which is fine, but a lot of nannies like to work exclusively with infants, babies, and toddlers. Better Kid Care has a lot of classes that focus on these ages and teach you useful information about caring for these young ages. I am a better nanny because of what I have learned in these classes and feel more confident in my childcare abilities because of them. I would highly recommend these classes not to just nannies, but to everyone who would like to learn more about caring for young children. 
• Seek out local and national classes and workshops. Many hospitals or recreation centers will have classes that are usually geared toward parents, but are still useful to nannies. Local community colleges also have classes that you might be able to sit in on, just email the professors or advisors and ask. The only way to find about about these classes, though, is to actively research what's going on in your local area; I set aside time every Monday to do this, and suggest that others try to find a little bit of time each week that they can do the same.
• Use a contract
• I can not stress this enough. Having a contract forces the nanny and the parents that s/he works for to be on the same page. There are so many different types of nannies, so one person's assumptions of what a nanny's duties are could be completely different than their neighbors, which is why it's so important to not only verbally discuss expectations, but also have them written down and agreed upon. A very popular and thorough contract is the A to Z Nanny Contract written by Lora Brawley, and industry expert.  

What is the International Nanny Association?

Quite frequently, I'll tell someone that I'm International Nanny Association certified and I'll be met with a blank stare. Most people, understandably so, aren't familiar with the INA, and they don't know why it matters if a nanny is INA certified.

What is the International Nanny Association? 

The International Nanny Association (INA) is the nonprofit organization that serves as the umbrella association for the in-home childcare industry. It provides information, resources, education, and guidance to both professional in-home workers (nannies, personal assistance, butlers, ect) and the families who hire them. The INA sets high standards and guidelines for professionals that hold an INA certification. 

What are the benefits of hiring an INA certified nanny?

INA certified nannies agree to adhere to the INA's Commitment to Professional Excellence and Recommended Practices, and must pass a background check.  

What else should I know about the INA?

The INA has tons of resources for families. From interviewing nannies to helping you draft a contract once you've hired one, you should always check their website for helpful guides. 

For more information about the International Nanny Association, visit their website at nanny.org.

Daily Care Logs

I like to give parents peace-of-mind by keeping a written record of their child's daily care. I created these Daily Care Logs for my current charge, and keep them in a binder that we keep in the nanny family's house. This not only allows the parents to have a detailed report of their child's day, but it also allows the parent to have a timeline of their child's milestones, first words and language development, and other information that they may need or want to remember as their child grows older.


Here's an example of the care report I created for my last charge:

Qualities of good nannies

Qualities that good nannies should possess (in my humble opinion)

Each caretaker has a different "style," and I think it's important that the parent's and caretaker's styles are compatible. Some individuals value strict disciplining techniques while others subscribe to peaceful parenting practices. Religious families may want their children cared for by a member of the same religion while others may value a humanist perspective. I strongly believe that it's important to openly and honestly communicate about values, beliefs, and the child rearing styles that you believe in and why.

Here are things that I do, or qualities I have, that I think make me a good nanny:

• Being a good example: from not cursing around kids to the things I eat around kids, I know that everything I do is setting an example for the things they are learning to do. I set a good example by dressing appropriately, using manners and respect when talking to children, giving them my full attention when they are talking to me/interacting with me (not texting/looking at my phone when working with children), being patient and understanding, making sure my comments don't influence their beliefs/values, having a positive disposition and encouraging optimism
• Encouraging children to think: when children ask me questions, I seldom just give them an answer. I get children to think for themselves and find that, often, if you give a child a starting place they can find the answer they were looking for all by their selves. Not only is it fulfilling for the child to be able to solve problems by their self, the more you get children to think on their own the easier it is for them to do so. This way, children are more likely to form their own opinions on things and have an open mind. 
• Encouraging children to learn: there are so many opportunities to learn in day-to-day life and I think it's our responsibility as adults to encourage children to learn at every opportunity they come across! We learn by asking questions about things, researching things that we don't know, studying subjects that are interesting to us, hearing other people's experiences, doing activities we aren't familiar with, along with countless others. I ask children about things they already know so I can get them to explain things to me and reinforce information that they have already been taught. 
• Encouraging children to be independent: instead of doing things for children (which we will inadvertently do as caretakers anyway), I encourage them to do things for themselves (at age appropriate levels, of course) with my help so they can learn to be independent. I let kids help me cook, clean, and tidy so they can learn how to do it on their own. I will give them a verbal reminder and/or visual demonstration if they can't remember the steps involved in doing something. Charts, checklists, and reward systems work well with helping children learn and complete tasks. Gaining a feeling of independence helps children to feel more confident and secure. 
• Encouraging physical and emotional health: encourage physical health by making sure children get nutritious meals and learn which foods are and aren't good for them, teaching good hygiene by supervising/helping with hygiene routines (brushing teeth/bathing/washing hands) and providing a good example of being hygienic in day-to-day life (washing hands, sanitizing/wiping down surfaces/disposing of trash properly, cleaning up after oneself), encouraging physical activity and explaining why physical activity is essential for good health, teaching children to talk to adults about their problems/concerns/emotions, or to express them in some way (writing, art, music, sports), teaching children that they can confide in parents or caretakers for advice, answers, protection, consoling, and meeting their physical needs. 
• Discouraging stereotypes: I discourage children from using stereotypes for multiple reasons. (1) Because they are offensive; when you stereotype someone, you are basing your opinion of a whole group of people off of what is actually your opinion of either one or a few of "that type" of person. I try to teach children this and help them to not associate stereotypes with actual people, and not to form their own stereotypes of groups of people. (2) Another reason I try to discourage stereotypes is because there are a lot of them in most children's books. Girls are weak princesses who need to be rescued by a prince, and princes are always strong and manly and hate pink. By discouraging these stereotypes, it helps children feel like it's okay if they're a girl and would rather play with BeyBlades instead of Barbies, and vice versa. I think it's important to teach children that while it may seem like there are "boy things" and "girl things" (or gender specific activities/opinions), it's totally cool to do anything that makes you happy (as long as it is legal and moral and all that good stuff :). 
• Encouraging good manners & respect: the biggest way I encourage manners and respect is by showing manners and respect to the children I am taking care of. Of course, if they forget to say "please" or "thank you" I remind them, but I always make sure to use my manners and say these things to the children I am caring for. I think that when adults respect children, children are more likely to not only respect adults in return, but that children want to respect adults who show them respect.
• Encouraging good communication: when children are frustrated, usually it's because the child either didn't know how to communicate their needs/wants or is trying to communicate their needs/wants and is ineffective. Whether it's working on language development/signing with babies and young children, or working on expressing emotions/frustrations with older children, I always stress how important it is to communicate with others. The more children can communicate with each other and with adults, the more they can solve their own problems, and the closer they are to becoming independent. 

My childcare experience

Nanny for a family with four children 

I have been a nanny for a family with four children since September 2013.

About this position:  The children were 12 months, 3 years, 5 years, and 7 years old when I began working for the family. I am usually caring for only the toddler while his siblings are in school, however, I care for the other children when they are home sick, or when school is out for a holiday or snow/weather day. For this particular position, my duties include:

• Eating: preparing meals and snacks for children, feeding or helping the children learn to feed themselves, keeping kitchen area/eating area clean & sanitary, stressing the importance of hygiene/washing hands before meals & cooking (for the children and myself), rinsing off dishes and/or putting in dishwasher
• Diaper changes/bathroom help: diapering toddler, reminding younger children the steps of going to the bathroom, and again, stressing the importance of hand-washing! 
• Sleeping: putting toddler down for nap (transitioned toddler from rocking sleeper to Pack-N-Play for his nap), putting 3 & 5-year-old down for their afternoon nap and providing a 'rest-time' for the 7-year-old
• Activities: setting up and supervising developmentally-appropriate, educational activities for all children (art, crafts, reading, toys, dress-up, 'dance parties,' sensory activities, music/song/dance time, cooking), supervising physical activity and outdoor time, taking the toddler on walks, taking the children on educational outings (museums, parks, aquarium), encouraging language development through everyday learning opportunities (narrating what I'm doing, talking out-loud to toddler, naming objects/people), building on what the children learn in school by making sure the activities I provide for them are developmentally appropriate and challenging if necessary  
• Normal routine: For this family I keep eating and nap schedules and plan activities accordingly. As a nanny I know the importance of being consistent with a child's eating/sleeping schedule. 
• Daily Care Logs: I created my own Daily Care Logs so parents can have a record of their child's care. I record information about Eating, Diapering, Activities, Nap-time, Developmental Milestones, Language Development, and also miscellaneous pertinent information. I keep the Daily Care Logs in a binder that is left at the family's house so they can be referenced at anytime. 

Nanny for family with three children 

I worked for a family with three children from March - September 2013.

About this position:  The children were 8 months, 4 years, and 7 years old when I began working for the family. While my current position focuses almost entirely on childcare or duties related to childcare, this position also involved household management/assistant duties and housekeeping duties in addition to the childcare I provided for this family. For this particular position, my duties included:

• Eating: preparing meals and snacks for children, feeding or helping children learn to feed themselves, preparing bottles for the baby, keeping kitchen area/eating area clean & sanitary, stressing the importance of hygiene/washing hands before meals & cooking (for the children and myself)
• Diaper changes/bathroom help: diapering baby, reminding younger children the steps of going to the bathroom, and again, stressing the importance of hand-washing!
• Bathing/bedtime/naps: bathing the baby & helping the 4 & 7-year-olds with their baths, putting a fresh diaper, lotion, and pajamas on the baby and making sure the 4 & 7-year-olds dry off and dress for bed, supervise kids brush teeth before going to sleep, give the baby a bottle, rock the baby and read her a book, then place her in crib with pacifier, read to the 4 & 7-year-old children together and then put them to bed in their separate rooms (sometimes I would also read to them separately), when I was home with the baby during the day she had a morning and afternoon nap and I put her to sleep with the same routine for bedtime (bottle, rocking & book, bed), the 4 year old had an afternoon nap and the 7 year old had rest time
• Activities: setting up and supervising developmentally-appropriate, educational activities for all children (art, crafts, reading, toys, dress-up, 'dance parties,' sensory activities, music/song/dance time, cooking, science experiments), supervising physical activity and outdoor time, taking the baby & kids on walks, taking the children on educational/fun outings (parks, aquarium, beach, pools, sound, landmarks, putt-putt, playgrounds, restaurants, arcades, bowling, library, movie theatre, events) encouraging language development through everyday learning opportunities (narrating what I'm doing, talking out-loud to the baby, naming objects/people), building on what the children learn in school by making sure the activities I provide for them are developmentally appropriate and challenging if necessary  
• Normal routine: on a regular day I arrived to the house and got the family car to pick up the baby and children from daycare/school, I picked up the 7-year-old from elementary school, then the 4-year-old from pre-school, and then the baby from daycare, then drove the children home, provided activities for them to do or took them to an after-school activity, cooked dinner for them, had dinner with kids and fed baby dinner, tidied up kitchen with kids, bathed baby and supervised 4 and 7-year-old's baths, got baby ready for bed and supervised kids getting ready for bed, set 4 & 7-year-olds up with a short & educational program to watch while I put the baby to bed, read books to 4 & 7-year-olds, put them to bed in their separate rooms, tidy up house after kids are asleep, wash any dishes in kitchen, take care of any chores that need to be done
• Household management/assistant duties: grocery shopping/shopping for household necessities & keeping track of what was needed, driving/accompanying mother to appointments & reminding her of appointments, driving/accompanying mother to baby's doctor appointments, driving mother to stores or to run errands, taking care of the family's two dogs, taking dogs to vet occasionally, wiping down kitchen counters, organizing/de-cluttering kitchen
• Housekeeping duties: doing all dishes - children's dishes and family's dishes (loading/unloading dishwasher, hand-washing dishes that aren't dishwasher-safe, washing baby bottles, collecting bottles/dishes from rooms, putting clean dishes away, cleaning kitchen appliances), helped to de-clutter/organize kitchen periodically, wiping down/sanitizing countertops, taking trash/recycling out, cleaning out family car periodically and making sure children clean up their trash & get all their belongings when they get out of the car, cleaning up after baby/children, supervising/teaching kids how to clean up after themselves, vacuuming 1-2 times/week, helping with the baby's laundry, straightening up the baby's room, helping with de-cluttering projects periodically, helping fold laundry, teaching/helping 4 & 7-year-olds how to put away laundry, maintaining clean bathrooms (wiping down, making sure to drain/rinse out bath, making sure towels are hanging up, checking bathrooms after kids use them)

inquiries: sophiemae.morris@gmail.com